We're back for likely a full day of games today, beginning with...
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Dani. A highly anticipated 12-ball series with the blue cue, its last of the round, leads off the day. Lighton's Acorn didn't have a big run in game 1, but he planned his shots much more efficiently than Viewpoint Sound's Dani. Acorn converted quickly at the end, his final pair to the left corners giving him the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn gave away a wild-card ball on the game 2 break, and then scratched to end a three-ball run on his next turn, but still managed to complete the game before the Meteors' Dani could launch a successful counterattack. Acorn's win here pushes his series lead to 2-0. Acorn put in a bid for the best 12-ball game of all time, running the table from the game 3 break. This effort started with balls in both side pockets on the opening shot, followed by Acorn picking out the right corners before banking the 11 to the bottom left and kicking the 13 to the top left thanks to perfect execution. Acorn clinched the series at 3-0, and his fans are alight with joy at the most recent victory. Acorn had nothing on his game 4 break, allowing Dani to pick out stripes early. Acorn kept it close with a three-ball run in the middle, but didn't have enough time to make his last ball before Dani made her last three balls over two turns for the win. Acorn remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Dani was a little too generous in game 5, giving away a wild-card ball to Acorn. This was all he needed to slowly build his way to a win, giving him a 4-1 series win that sets him up to host the Southern Monarchs' Pounce in the bracket semifinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Nikolai. A battle of titans this year sees the silver cue conclude its 12-ball for the round at the start of this venue doubleheader. Freedom's Nikolai got off to a good start in game 1 before finding himself out of position on his last two shots. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy kept it close enough to rally with three balls over her last two turns for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Nikolai would not go quietly, leading off with a three-ball run in game 2. The Union's Ms. Puppy made a few shots but couldn't get in position for the remainder of her suit, as Nikolai smoothly advanced across the table and picked up the win to tie the series at 1. Nikolai had a three-ball run to start game 3, but he also gave away a wild-card ball. This was all Ms. Puppy needed, as she struck for a five-ball run-out thanks to fabulous positioning, her one-turn win restoring the series lead at 2-1 to the host. Nikolai refused to quit in game 4, getting very good positioning on his early shots. This bought him time to be patient for his last ball at the top side, while Ms. Puppy had to play strategically. Ms. Puppy had a scratch to stall Nikolai, but the visitor would get the win anyway, tying the series again at 2. Ms. Puppy held her ground in game 5, breaking out with a nice three-ball run and then picking through the rack while Nikolai straggled. Ms. Puppy took the win again, sealing the series at 3-2 to put her into a series against the Whitewater Shores' Shaggy in the bracket semifinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Kodiak v. Hannah. The blue cue returns to action for some 15-ball after the lunch break. Modernistic's Kodiak had a decent start in game 1, but he struggled in the middle, and his run at the end saw him rattle the 15 out of the bottom right. Queens' Hannah had played well enough to win and made sure to convert the 15 for the 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Hannah looked much more confident in game 2, working with short bursts of offense. Her last two turns were three-ball runs, and the Union's Kodiak found himself unable to stop Hannah from taking the win and a 2-0 series lead. Offense proved difficult to come by in the early parts of game 3. After breaking through the slow start, Hannah continued to outpace Kodiak, eventually beating him with a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-0. Kodiak had at least a supermajority of the offense in game 4, including a late four-ball run to get onto the 15. Kodiak missed the 15, and Hannah cut it lightly to the bottom right to steal this win as her series lead moves to 4-0. Hannah pushed around offense quite a bit in game 5, but Kodiak was willing to battle at the end, making a three-ball run-out to avoid the sweep. Hannah settles for a 4-1 series win, and will return to this venue to meet Kodiak's Union teammate Puff I in the bracket semifinals. Hannah took her second kill of the year to make Kodiak the 95th eliminated player.