A day off was necessary to keep play quality at the expected level, so after a quiet Thursday, we're back to close out the week on Friday with eight series. We begin where the last day left off in...
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Avril Lavigne v. Jasmine. The red cue makes the start today in 9-ball as the visitor completes a split doubleheader. Southern's Avril had plenty of good shots in game 1, but a scratch on the break and after shooting at the 6 derailed her offense. Freedom's Jasmine used the ball-in-hand on the latter to ignite a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Jasmine maintained a balance between shaky and effective in game 2, answering a pair from the Monarchs' Avril with a three-ball run-out to win again. Jasmine moves to a 2-0 lead in the series. Jasmine started off alright in game 3, but took over by the end of the game, making the last five balls over two turns to defeat Avril again. Jasmine's late push clinched the series at 3-0 in her favor. Avril had a three-ball run in the early parts of game 4, but she couldn't add onto that offense later. Jasmine roared back from her slow start to make a five-ball run-out at the end, pushing her series lead to 4-0. Jasmine never let Avril take a shot in game 5, burying the 5 on the break, and then cutting the 1 to the top left before converting a 2-9 combination to the bottom right. Jasmine swept the series 5-0, earning herself a home bracket quarterfinals series against the Queens Flames sophomore wunderkind Violetta.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Debby Ryan. The blue cue takes a turn in Accuracy for today's second series. Pearl's Bright had a solid performance in game 1, missing once early but managing to push Southridge's Debby into less convenient shots. Debby held on for awhile, but Bright picked up the 1-4 win at the end to go up 1-0 in the series. A scratch proved very costly for the Defenders' Debby in game 2, as a later miss on the final ball dropped her out of a tie. The Surfers' Bright made the last ball, taking the 1-2 win to push his series lead up to 2-0. Bright kept his performance steady in game 3, sparring with Debby early on before the visitor started missing. Bright had one tough miss late in the game, but won 1-4 after Debby scratched to ruin her hopes of a comeback. Bright sealed the series at 3-0 with this win. Debby had another inconvenient scratch in game 4, but this time Bright had a miss late in the game to drop them into a tie. Debby made a ball on the overtime break, and Bright could not reply, giving Debby the 2-3 win to avoid the sweep as the series moves to 3-1. Debby kept control of herself in game 5, pushing on Bright after his early miss. Bright pushed back later in the game, but faltered at the end, and Debby won 2-3 again. Bright will settle for a 3-2 series win, and will advance to the bracket quarterfinals. Debby's season ends surprisingly early as the 22nd player out, and Bright has his second kill of the year.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Oreo. After a break, Maplewood is the site of a venue doubleheader beginning with this 7-ball series using the red cue. It took Maplewood's Whiskers some time to get her offense going, but two fouls from Terrace City's Oreo kept the host in control. Whiskers did finish a seven-ball run-out for the win on her third turn, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers continued with a six-ball run to start game 2, but a scratch after making the 6 led to the Knights' Oreo taking the win from ball-in-hand. Oreo's good fortune here tied the series at 1. Game 3 went back and forth between the players, as Oreo had a couple of runs go to waste with slightly-off misses. The latter of these allowed Whiskers to pot the 6 and 7 for the win, regaining the series lead at 2-1 in the process. Whiskers began with a three-ball run on the break in game 4, answered by a three-ball run from Oreo on her first turn. Oreo narrowly missed on the 7 at the bottom right, and Whiskers converted the tap-in to seal the series at 3-1. Whiskers fired back with a four-ball run to start in game 5, but it didn't matter in the end, as Oreo charged back to win on a three-ball run-out to take a consolation win. Whiskers' 3-2 series win puts her in a visiting position for her bracket quarterfinals series.