We're back to close out the week with a full day of games. We begin with...
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Nicole. This Cola Wars Derby is in 8-ball with the blue cue. Lighton's Nicole had a four-ball run early in game 1, pacing her attack to stay a step ahead of Boston's Gradley for the entire game. Gradley came close on a late push, but Nicole made two shots to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley had a more productive start in game 2, making a four-ball run with a little collateral damage. The Prestige's Nicole stayed close but behind for most of the game, until she found a three-ball run-out ending with a tap-in on the 8 at the top left for the win. Nicole's series lead is now at 2-0. Gradley again started the attack in game 3, using a three-ball run with another collateral damage play. Nicole was a little more aggressive this time, wrangling the lead away and setting up the 8 at the top right before burying it on a tap-in on her next turn when Gradley couldn't do anything with his turn. Nicole clinched the series at 3-0. Gradley began with a seven-ball run in a feisty and defiant game 4 effort, but he didn't finish off the 8 on multiple chances, and Nicole punished that with a six-ball run-out for the win to move her ahead 4-0 in the series. Gradley continued to push early in game 5, but Nicole was willing to battle with him. This led to a number of choppy turns, with Nicole ultimately sticking herself in an impossible position on the 8 and still nearly converting. Gradley made it at the top left for the win, giving Nicole a 4-1 series win. Nicole advances to the bracket semifinals. Gradley is the 76th eliminated player, with Nicole grabbing her first kill of the year.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Missy. The blue cue stays in action for a series of 7-ball. Capital City's Missy had every chance she needed to control game 1, but a rattled miss on the 4 ruined her game, allowing a sloppy effort from North Modernistic's Peach to be punctuated by a three-ball run-out for the win. Peach leads the series 1-0. The Nighthawks' Peach just about trimmed errors out of her offense in game 2, and then used a missed contact by the Sharpshooters' Missy to rally on a five-ball run-out from ball-in-hand. Peach's big finishing attack gave her a 2-0 series lead. Peach absolutely dominated in game 3, growing into the series with two balls from the break and a four-ball run-out after Missy couldn't corral any shots for a late push of her own. Peach's win confirmed the series in her favor at 3-0. Peach continued to find a variety of ways to win in game 4, suffering through a four-ball run by Missy that ended with a missed 5-7 combination at the bottom right. Peach deflected the cue off the 5 to tap the 7 in for the win, making it a 4-0 series lead now. Peach finally faltered in a close game 5, which saw her do her share of the offense before leaving the 7 lined up at the top side for Missy on the final turn. Missy converted for the win, giving Peach just a 4-1 series win to take with her into the bracket semifinals. Missy exits the Tournament as the 77th player knocked out, with Peach responsible in her first kill.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Wings. The red cue takes a turn next, playing Rotation between these two veterans. Golden's Strut started well in game 1, but Central's Wings did everything necessary to make it a back-and-forth battle between the two. Wings ultimately prevailed on an 8-6 win, chipping his way to the win at the end for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went much the same, with both players keeping things close initially. The Warriors' Wings went ahead after the middle of the game, but he couldn't close it out, as the Pilots' Strut charged back with a four-ball run-out to win 8-6. Strut's win tied the series at 1. Wings had all the control early in game 3, pinging his shots around and leaving Strut with virtually no clear looks. Wings just couldn't put the 10 in the top side, leading to Strut making the next six balls throughout a scattering of turns to steal the 8-7 win. Strut pulls ahead 2-1 in a tense series. Strut had a slow start in game 4, although Wings wasn't able to capitalize it as most of their early plays were for contact on the 2. Strut then broke out on a six-ball run to build a massive lead, and he shut the door with an 8-2 win to secure the series at 3-1. Strut couldn't get anything going in game 5, while Wings delivered a four-ball run-out to take the game 8-3. Strut settled for a 3-2 series win to put him on the road against the Everton Eagles' Cleo in the bracket semifinals. Wings is the 78th eliminated player this year, giving Strut his second kill.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Whiskers. A Northeastern Derby is renewed in Accuracy with the red cue. Maplewood's Whiskers was nearly untouchable save for a single miss in the middle of game 1, while Web City's Shiny fell behind early and never recovered. Whiskers won easily at 1-4, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shiny didn't let one bad game throw her off, returning fire with an exceptional game 2 performance. