We're playing a full day on a weekend here, beginning with...
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney Sierota v. Nicole. The silver cue gets the first look today in a series of 9-ball. Harrison's Sydney had a positive start in game 1, while Lighton's Nicole couldn't quite figure her offense out. Sydney managed to find a four-ball run-out at the end, cutting her way to a win and 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Nicole bounced back on offense in game 2, controlling the pace of the game and finding a late four-ball run to get onto the 9. Nicole missed, leaving an easy straight shot that the Specters' Sydney converted for the win to push her series lead to 2-0. Neither player really had a grasp on game 3, struggling in even measures especially as the game progressed. Sydney missed on the 9 twice, giving Nicole her successful third try to get the win, which cuts Sydney's series lead to 2-1. Sydney had a smoother performance in game 4, making a four-ball run over the middle to help keep the game moving. It wasn't enough, as she missed an 8-9 kick combination attempt, and Nicole made the last two balls on separate shots for the win, tying the series at 2. Game 5 reverted to a stingy attack on both sides. Sydney made one critical mistake, scratching on her attempt at the 7, which opened Nicole up for a three-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 comeback series win. Nicole will be on the road yet again in the bracket semifinals with this Cinderella bid. Nicole took her second kill of the year to make Sydney the 82nd eliminated player.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Cassandra. Next up is some 15-ball with the red cue between confident opponents. Everton's Kirstin had some good looks in game 1, but she let it fade as the game progressed, and Diamond's Cassandra picked up the slack with five of the last six balls potted. Cassandra's late surge gave her the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Cassandra had a productive four-ball run to start game 2 despite a weak break, and then backed it up at the end with a four-ball run-out, topping the Eagles' Kirstin's three-ball run in the middle of the game. Cassandra's big runs give her a 2-0 series lead. Cassandra delivered another poor break in game 3, and this time it slowed down the early offense. Cassandra broke the funk with a four-ball run, and then added the 10 and 11-15 combination to the bottom right after Kirstin couldn't get more than a pair in response. Cassandra's combo shot secured the series for her at 3-0. Cassandra scratched early in game 4, allowing Kirstin to take a bit of offense. Cassandra had a five-ball run and a three-ball run a couple of turns later, but Kirstin took the three-ball run-out at the end to get the win, cutting the series to 3-1. Kirstin went full-powered in game 5, attacking with a seven-ball run early on and then countering Cassandra's limited possession with a three-ball run-out at the end. Cassandra still won the series 3-2, and will host her bracket semifinals series against the Maplewood Lumberjacks' Bryant.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Violetta. Two of this year's best clash in 9-ball with the red cue in an epic series. Freedom's Jasmine had a pair of balls from the break in game 1, but missed contact with the 3 on a kick attempt. From ball-in-hand, Queens' Violetta did a seven-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead, executing her shots to her usual high standard. The Flames' Violetta made three balls on the break of game 2, but her offense went cold from there, allowing the Cascades' Jasmine a pair on her first turn and a three-ball run-out to close the game with a win. Jasmine has tied the series at 1 game apiece. Jasmine opened game 3 with a four-ball run before the offense slowed on both sides. Violetta's first turn was weak, but she made the final pair of shots after Jasmine couldn't assemble a second run. Violetta restored her series lead at 2-1 with this win. Violetta couldn't get a grip on her offense for game 4, and while Jasmine wasn't particularly sharp this time either, she made the shots she needed to for the win. Jasmine has retied the series at 2, setting up the desired final game to decide the series. Violetta waited patiently for a big moment in game 5, finding it at the end as she made a four-ball run-out to defeat Jasmine in the game and the 3-2 series. Violetta will play on the road again in the bracket semifinals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Dominic v. Whiskers. A pair of club-mates battle in 9-ball as well, but with the silver cue. Southern's Dominic had a good break in game 1, but he benefited more from Maplewood's Whiskers having some shaky shots at the end. Dominic was able to win with the last two balls, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers had an impressive finish in game 2 after an uneventful