We're ready to continue with action in the fourth round, beginning today with...
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Graham v. Cleo. Former club-mates meet in a series of Rotation with the red cue to kick things off. Everton's Cleo had the majority of early offense through short runs, frustrating Eastside's Graham for quite some time. Cleo scratched on the 9, which sparked Graham for a four-ball run, and he won with a three-ball run-out after the 11 proved too tricky for Cleo as well. Graham's 8-7 win puts him up 1-0 in the series. The Eagles' Cleo bounced back well in game 2, falling behind the Sharks' Graham initially but turning it into a back-and-forth battle to keep things interesting. Cleo would make the last two balls on sharp cuts to win 8-7, tying the series at 1. Cleo used a four-ball run to start in game 3, an impactful attack that paced the offense well. Graham cut into the deficit a little bit near the end, but Cleo pulled away and won 8-2, taking the series lead at 2-1 as she protected this lead better than in game 1. Graham bounced back with a four-ball run to start game 4, building up a nice lead. He allowed Cleo to get close to this initial attack before rattling off a few shorter turns to collect an 8-3 win, retying the series at 2. Graham struck first in game 5, but Cleo matched him with a three-ball run later on. From there, the two tangled in a fierce battle, ending with Cleo prevailing 8-6 for the 3-2 series win. Cleo will be hosting her bracket semifinals series. Cleo has her second kill this year, forcing Graham out as the 71st eliminated player.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Shawn v. Ice Cream. We continue with the blue cue up for Accuracy. Midland's Shawn had a good game 1 going for most of the rack, but two late misses dropped him into a tie, and Boston's Ice Cream did enough to force overtime. Shawn missed on the overtime break, and Ice Cream made a shot to win 2-3, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Shawn played a little smarter late in game 2, keeping a close game in his control by giving the Swifts' Ice Cream bad shooting positions. Ice Cream couldn't defy these plays, missing twice late to assure Shawn of his 2-5 win to tie the series at 1. Shawn and Ice Cream stayed perfect for a long time in game 3, but Ice Cream collapsed toward the end of the game. Shawn missed twice on a troublesome final ball, but he took the result at 2-4 to gain a 2-1 series lead of his own. Ice Cream's plans were foiled rather early in game 4, as she took a couple of sloppy misses and a scratch. She did manage to drag Shawn down through positioning at the end, but she couldn't force overtime, and Shawn made the final ball to take a 3-4 win. Shawn secured the series at 3-1 in the process. Shawn refused to budge from perfection in game 5, and while Ice Cream only missed once early, it was all Shawn needed in the 0-1 win. Shawn will host the winner of the next series in the bracket semifinals after this 4-1 series win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Roxy. The blue cue finishes its Accuracy for the round after the lunch break. Pearl's Bright had a decent start in game 1, but unraveled in the middle and at the end. Freedom's Roxy held a higher standard of play, fading late but holding on to win 3-5 for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Bright bounced back, wrangling last shot duties away from the Cascades' Roxy after the visitor delivered a good break. Bright and Roxy exchanged misses once, but Bright held on from here while Roxy faltered. Bright's 1-2 win ties the series at 1. Roxy did a bit better with the late-game strategies in game 3, managing to drag Bright down into a tie on the last ball. Bright made a ball on his overtime break, and while Roxy made two shots herself, her third missed. Bright won this one 2-3, taking the series lead at 2-1. Bright stayed strong on the break in game 4, pushing Roxy around immediately. Roxy held her ground for awhile, but a late fade cost her the game and the series, as Bright grabbed the 3-4 win for a 3-1 series lead. Bright turned it up a notch with a perfect performance in game 5, while Roxy stumbled twice, leading to the 0-2 final score. Bright won the series 4-1, and will visit the Midland Predators captain Shawn in the bracket semifinals. Roxy is the 72nd player to get bumped from the Tournament, giving Bright his third kill of the year, which puts him among the league leaders.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Puff I. The red cue begins a long stretch of series with this 7-ball match. Neither player grabbed game 1 by the horns, with a handful of errors and plenty of misses involved. Web City's Ted eventually converted on the 7 when Modernistic's Puff I failed to do so, giving Ted the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Puff I had a little more to her game with a three-ball run early on, but she couldn't back it up. The Spiders' Ted walked away with the win in game 2 on a three-ball run-out, putting him ahead 2-0 in the series. Puff I brought her best cuts in game 3, making do without good positioning by executing tougher shots on a five-ball run-out that Ted could only watch happen. Puff I's win cuts the series deficit to 2-1. Puff I had an empty break in game 4, and while she did alright early on, Ted charged back with a three-ball run and some defense to challenge her. Puff I didn't meet the challenge well, and Ted took the last two balls for the win, sealing the series in his favor at 3-1. Puff I dominated game 5 despite the win not changing the result of the series, using a four-ball run early on and the final pair of shots to beat Ted. With a 3-2 series win, Ted assured himself a hosting position in the bracket semifinals.