We're set to go for the second day of the new round, beginning with...
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Brownie v. Twilight. Two players overachieving this year clash in Accuracy with the blue cue. Tysini's Brownie made a ball on the break in game 1, but a scratch and a couple other misses ruined her offense. Central's Twilight missed only once in the 1-3 victory, giving her a 1-0 series lead in the process. The Warriors' Twilight had another good game in game 2, while the Hummingbirds' Brownie spread out a number of misses throughout the rack. Twilight only scratched on her last shot, sacrificing the shutout and taking a 1-4 win instead to make it a 2-0 series lead. Brownie was sloppy at both ends of game 3, missing twice early and three times late, plus a lackluster middle. Twilight contained her misses more effectively to win 4-7, clinching the series at 3-0 with this win. Twilight started off alright in game 4, but her motivation to play hard eroded at the end in a back-and-forth battle that saw Brownie pop up with the 3-5 win. Twilight remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Brownie refused to go quietly in another back-and-forth battle in game 5, forcing overtime on the last shot but then losing 4-5 in overtime when Twilight's break netted a ball and gave Brownie poor positioning. Twilight's superstar-making campaign continues into the bracket semifinals, where she will host a series.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Ice Cream. A top seed takes on a rebounding veteran in 15-ball with the silver cue. Both players had a slow start in game 1, with Boston's Ice Cream taking a slight edge in early possession. Oceanside's Jason erased this advantage with six of the last seven balls falling on his shots, including the 15 for the win. Jason leads the series 1-0. The Waves' Jason supplied a bad break to start game 2, and struggled to find any offense for himself early on. The Swifts' Ice Cream had a little more luck with a few short runs, but she ran out of steam at the end, as Jason made a three-ball run-out for the win to extend his series lead to 2-0. Jason had a much more explosive break to start game 3, and a three-ball run show for it. The two tangled a bit closer in the middle of the game, with Ice Cream wrenching possession away with a three-ball run. Jason had illegal contact while potting the 9, leading to Ice Cream picking up the win on a three-ball run-out, cutting the series to 2-1 as well. Ice Cream built up to a threatening six-ball run in game 4 after some mixed play at the start. Jason held his ground against Ice Cream in the end, making the last two shots to counter her offense for the win. Jason secured the series at 3-1 with the tight finish. Jason delivered another bad break in game 5, but Ice Cream quickly provided a four-ball run. The rest of the game saw trick-play attempts toward the 15 until Jason finally caromed the cue off the 9 to bump the 15 into the bottom right for the win. Jason took the series 4-1, and will take his top-seeded bid to another hosting spot in the bracket semifinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Slinks v. Cassie. After the lunch break, the blue cue returns to play Rotation. After a back-and-forth start to game 1, Royal's Cassie surged ahead on a four-ball run, only to miss on the 9. Westside's Slinks fought back with five balls over two turns to complete a comeback 8-7 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Cassie capitalized on the Rockers' Slinks leaving two balls short from the break. Cassie started on a three-ball run, and then used two ball-in-hand plays to get the rest of the offense, winning 8-1 on a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Cassie had a poor break in game 3, but that was the least of her concerns initially. She built up a solid lead, but tensions rose as the offense stagnated. A more aggressive style favored Slinks greatly, as she twice tied the game up before finally surging ahead for the 8-7 win on the last two shots. Slinks reclaimed the series lead at 2-1. Slinks started out stronger in game 4, but she couldn't maintain her level of play. Cassie pressed with a pair of balls before unleashing a three-ball run-out at the end to take an 8-6 win, retying the series at 2. Slinks started well in game 5, building up a lead that Cassie erased with a four-ball run. Cassie then beat Slinks at the end, winning 8-6 to take the series 3-2. Cassie will be on the road in the bracket semifinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Dewey v. Lorde. Back on the coast, we've got Accuracy with the red cue ready to go. Oceanside's Dewey had a good performance in game 1, pinning Capital City's Lorde behind early and backing up his smart plays throughout the game. Lorde only flailed around toward the end, watching as Dewey claimed a 1-3 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Dewey actually missed first in game 2, but he limited himself to that one bad shot. The Sharpshooters' Lorde didn't have the lead for long, and fell behind in short order