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Lize. Two players new to their teams meet in 10-ball with the silver cue. Pronger's Lize tried to find a 1-10 combination on her first turn in game 1, but she missed. Pacific's Twinkie I deflected the cue off the 1 to drive the 10 to the top right for the win, giving the host a 1-0 series lead. Honest offense was tough to come by in game 2, with the Volcanoes' Twinkie I getting most of her shots off from errors by the Tridents' Lize. One of these errors allowed Twinkie I to make the 7 and 8, but Lize banked the 9 to the bottom right and put the 10 in the bottom side for the win to tie the series at 1. Lize dominated the offense in game 3, using a seven-ball run on her second turn and a three-ball run-out on her third turn to easily defeat Twinkie I, who couldn't make her shots connect this time. Lize pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Twinkie I got back on track in game 4, making five balls over her last two turns but leaving the 10 up at the top right. Lize converted on her first try, grabbing the win to seal the series at 3-1. Twinkie I charged again with a three-ball run in game 5, but Lize held her off at the end, executing a smart five-ball run-out for the win. Lize took the series 4-1, and will visit the Midland Predators star Rainmane in the bracket semifinals.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Marsell. Club-mates meet but it will be anything but friendly in another 10-ball series with the silver cue. Whitewater's Marsell had a decent start in game 1, but he had no chance to reply to Swordpoint's Snowball firing back on a five-ball run-out. Snowball owns a 1-0 series lead with the sharp attack. The Blades' Snowball didn't get as many clean looks in game 2, although she passed on taking a cheap-shot at the 5-10 combination after the Shores' Marsell scratched. Marsell gladly took over in the back half of the game, doing plenty to earn the win with chippy offense, all of which helped him tie the series at 1. Marsell had a commanding presence on offense in game 3, making pairs of shots throughout the game while Snowball struggled to keep her shots legal. Marsell's only mistake was missing a bank on the 9 at the bottom right, which allowed Snowball to pot the last two balls for the win. Snowball returns to a series lead at 2-1. Snowball had a chance to lock up the series in a back-and-forth game 4, but twice missed on the 10 at the bottom left. Marsell only missed the final ball once, burying it on a tap-in the second time to take the win that tied the series at 2. Snowball seemed to have the better of the offense in game 5, but difficulties on the 8 led Marsell to strike it to the bottom right on his second try before taking the 10 at the bottom side for the win. Marsell claimed a 3-2 series win, and is through to a visiting role in the bracket semifinals. Snowball is the 96th player eliminated from the Tournament, while Marsell takes his second kill this year.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Gal Gadot. The silver cue remains in play, beginning a pair of Rotation series to finish off that bracket. North Modernistic's Gal struck first in game 1, but quickly succumbed to a four-ball run from Freedom's Jasmine, who would win 8-3 on a three-ball run-out after Gal scratched. Jasmine has a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gal still had some errors in game 2, but these didn't hold her back. The Cascades' Jasmine never found a convenient run, allowing Gal to pummel a six-ball run-out to win by an 8-4 score. The series is tied at 1. Gal lacked the same big run in game 3, but maintained a steady stream of offense aided by a few errors from Jasmine. Gal ended up with an 8-3 win in the end this time, pulling ahead 2-1 in the series as she finds her shooting rhythm. Gal had a four-ball run followed by a three-ball run to establish her offense in game 4. Jasmine fired back with a four-ball run to get close, but she missed on the 13, and Gal put it away for an 8-5 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Gal fell behind quickly against Jasmine in game 5, although Jasmine faltered on offense toward the end of the game. Gal was able to tie the game before Jasmine pushed the 15 to the top left for the 8-7 win. Gal took the series 3-2, and will learn where her bracket semifinals series will be played at the end of the next series.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Kirstin. The second half of the silver cue's Rotation doubleheader is here. Everton's Kirstin started off well, taking the early lead, but Terrace City's Quincy had a three-ball run by shooting into clusters to take the lead. A couple of turns later, Quincy completed his 8-3 win with a four-ball run-out capped by double-potting the 8 to the bottom right and the 12 to the top right. Quincy leads the series 1-0. The Eagles' Kirstin began with a three-ball run early in game 2, only to see the Knights' Quincy counter on a six-ball run. Quincy struggled a bit from here until Kirstin scratched while potting the 11, giving Quincy the opening he needed to make a pair of shots for an 8-5 win. Quincy moves to a 2-0 series lead. Kirstin finally backed up her good starts with actual offense in game 3, using a pair of three-ball runs to take a commanding lead over Quincy. Kirstin had to be patient at the end before making her final shot to take the 8-1 win, cutting the series deficit to 2-1. Quincy fired back with a six-ball run to take a massive lead quickly in game 4. Kirstin answered on a four-ball run to tie the game with three balls left, but Quincy ultimately won 8-7 after a chase on the 15. Quincy secured the series at 3-1 with this win. Kirstin went off early in game 5, and then coasted to an 8-5 win despite a little pressure for Quincy as the game progressed. Quincy settled for a 3-2 series win, which lines him up to host an Urban rival and fellow rookie in the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Gal in the bracket semifinals. Kirstin is the 97th player to exit the Tournament, giving Quincy his first career kill.