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Vladimir Vasilyev v. Noelle. The red cue takes another turn in 7-ball this time. A slow start in game 1 never really lifted for Central's Noelle, who had a pair of misses on the 4 that eventually led to Stonebridge's Vladimir rallying with a four-ball run-out for the win. Vladimir leads the series 1-0. The Wolves' Vladimir made a ball on the break in game 2, but couldn't muster much other offense when it counted. The Warriors' Noelle played a patient game before striking in the 4 to the bottom right and the 5-7 combination at the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Noelle made a pair on the break in game 3, and then added another pair after that before missing on the 5. Vladimir shot back with a pair of his own, but he left the 7 painfully close to the bottom right, where Noelle deposited it for the win. Noelle is now ahead 2-1 in the series. Vladimir kept things interesting in game 4, answering another pair of balls on the break from Noelle with his own five-ball run-out on his first and only turn, a brilliant stretch of shots to earn the win that tied the series at 2. Vladimir had a pair of balls on the break in game 5, but he also scratched, giving Noelle ball-in-hand. Noelle took full advantage of this, flipping the script from the previous game with a five-ball run-out to give her the win and a 3-2 series win. Noelle will advance to the bracket semifinals.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Bryant. The red cue continues its streak in a Northeastern Derby for 15-ball. Central's Dustin brought some serious offense in game 1, with a crafty six-ball run and a three-ball run near the end, but he left the 15 at the top right. Maplewood's Bryant took the opportunity and won on a tap-in for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant did better on offense in game 2, with a five-ball run early on and a majority from that point on against the Warriors' Dustin, who tried but couldn't quite connect a big run of his own. Bryant and Dustin both had chances on the 15, but Bryant won with a tap-in on his second try, making it 2-0 in the series. Bryant took his share of chances on offense in game 3, again carrying majority possession, but he scratched while aiming at the 11. Dustin answered Bryant's final three-ball run with a pair of shots on the 11 and the 12-15 combination at the top side for the win to trim the deficit to 2-1. Dustin left the 15 dangerously close to the top right on the game 4 break, and after Bryant passed up an instant-win chance on one error by Dustin, he couldn't do the same a second time. Bryant left Dustin with no shot on the 3, then used the ensuing ball-in-hand on a 3-15 combination for the win to seal the series at 3-1. Bryant couldn't do much in game 5, as Dustin attacked with determination to pick up another win. Dustin had a couple of four-ball runs, and made the last two shots to get the win. Bryant still took the series 3-2, and will be on the road again in the bracket semifinals. Dustin is the 73rd player knocked out of the Tournament, giving Bryant his first kill in a do-or-die situation.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Lize v. Pounce. The red cue's tour is about half over entering this Accuracy series. The two players went perfect deep into game 1, and then Pronger's Lize fell apart with three straight misses. Then, surprisingly, Southern's Pounce missed his last three shots to force overtime, where he missed two more while Lize finally made a shot to win 4-5 for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce held a lead early in game 2 after the Tridents' Lize had an awkward miss. Lize couldn't get herself back in the game, and while Pounce missed once late, Lize scratched while potting the final ball. Pounce took the 1-3 win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Pounce butchered game 3 early on, taking a miss and never pressuring Lize to do the same. Lize took control when she led by two shots, an important advantage in the game that eventually ended 3-4 in her favor. Lize owns a 2-1 series lead now. Pounce stayed in the series with a dominant game 4, requiring most of the rack before he missed, and then converting a bank of the 13 to the bottom right to secure the 1-2 win that retied the series at 2 after Lize's early flubbed shot. Pounce had nothing on the break in game 5, but still had the easier path early in game 5. Lize made at least three remarkable shots to stay perfect before exchanging a miss with Pounce. In the end, Pounce had a miss on a kick attempt at the top side that left Lize with the 1-2 win and 3-2 series win. Lize will host another series in the bracket semifinals after advancing here.