duel with the Monarchs' Dominic early on. Whiskers used the 5 to split the 6 and 9, unintentionally making the 8 at the top left. Whiskers then cut the 5-9 combination to the bottom side for the win, tying the series at 1. Whiskers absolutely dominated in game 3, working a six-ball run from the break, and then burying a three-ball run-out when Dominic flubbed his shot on the 6. Whiskers pulled ahead 2-1 in the series with this win. Whiskers lacked a similar run in game 4, but a consistent presence on offense served her well. Dominic felt the pressure and missed on the 8 late in the game, allowing Whiskers to pot a pair for the win, clinching the series for her at 3-1. Whiskers had a four-ball run over the middle of game 5, but she got reckless and allowed Dominic to make a 7-9 combination to the top left for his second win. Whiskers settled for a 3-2 series win, advancing to the bracket semifinals. Dominic is the 83rd eliminated player this year, and the first kill for Whiskers.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Hannah. The red cue ends its 8-ball obligations for the round with this series. Atlantic's Delila made a ball on the break but couldn't sustain a run on either of her two turns. Queens' Hannah dominated with a five-ball run first and a crisp three-ball run-out to take the win for a 1-0 series lead after game 1. The Flames' Hannah had a slower start in game 2, allowing a bit of a battle with the Pirates' Delila early on. Hannah added a scratch to set her back, making her five-ball run-out at the end all the more impressive, the surge sending her to another win and a 2-0 series lead. Hannah found another five-ball run on her second turn in game 3, and then she used the 8 defensively at the end to stall Delila. The plan worked, as Delila couldn't pot her last stripe before Hannah tapped the 8 into the top right for the win to seal the series at 3-0. Hannah couldn't break out onto a run in game 4, as Delila finally did enough on defense to slow the visitor. Delila began with a four-ball run and then cruised to a win at the end, cutting the series to 3-1. Delila controlled the offense for the most part in game 5 as well, but she took a bad shot on the 8 at the end, illegally potting it to gift the win away to Hannah, who took the series 4-1. Hannah will visit the Todavía Stills' Prism in the bracket semifinals. Delila is the 84th player out of the Tournament, and Hannah recorded her first kill in the big series win.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer Livilotti v. Josie. Two determined foes clash in Rotation with the silver cue. Game 1 started out pretty even until Oceanside's Josie seized control of the offense. Josie then struggled with misses and a scratch, allowing Terrace City's Jennifer the full comeback topped by a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer couldn't get anything on a good break in game 2, but the Waves' Josie squandered a chance at a good run. Jennifer proceeded to use short bursts of offense effectively, building her lead and then closing out the win at 8-3 to move her series lead to 2-0. A poor break and a lack of clear shots ruined Jennifer's offense in game 3, allowing Josie to take a lot of her points from favorable shooting positions or ball-in-hand. Josie didn't use speed as her preference, instead chipping her way to an 8-5 win to cut the series to 2-1. Josie made a pair of balls on the break in game 4, and never really looked back, as Jennifer never pressured in this game. Josie used pairs to build her offense to an 8-1 win, tying the series at 2 with the dominant game. Josie trailed for most of game 5, as Jennifer slowly built her way to a lead, only to see it crash down when Josie found a five-ball run-out for the 8-6 win. Josie took the series 3-2, earning a visiting position in the bracket semifinals. Josie joins the league lead with her third kill, while Jennifer is the 85th ousted player this year.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The red cue finishes off another page for the round, this one being 15-ball. Victoria's Yekaterina gave away game 1, her deflection attempt off the 5 illegally touching the 15 and banking it to the top left. While she fumed at the official for the ruling, Archtown's Sally picked up a 1-0 series lead as a gift from the visitor. The two players combined for a boring start to game 2, but picked things up when the Arrows' Sally had a three-ball run. The Spurs' Yekaterina answered on a four-ball run, but she left the 15 at the bottom right, and Sally took the tap-in to win, moving ahead 2-0 in the series. Yekaterina made a 5-8-11-6-9 kick combination to the top left as a highlight shot in game 3. There wasn't much else positive for Yekaterina until the end of the game, as Sally missed on the 14. Yekaterina made it and then buried the 15 to the bottom left for the win, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Sally made a disaster