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers held even for awhile, but a couple of misses set her too far back, as Shiny buckled down in the end to win 1-3, tying the series at 1. Both players remained perfect for a large portion of game 3 before exchanging misses. Whiskers made her next shot, while Shiny faltered to fall behind. Whiskers would not bend after this, taking the 1-3 win to regain her series lead at 2-1. Whiskers delivered a spread break in game 4, leaving plenty of shooting options. Shiny did miss once in the middle of the game, but she recovered to leave Whiskers in bad positions twice late in the game. Whiskers missed both times, dropping the 1-2 result to Shiny, who tied the series again at 2. Whiskers and Shiny met in an epic game 5 battle, with Whiskers holding the lead late after a bad miss from Shiny. Whiskers couldn't strike from distance on the last ball, while Shiny converted to force overtime, and then won it two turns in after leaving Whiskers with a bad position. Shiny's 2-3 win gave her the series at 3-2 and a hosting spot in the bracket semifinals to go with it.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Puff III. Club-mates meet in the silver cue's only appearance today, in 7-ball. Oceanside's Celestia finally erupted for a seven-ball run-out after a poor start for both her and Everton's Puff III in game 1. Puff III had illegal contact to spark Celestia's run to the win that gave the host a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia didn't have as much control after the break in game 2, but the Eagles' Puff III barely took advantage of it, showing up very weak on offense. Celestia played patiently until finding a route to a four-ball run-out for the win, which extends her series lead to 2-0. Celestia continued to dominate on possession in game 3, a four-ball run at the start and a pair at the end overwhelming Puff III. Puff III's only mistake was a miss on the 5 at the bottom side on her second shot after Celestia's opening run. Celestia sealed the series at 3-0 with the win. Celestia kept going with a ball on the break before a tough start to game 4. Puff III couldn't pot the 3 later on, which Celestia did as a double-pot with the 6 at the right corners before a smooth cut on the 7 to the top right for the win to move her series lead to 4-0. Celestia made three balls on the game 5 break, sending the 4 to the bottom right, the 5 to the bottom side, and the 7 to the top side for the win. Celestia swept the series 5-0, earning her spot in the bracket semifinals. Puff III is the 79th player to exit the Tournament, giving Celestia her second kill this year.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Shaggy. A minor Urban Derby rivalry features next in 10-ball with the blue cue. Neither player had an easy start in game 1, but Whitewater's Shaggy very subtly found her way before Modernistic's Daisy really knew what was happening. Shaggy attacked with a six-ball run-out full of mid-range shots to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy scratched on the game 2 break, leading to a three-ball run and bad miss on the 4 for the Union's Daisy. Shaggy made Daisy pay for the mistake, cutting the 4 to the top right with the deflection sinking the 10 in the bottom right for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Daisy had the better of play in game 3, with a four-ball run early on and a later pair of shots, but she also scratched with the 10 as the only ball left. Shaggy wasted no time in potting the 10 to the bottom left for the win, clinching the series at 3-0 in the process. Daisy had a couple of positive moments in game 4, but when she missed on the 2, Shaggy took over to pot it to the bottom left before putting the 3-10 combination in the bottom right for the win. Shaggy's dedication to striking quickly gives her a 4-0 lead in the series. Daisy had some good offense in game 5 initially, but Shaggy took over with a six-ball run before two misses on the 10. Daisy had a chance to make the 10 on a slight cut, but left it outside of the top right, and Shaggy made the tap-in to finally get the win. Shaggy earned a 5-0 series sweep to put her on the road against the Central Warriors' Noelle in the bracket semifinals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Stephanie Livilotti v. Gizmo. The blue cue gets another turn in 10-ball. Eastside's Gizmo had a four-ball run, including a double-pot of the 4 and 5 to the left corners, in game 1, but he couldn't make it work at the end. Southridge's Stephanie answered with a three-ball run-out for the win, pulling ahead 1-0 in the series. The Defenders' Stephanie had a subdued attack in game 2, still providing offense but without as much pace this time. Stephanie's finish looked hot with trick plays on the 8 and 9, but her bank on the 10 stayed up at the top left. The Sharks' Gizmo scratched while trying to tap it in, giving Stephanie a free shot on the 10 for the win, which moves her series lead to 2-0. Stephanie found a new and creative way to pick up the win in game 3, this time going on a deep eight-ball run-out to find victory against a hapless Gizmo, who hasn't locked in his shot nearly enough. Stephanie's win seals the series at 3-0. Stephanie continued to gouge out chunks of offense, this time collecting a four-ball run from the break and two subsequent pairs of shots in another dominating win over Gizmo that runs her series lead to 4-0. Stephanie had another good game on offense in game 5, but it didn't hold up when a three-ball run of hers ended in a scratch. Gizmo took over with a three-ball run-out of his own to take the win, avoiding the sweep while taking a 4-1 series loss. Stephanie is into the bracket semifinals. Stephanie stays alive with her first kill of the year, making Gizmo the 80th eliminated player.