as well, allowing Dewey to pick his way to a 1-2 win to extend his series lead to 2-0. Dewey and Lorde stayed perfect for most of game 3, a fantastic stretch ended by each one taking a miss. In overtime, Lorde's soft break caused Dewey to scratch and then miss, giving Lorde the 2-3 win to cut the series to 2-1. Lorde refused to back down now, exchanging misses with Dewey early in game 4 before closing out the game without a miss from there. Dewey tripped up on a shot only once, but it was enough for Lorde to win 1-2, tying the series at 2. Dewey had a brutal miss on his first shot in game 5, and Lorde refused to quit her near-perfect pace. Lorde missed once late, but buried the last ball to win 1-2, taking the series 3-2. Lorde will be on the road once again in the bracket semifinals. Dewey is the 65th player out of the Tournament, and Lorde has her second kill this year.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Kiwi. Top-10s on the bracket clash in 8-ball with the silver cue in a massive series. Pearl's Beth started with a four-ball run on her second turn, followed by Terrace City's Kiwi making a six-ball run with some collateral damage. Beth would strike quickly with a three-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead against her dangerous opponent. The Surfers' Beth led the pace in game 2, although she exchanged both a scratch and a subsequent four-ball run with the Knights' Kiwi. Beth couldn't kick the 8 to the top left, leaving it for Kiwi after the visitor made the 10 on a tap-in, then did the same to the 8 to win. The series is tied at 1. Kiwi pounded two balls in on the break in game 3, but Beth had the better of play until she got onto the 8. Beth scratched for her first shot, and then couldn't make the 13 quickly on her next turn. Meanwhile, Kiwi made a three-rail 4-2 bank combination and then a kick on the 8 at the bottom right for the win to gain a 2-1 series lead. Kiwi had herself a near-perfect game 4, making ten balls over eight shots for the win, as she sank two solids while claiming stripes and running the table. Kiwi's dominant burst sealed the series in her favor at 3-1, leaving Beth bewildered. Kiwi struck for two more shots from the game 5 break, but then engaged in a grittier battle with Beth. Kiwi managed to find inside positioning near the end, executing a three-ball run-out while Beth stumbled. Kiwi's 4-1 series win puts her into the bracket semifinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The blue cue returns to action as two of the Southwest's finest battle in 9-ball. Tysini's Leandra had a couple of early turns to push the 9 into a jam with a 5 at the top right. Both players took looks at it, but once the 5 was down, Victoria's Yekaterina double-potted the 9 there and the 6 at the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra had a much better game 2 with a four-ball run start the offense. Leandra failed to follow it up, and after a few turns, the Spurs' Yekaterina made the 5 to the bottom right and the 6-9 combination to the bottom side for another win. Yekaterina leads the series 2-0. Yekaterina pulled one out of her bag of tricks in game 3, getting two balls to bump the 9 into the bottom right on the break, and adding the 8 at the top right for good measure as she clinched the series at 3-0 over Leandra. In game 4, Leandra's biggest problem was keeping her shots legal, as many were missed contact or scratches. Yekaterina feasted on this, and then timed a three-ball run-out just right at the end to snag another win for her 4-0 series lead. Yekaterina lost a little of her touch in game 5, but not enough to cost her the game, as Leandra staggered through her turns again. Yekaterina eventually settled in for a four-ball run-out, finishing off a 5-0 series sweep that gives her hosting rights in the bracket semifinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Jasmine. A pair of 15-ball series begins right after a break with these two strong opponents. Freedom's Jasmine had the first good run in game 1, making three straight, but she ceded possession to Oceanside's Celestia late. Celestia worked on a five-ball run on her last turn, leaving the 15 up for Jasmine to put in the bottom side for the win and a 1-0 series lead to the visitor. The Cascades' Jasmine took two on the break in game 2, but struggled for consistency on her turns throughout the game. The Waves' Celestia looked better early, but dropped off toward the end, her miss on the 15 giving Jasmine another tap-in look for the win. Jasmine is ahead 2-0 in the series. Celestia kept the competitive part of the series going in game 3, weathering Jasmine's early attack before matching her over the back half of the game. Jasmine had a pair and a three-ball run that ended with a scratch, the latter setting Celestia up for a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, including a critical bank on the 14 to the bottom right. Jasmine's series lead is now at 2-1. Jasmine's best looks on offense in game 4 didn't always work, but she held Celestia back with defense. Celestia later had a foul that led to Jasmine potting the 7 from ball-in-hand before making the 8-15 combination at the bottom left for the win to secure the series at 3-1. Celestia showed a bit more bite on her later shots in game 5, while Jasmine still had plenty of offense to her own credit. Celestia rattled the 15 into the bottom left after Jasmine missed it in the same spot. Jasmine settled for a 3-2 series win to put her in a hosting position in the bracket semifinals.