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Dustin. The venue doubleheader ends with Accuracy and the silver cue. Central's Dustin didn't get worried early in game 1, helping him stay calm while Maplewood's Gabe floundered. Dustin took a step back later in the game, but held on to win 3-6 after Gabe fell apart following Dustin's scratch. Dustin leads the series 1-0. The Lumberjacks' Gabe improved in game 2, playing a solid effort. He held the lead after an early mistake from the Warriors' Dustin, but needed overtime and a bad soft break by Dustin to get the 1-2 win. Gabe's bounce-back effort tied the series at 1. Gabe potted a ball on the game 3 break, and while Dustin held on for awhile, he had a couple of misses in the middle. Gabe had one miss later in the game, but used a double-pot to accelerate the finish in another 1-2 win that puts him ahead 2-1 in the series. Gabe improved his performance for game 4, going empty on the break but perfect from that point on. Dustin had three misses in a row at one point, and that produced Gabe's 0-3 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Gabe didn't let up at all in game 5, staying nearly perfect for most of the game and downing Dustin 1-3 for the 4-1 series win. Gabe will retain a hosting role in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Ice Cream. Fun in the Northeast continues as these veterans clash in Rotation with the blue cue. Archtown's Ruby had a ball on the break and a few lucky bounces after that to build up a big game 1 lead. Boston's Ice Cream had a couple of chances to launch a big counterattack, but Ruby stalled her and won 8-2, good for a 1-0 series lead to the host. The Swifts' Ice Cream built up the big early lead in game 2 this time, but the Arrows' Ruby tied it and then stalled the game. The two tangled again late, each making a pair before Ruby potted the 15 at the top left for an 8-7 win and 2-0 series lead. Ice Cream kept herself in the series with a gritty game 3 effort. Ruby challenged her at every turn, but Ice Cream held the lead and took an 8-6 win in the end to cut the series to 2-1. Ice Cream again stayed in the fight in game 4, using a controversial illegal contact call on Ruby to spur a three-ball run. Ruby pulled back and made it close, but Ice Cream fought her off and won 8-5 to tie the series at 2. Ruby returned to her lucky form in game 5, pulling away from a persistent Ice Cream with a deflected bank on the 11 that drove the 14 to the bottom side. Ruby finished the 8-4 win at the top side on the 11, winning the series 3-2. Ruby will host her bracket quarterfinals series.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Dreamy. Today's Northeastern tour continues as the red cue comes back to the table for Accuracy. Web City's Shiny made a ball on the break in game 1, but that was about the only thing to go right for her. Swordpoint's Dreamy played an unassailable game, winning 1-4 to take a quick 1-0 series lead. Both players improved in game 2, with the Spiders' Shiny trimming a miss from her score but unraveling at the end against a perfect performance from the Blades' Dreamy. The final was 0-3, giving Dreamy a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 started well on both sides, as neither player had an early miss. Dreamy would crack first, missing closer to the end of the game, and Shiny held her position to win 0-2, cutting the series to 2-1 Dreamy. Shiny again supported a lead well in game 4, this time missing a shot late to make things interesting but ultimately besting Dreamy by a 1-2 score to tie the series at 2 heading into the final game. Dreamy had her chances to maintain a lead in game 5, but she only had one lucky bounce and she used it early. Shiny stormed ahead at the end and then shakily finished off the 2-3 win for a 3-2 comeback series win. Shiny will be the host in her bracket quarterfinals appearance.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Marsell. Two of the season's best meet in 9-ball with the red cue. Whitewater's Marsell controlled the middle of game 1 pretty well, but he left a run open for Central's Twilight in the end. Twilight made the last three shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight got some favorable bounces in game 2, most notably as the 8 ricocheted out of the bottom left but ran all the way to the bottom right to allow her to finish a five-ball run-out. This burst gave her a win and 2-0 series lead over the Shores' Marsell, who had little impact in this game. Game 3 started a little slower than the others, but Marsell broke out for a three-ball run over the middle. Twilight found her shot right after this, blasting a three-ball run-out to get the win, securing the series at 3-0 with her nice counterattack. Marsell couldn't piece a run together in game 4, fighting on most shots in a game filled with short attacks. Twilight showed no mercy at the end, picking up a pair of shots for the win and 4-0 lead in the series. Twilight wasted no time in ending the series in game 5, blasting a four-ball run from the break and a five-ball run-out on her second turn. Marsell never had a chance as Twilight swept the series 5-0 to earn a road bracket quarterfinals series against the Terrace City Knights rookie Quincy.