of her offense in game 4, stagnant throughout until sending the cue off the table in response to Yekaterina's late five-ball run. Yekaterina used ball-in-hand to collect the last two shots for the win, tying the series at 2 after a less-than impressive start to the game. Game 5 saw Sally do alright early on, but gradually cede possession to Yekaterina. Sally was running out of steam near the end, and could only watch as Yekaterina lasered the 12-15 combination to the bottom left for the win. Yekaterina took the series 3-2, and will visit the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Luigi in the bracket semifinals. Yekaterina is now also on the league lead with three kills, making Sally the 86th eliminated player this year.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Bells. The host tries to correct his team's recent slide in this Accuracy series with the silver cue. Freedom's Nikolai played perfectly in game 1, leaving Todavía's Bells no path to make up for her early miss. Nikolai's brilliant shooting resulted in a 0-2 win and 1-0 series lead for himself. The Cascades' Nikolai had a scratch while potting two balls on the break of game 2, putting himself behind immediately. The Stills' Bells played an even game from that point, enough to pull out a 2-3 win to tie the series at 1 after a close battle. Nikolai returned to perfect form in game 3, while Bells floundered so much early on that the result was revealed rather quickly. A double-pot secured last-shot advantage for Nikolai, not that he needed it in a 0-4 win that restored his series lead at 2-1. Nikolai came out of the gate pretty slowly in game 4, making a mess of his early shots. This put him behind, and another miss in the middle of the game assured that Bells would hold on to win 2-3 despite a late miss of her own. Bells has retied the series again at 2. Nikolai and Bells did not bring their best in game 5, instead playing to a sloppy performance that favored Nikolai 4-5 in the end. Nikolai won the series 3-2 to earn a hosting position in the bracket semifinals. Nikolai took his first kill of the year, with Bells as the 87th player eliminated from the Tournament.
Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta v. B. Chapman. The blue cue's only appearance today is in 7-ball in this series. North Modernistic's Chapman gave a realistic challenge to Queens' Violetta in game 1, making a three-ball run late but leaving the 7 at the top right. Violetta had an easy tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta pounded in a five-ball run in game 2, a powerful attack stymied by a missed contact on the 6. The Nighthawks' Chapman took over with ball-in-hand, making the last two shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw both players take a drastic step backward in quality of play, as they scuffled along for quite some time before Chapman buried a three-ball run-out to take a 2-1 series lead over Violetta. Chapman secured the series with a quick strike win in game 4, putting the 5 in the bottom right, the 6 in the top right, and the 7 in the bottom side off the break to earn a 3-1 series lead. Violetta salvaged game 5 with a three-ball run over the middle and the final pair of shots on her next turn after Chapman had a bad miss on the 6. Chapman still won the series 3-2, and will advance to the bracket semifinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Tigerette v. Peach. Urban captains go at it in 15-ball to close out today's games. Commerce's Tigerette showed better offense early in game 1, but had enough left over at the end to beat North Modernistic's Peach. Tigerette knocked in three of the last four balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette brought a more balanced offense to game 2, saving up some energy for the late game this time. The Nighthawks' Peach didn't come close to even in possession, and could only watch as Tigerette unleashed a five-ball run-out in the end to take another win for a 2-0 series lead. Tigerette came out blazing with a six-ball run fairly early in game 3. Peach did what she could to obstruct as the game progressed, but her lack of offense proved costly as Tigerette would make the last two balls for the win to seal the series at 3-0. A couple of cluster-busting shots in game 4 freed up the 15 and put it very near the bottom left. Tigerette took an errant swipe at it to put it on the edge, but it was Peach with a 3-15 kick combination for the win at the end, cutting the series to 3-1. Peach did a little better for herself in game 5, keeping pace with Tigerette on the offense and striking at the end to make the last two shots. Tigerette accepted a 3-2 series win, and she will play host to her Tradewinds teammate Rosemary in the bracket semifinals.
That's all for today. We are officially taking Sunday off, with action resuming on Monday with a full session.
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