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Puff I. With his captain taking a win, Nikolai brings a taste of 15-ball with the blue cue to their home fans now. Modernistic's Puff I couldn't get anything to go right early in game 1, but she found the win anyway, as Freedom's Nikolai missed the 15 to waste all of his good offense. Puff I made a tap-in at the end to go up 1-0 in the series. The Union's Puff I knocked a four-ball run to start game 2 off the break, and continued to pace the offense for most of the game. The Cascades' Nikolai made some progress later on, but Puff I was there in the end to mop up the 15 on the final shot, giving herself a 2-0 series lead. Puff I began again with a four-ball run, and sandwiched a six-ball run by Nikolai with her three-ball run, but Nikolai made the last two balls on separate turns after Puff I couldn't corral the 15 at the bottom left. Nikolai's clutch win cuts the deficit to 2-1. Nikolai had a solid break in game 4, but he didn't do much after that. Puff I had a crafty cut shot on the 3, which deflected to put the 15 in the bottom right, but the cue followed the 3 into the top right. Nikolai will take the gifted win to tie the series at 2 games each. Nikolai and Puff I each tightened their playing in game 5, unwilling to let the other get too confident. In the end, Nikolai tried to slam the 15 into the top right on a long shot to end a run. He missed, and Puff I rattled it into the bottom side to claim the win and 3-2 series win. Puff I will return home to host her bracket semifinals series.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Taylor Swift v. Sage. The red cue steps up to play some 10-ball now. Commerce's Taylor had a pair of three-ball runs to start game 1, allowed to continue the first after illegally potting a ball. Victoria's Sage waited patiently, then struck for a four-ball run-out to counter the second of Taylor's runs, earning herself a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor controlled the offense in game 2, mainly through a six-ball run, but also at the end when the Spurs' Sage saw her plans for a late counterattack crumble. Taylor made the last two balls on separate turns for the win to tie the series at 1. Taylor again carried the majority of possession in game 3, this time through a four-ball run near the end after a slow start for both players. Unfortunately, Taylor just left the 10 up at the bottom left, and Sage tapped it in with ease to snag the win, regaining the series lead at 2-1. Sage enjoyed a more even distribution of possession in game 4, but it didn't do much for her, as a late miss on the 10 erased the good feelings from her opening three-ball run. Taylor deposited the 10 cleanly to the top right to get the win, retying the series at 2. Sage returned to a low-possession style in game 5, partly by choice and partly by Taylor pacing the game. Taylor made a three-ball run late, and then rattled the 10 hard out of the top left. Sage also missed the cut attempt on the 10, bailing Taylor out as she potted it on her second try for the hard-fought win. Taylor took the series 3-2, and will host her bracket semifinals series.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Twilight. The silver cue will bring the day to a close in 10-ball. Midland's Rainmane had some good shots early in a tense opening game, but Central's Twilight took over at the end, cutting her way to a five-ball run-out for the win. Twilight owns a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight picked up where she left off, taking a three-ball run and a four-ball run on her first two turns in game 2. Twilight twice missed on the 10, leaving the Predators' Rainmane to finally drive it into the top right for the win, tying the series at 1. Twilight and Rainmane tangled without much success early in game 3, the runs of the previous game a long-lost memory until Twilight woke the crowd with a 6-10 combination to the top right for the win. Twilight regained the series lead at 2-1. Rainmane kept herself in the series in game 4, weathering a three-ball run over the middle from Twilight. A stagnant period occurred before Rainmane made the 6 and then deflected the cue off the 8 to pot the 10 at the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 2. Both players played hard in game 5, with Twilight benefiting early on but ultimately dropping the game with a pair of late fouls. Rainmane controlled the end-game, earning the win and a 3-2 series win to advance to the bracket semifinals.
Tomorrow will be more of the same, playing ten series.
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