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Chelsea v. Whiskers. The red cue is up next, ready to play 7-ball between strong veterans. Eastside's Chelsea took advantage of an untimely scratch for Maplewood's Whiskers in game 1. Chelsea converted the 2-7 combination to the bottom right straight from ball-in-hand for the win, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Chelsea held her own on offense in game 2, waiting for a chance to strike. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers obliged with that, missing on the 6 and leaving Chelsea with an easy 6-7 combination to the bottom right. Whiskers' unfortunate positioning helped Chelsea push her series lead to 2-0. Chelsea made four balls on the break of game 3, but also scratched, sending one to each corner. Whiskers didn't get distracted, making the 2 on her first turn and then the 3 and 7 to the bottom side on her second turn for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Whiskers remained sharp early in game 4, but she drifted into a lesser offense as the game went on, missing twice on the 6. This eventually gave Chelsea the opening she needed to make a pair of shots at the end for the win, securing the series at 3-1 in favor of the host. Whiskers struck with a four-ball run in game 5, but a miss on the 5 turned possession right back to Chelsea, who won on her next turn with a pair of shots after Whiskers rattled the 6 at the bottom left. Chelsea had a 4-1 series win, and will visit the Web City Spiders' Ted in the bracket semifinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Anton v. Klaus. A rookie takes on a sophomore as the blue returns for the next 7-ball series. Todavía's Anton began with a five-ball run from the break in game 1, but couldn't convert on the 6. Atlantic's Klaus took over from here, burying the last two shots to get a quick win and 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Klaus had a bad foul in the middle of game 2, missing contact with the 4 to give ball-in-hand to the Stills' Anton. The host Anton struck for a 4-7 combination to the top right to get the win, tying the series at 1. Anton began with a three-ball run from the break in game 3, and then took a slower approach at the finish. Klaus had chances to counter Anton, but mostly failed to produce offense as Anton marched away with the win to take a 2-1 series lead. Klaus seemed to find a little more offense early in game 4, working an early run. Anton wouldn't allow this at the end, taking ball-in-hand after Klaus' missed contact play and using it for a three-ball run-out to earn the win. Anton sealed the series at 3-1. Klaus finally had a chance to dominate in game 5, rallying with a six-ball run-out for a quick win. Anton still won the series 3-2, and will be hosting the North Modernistic Nighthawks captain Peach in the bracket semifinals at this venue. Klaus is the 81st eliminated player, with Anton taking his first career kill.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Bandit. Today's final series is in 12-ball with the blue cue, also playing out on the coast. Swordpoint's Bandit did better early in game 1, setting himself up for an easier finish as he made his last two balls while Southern's Pounce still sought positioning on three shots. Bandit leads the series 1-0. The Blades' Bandit made two balls on the break, but didn't have the best of positioning after that. The Monarchs' Pounce navigated the table well, but his attempt to line up his last ball bumped in one of Bandit's two remaining shots. Bandit quickly deposited the other in the bottom side, escaping a tough situation with a win to push his series lead to 2-0. Bandit illegally potted a ball on the game 3 break, but with a grey area in the rules for that, he kept possession. Pounce was willing to left Bandit thin the herd a bit before striking on his first and second turns, quickly finding himself down to his last ball. Pounce put the 13 near the bottom left, and then managed to stifle Bandit's options by making contact plays for half a dozen turns before converting it for the win. Bandit's series lead is down to 2-1 after this frustrating game. Pounce had a ball on the break in game 4, but Bandit supplied a four-ball run after that to induce a little panic. Bandit struggled to get positioning for his last two shots, but was nearly there after Pounce scratched. Bandit missed at the top side, allowing Pounce to pot two shots for the win, tying the series at 2. Pounce made two balls on the break, and then received a wild-card ball from Bandit. This nearly disrupted Pounce's rhythm, but he settled in and outplayed Bandit when each player was on their last ball. Pounce's win gives him a 3-2 series win, and puts him into the bracket semifinals.
We'll likely be back for eight to ten series tomorrow, depending on physical needs.
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