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Vladimir Vasilyev v. Spot. Eastern Hills youngster battle it out in the red cue's last 9-ball series of the round. Stonebridge's Vladimir looked good with a four-ball run early on, including a double-kiss to deflect the 4 to the bottom side. It wasn't enough to prevent Pronger's Spot from winning on a three-ball run-out, however. Spot took a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Spot took game 2 with a triple-pot on the break, burying the 7 in the top side, the 8 in the bottom right, and most importantly the 9 in the top right for the victory. The Wolves' Vladimir could only watch as Spot made it a 2-0 deficit against the host. Vladimir, desperate to keep himself in the series, used Spot's scratch on the game 3 break as the catalyst for his 1-9 combination to the top right from ball-in-hand. Vladimir converted the shot for a quick win, cutting the series to 2-1. Spot didn't have much on offense in game 4, allowing Vladimir to pace things with an early four-ball run. Vladimir slowed as the game went on, but still made the last two balls for the win, tying the series at 2 games apiece. Vladimir went stone cold for Stonebridge in game 5, biding his time against Spot before striking on a five-ball run-out to take the win and a 3-2 series win. Vladimir's ethically porous decision in game 3 proved vital as he is now set to host the Queens Flames' Violetta in a tough bracket semifinals match. Vladimir joins the league lead in kills at 3 while Spot is the 98th player out of the Tournament.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Cubby v. Cobalt. More Eastern Hills action features the red cue's last 10-ball series of the round. Eastside's Cubby had a problem with under-hitting his shots in game 1, allowing Stonebridge's Cobalt to boss possession. Cobalt sealed the win with a four-ball run-out at the end, his command impeccable as he took a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Cubby made improvements in game 2, but a miss on the 7 at the top right negated his benefit from better offense. The Wolves' Cobalt converted a three-ball run-out here, taking the win for a 2-0 series lead despite his drop in quality. Cubby took a turn toward dominance in game 3, using suffocating defense to stymie Cobalt early on before breaking out on a six-ball run-out for the win. Cubby's big win here cut the series deficit to 2-1. Cubby dropped the defense in game 4, a risky move used to generate more offense. Cobalt had a three-ball run and nearly deflected a shot on the 7 to push the 10 to the bottom left, but it stayed out. Cubby made the 7-10 combination as a tap-in that became a double-pot when the 7 dropped in the top side as Cubby won to tie the series at 2. Cubby challenged Cobalt all around the table, leading to a mixed bag on offense for both players. Cobalt knew he needed to strike at the end and did so on a three-ball run-out, cutting the 10 to the bottom left for the win. Cobalt knocked Cubby off 3-2 to earn a hosting role against the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Vincent in the bracket semifinals. Cobalt took his first kill of the year to make Cubby's return campaign the 99th one to finish this year.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. A. Charlton. It's do or die time for both players in today's finale, which is the last Accuracy series of the round. Neither player looked particularly confident in game 1, with a mess of misses early on. Terrace City's Oreo slipped into a late tie, but Golden's Charlton fell behind again late and Oreo held on to win 4-5 for the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Charlton had a much calmer game 2 performance, and she kept it close enough for a late miss by the Knights' Oreo to be decisive for the game. Charlton would tap in what Oreo missed to take a 1-2 win, tying the series at 1. Charlton had a good break in game 3, but two misses in a row caused her offense to fall apart, giving Oreo a lead that she wouldn't let go of. Oreo finished with a 1-2 win, regaining the series lead at 2-1. Charlton couldn't get herself back into the series in game 4, making an absolute mess with a handful of misses in the middle of the game. Oreo added to Charlton's misery with a number of positioning plays, leading to Oreo taking the 2-5 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Game 5 saw Oreo jump out to a decent lead, but let it fall apart by the end of regulation. Charlton managed to force overtime, but missed on the overtime break, and Oreo converted a shot to win 3-4. Oreo took the series 4-1, and will visit the Freedom Cascades' Nikolai in the bracket semifinals. Charlton is the 100th player to be eliminated, giving Oreo her first kill this year.
That's all for today's games. We end the bracket quarterfinals tomorrow, then take a three-day weekend for maintenance to prepare for the critical final rounds of the Tournament.
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