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Nightfur. Southeastern rivals and longtime members of their respective teams meet in Rotation with the red cue. Royal's Nightfur started with a three-ball run, and then stalled Boston's Puff II quite a bit to slow game 1 down. Nightfur closed with a four-ball run-out, taking the 8-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Puff II returned the favor with an 8-3 win in game 2. Puff II had a four-ball run on her first turn, and then used an error from the Crowns' Nightfur to complete the effort on a four-ball run-out, tying the series at 1 with a quick victory. Puff II looked posed to repeat the effort in game 3, but after a four-ball run on the break, she lost her way a bit. Nightfur quickly tied the game, and even pulled ahead in a congested middle part of the game. Nightfur made sure to take the win in the end, a three-ball run-out staking out the 8-6 victory to restore her series lead at 2-1. Puff II kept things close at first in game 4, battling with Nightfur in a shaky start, but Nightfur pulled away at the end, winning 8-2 and securing the series at 3-1 in the process. Nightfur let Puff II strike first again in game 5, then rattled off a seven-ball run to build a massive lead on the counterattack. Puff II used defensive positioning, but it didn't work when Nightfur kicked the 9 into the bottom left anyway to seal another 8-2 win. Nightfur's 4-1 series win gives her a hosting position in the bracket semifinals. Puff II is the 74th player out of the Tournament, and likely lucky to have lasted that long, while Nightfur took her first kill from a desperate position.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Cheddar. The red cue's day ends with 9-ball between two strong veterans. Pearl's Boots took game 1 in two shots, making the 4 on the break and then using the 1 as a decoy to deflect the cue into the 9, which fell at the bottom right for the win. North Modernistic's Cheddar finds herself trailing Boots 1-0 in the series. The Surfers' Boots again made the 4 on the break in game 2, but that's where the similarities ended. The Nighthawks' Cheddar had two separate three-ball runs later on, the latter featuring a split shot with the 6 to bump the 7 into the bottom left before a deflected shot off the 6 put the 9 there as well for the win. Cheddar tied the series at 1 with her aggressive offense. In game 3, Cheddar and Boots exchanged pairs of shots early on before Boots committed an illegal contact foul. Cheddar took over with ball-in-hand, rattling in a five-ball run-out with masterful positioning and craft, and the win puts her ahead 2-1 in the series. Game 4 saw a drop-off in quality from both players, especially Cheddar in the late turns. Boots managed to drive the offense, converting the 9 on her third try to get the win which retied the series at 2. Boots scratched while potting the 2 on the game 5 break, leading Cheddar to respond with a quick three-ball run-out, using positioning to set up and convert a 4-9 combination to the bottom right. Cheddar's clutch finish gave her a 3-2 series win and puts her into the bracket semifinals, albeit in another visiting role. Boots is the 75th player to be eliminated, giving Cheddar her first kill of the year when she needed it most.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Shelley. The day ends with the silver cue's only appearance of the day in 8-ball. Terrace City's Oreo had a three-ball run from the break in game 1, but Infinity's Shelley made that look small with consecutive four-ball runs on her two turns to take the win. Shelley holds a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Shelley couldn't get anything going off the break in game 2, while the Knights' Oreo quickly recorded a five-ball run. Shelley had a chance to go on a deep run, but ended after three shots with a miss on the 6, and Oreo took over from there, picking up her last two shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Oreo took a four-ball run from the break but saw diminishing returns after that, while Shelley started with a more quiet offense but closed her win with five balls over her last two shots. Shelley also used a bit of defense between those turns to prevent Oreo from winning, as Shelley enjoys a 2-1 series lead. Shelley delivered a poor break in game 4, leaving Oreo to come in and clinically pick apart the various shots she needed. Shelley couldn't make enough of a comeback to stop Oreo at the end, with the host's win retying the series at 2. Oreo looked a little more menacing with a four-ball run that could have been more in game 5, but she fell off the pace and lost to Shelley two turns later, as Shelley's five-ball run-out gave her the win. Shelley took the series 3-2, and will be the host in her bracket semifinals series.
That's all for today's games. We'll likely play a full day tomorrow, a reduced schedule on Saturday, and then take Sunday off.
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