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Snuggle. A captains' battle closes out the standard portion of what will be an extended day, playing Rotation with the red cue. Royal's Nightfur slowly but sure managed to build her offense up, holding off early challenges from Oceanside's Snuggle before closing out the win at 8-4. Nightfur leads the series 1-0. The Waves' Snuggle had a three-ball run to grab a lead in game 2, followed by a five-ball run that put the Crowns' Nightfur out front rather quickly. Snuggle fought back, winning 8-6 on a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Nightfur had a very difficult start in game 3, watching Snuggle building his lead with a three-ball run early on. Nightfur bounced back to keep things close, and then erupted at the end for a four-ball run-out and 8-5 win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Nightfur's persistent attack kept her going in another slow-to-start game 4. Snuggle again pulled out to a slight lead, but Nightfur pushed harder at the end to get the 8-4 win. Nightfur's victory sealed the series at 3-1 in her favor. Nightfur had a bad break in game 5, but it led to a three-ball run. Snuggle fired back with a pair of shots, but Nightfur pulled away to an 8-2 win on a five-ball run-out. The two-turn victory gave Nightfur a 4-1 series win, and she'll visit top-seeded Boston Swifts star Puff II in a Southeast-filled bracket quarterfinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Snowball. Into the bonus series we go, playing 7-ball with the silver cue here. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy went empty on the break, and Swordpoint's Snowball took the game over with a three-ball run-out. Snowball had a crafty deflection to pot the 4 after missing on the 2, and then deflected the cue off the 2 for a 6-5-7 combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball made a pair of three-ball runs in game 2, but couldn't make it stand, twice failing to pot the 7. The Union's Ms. Puppy buried the 7 to the bottom right on her second try for the win, tying the series at 1. Snowball's distance shooting has become a point of concern, as she failed to win despite a four-ball run to put her onto the 7. Snowball missed the winning shot twice before Ms. Puppy tapped it in to take a 2-1 series lead. Ms. Puppy secured advancement on the game 4 break, burying the 4 at the top right and, more importantly, the 7 in the bottom side for the quick win and 3-1 series lead. Snowball took game 5 in two turns, burying a 2-7 combination two shots after illegal contact by Ms. Puppy. The 3-2 series win put Ms. Puppy into the bracket quarterfinals, where she will again be a host.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Wings. The visitor makes a homecoming to end this day with 8-ball and the silver cue. Pearl's Beth started off pretty well in game 1, but Central's Wings chipped away at her lead, most notably with a late three-ball run. Wings missed on the 8, and Beth converted a three-ball run-out at the end to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Beth had a slower effort in game 2, and the Warriors' Wings capitalized until both players scratched back-to-back. Wings got a little too generous with sinking balls, and Beth used this after Wings missed his bank on the 8 to pick up two shots for a win of her own. Beth moves to 2-0 up in the series. Wings jumped out to a somewhat significant lead in game 3, trying to keep the series alive for himself. He got onto the 8, but missed it on three occasions, allowing Beth to make five balls over her last two turns for the win. Beth secured the series at 3-0 with the win. Beth did wonderfully to command the offense in game 4, starting with a four-ball run and limiting Wings to only one potted ball. Beth closed as she started, on a four-ball run-out to move her series lead to 4-0. Wings used pure power in game 5 to establish his lead, and then a little positional skill for his last two shots to secure the win and avoid the sweep. Beth took the series 4-1, and will host the Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi for a bracket quarterfinals series.
That's all for today. Saturday is a scheduled day off, and the status of games in any sport are to be determined for Sunday.
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