We close out the bracket quarterfinals/fourth round of the Tournament today with eight series. First up...
Intel Center, Diamond: Cassandra v. Beth. The silver cue will close out 10-ball with today's opening series. Pearl's Beth had the better of the offense with a four-ball run to lead her attack in game 1, but she missed on the 10. Diamond's Cassandra had no problems cutting it to the top left to snag the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Cassandra looked much more in control in game 2 with a pair of side-corner double-pots to ignite her seven-ball run. She didn't support that attack at all, allowing the Surfers' Beth to make the last three balls over two shots for a win that tied the series at 1. Beth's game 3 break left the 10 too close to the bottom right. Cassandra needed only one shot to make Beth pay for it, cutting the 1 to the bottom side while deflecting the cue to tap the 10 in for the win on a double-pot. Cassandra's series lead is restored at 2-1. Cassandra had a strong start with a three-ball run that ended with a scratch while doing a 3-10 combination shot. Beth had a minor counterattack end with a failed jump-shot attempt, leading to Cassandra's five-ball run-out for the win to seal the series at 3-1. Cassandra had some moments in game 5, but she couldn't break free from a strong finishing run by Beth, whose win here mitigates the damage in a 3-2 series loss to Cassandra. In the bracket semifinals, Cassandra is set to host the Whitewater Shores' Marsell. Cassandra has reclaimed the individual kills leads at 4, making Beth the 101st eliminated player.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Josie v. Vladimir Vasilyev. The blue cue comes on now for 8-ball between two rookies. After a slow start in game 1, Oceanside's Josie rocked a six-ball run, only for Stonebridge's Vladimir to answer with a five-ball run halted by a scratch. Josie got defensive at the end, causing Vladimir to pot the 8 illegally as Josie takes a 1-0 series lead with her gifted win. The Waves' Josie had a late ball on the break to ignite a four-ball run, which the Wolves' Vladimir answered on his first turn in game 2. Josie made sure he wouldn't get a chance to answer her second turn, winning with a four-ball run-out to go up 2-0 in the series. Josie had an empty break to start game 3, while Vladimir started on a five-ball run. The two players exchanged collateral damage shots, but Vladimir came out in better position and won the game two turns later to cut the series to 2-1. Josie had all the offense with a six-ball run early in game 4, putting her on the cusp of victory. Vladimir stalled Josie for a couple of turns, a critical defensive play that turned into his seven-ball run-out, a weaving attack for the win to tie the series at 2. Josie had the bulk of the early offense again in game 5, but fell apart at the end under pressure from Vladimir, who completed another comeback win with a six-ball run-out. Vladimir's crafty runs gave him a 3-2 series win, and will allow him to host another rookie, the Harrison Specters' Rudolph, in the bracket semifinals.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Paps. The blue cue stays in action for a 7-ball series, its last of the round. Terrace City's Kiwi didn't have a dominant game 1, but she didn't need it, as Tysini's Paps split the offense and left the 7 standing at the bottom right near the end of the game. Kiwi made the tap-in for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Paps bounced back quickly in game 2, making a five-ball run-out capped by a 5-7 combination to the top side after the Knights' Kiwi had an empty break. Paps' win tied the series at 1. Kiwi had a resurgent game 3 effort, making a three-ball run in the middle after Paps took two balls on the break. Paps had a chance to make the last two shots, but he left the 7 up, and Kiwi buried it for the win and a 2-1 series lead. Kiwi took a turn for dominance in game 4, making a four-ball run from the break and then a pair of shots after Paps missed on the 6 to earn her win. Kiwi clinched the series at 3-1 with this victory. Kiwi had some decent offense in game 5, but Paps took a majority of the shots and won with a late pair to cut the series to 3-2. Kiwi will take the series win at 3-2, setting her up to host an Urban rival in the North Modernistic Nighthawks' B. Chapman in the bracket semifinals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Leonette. The red cue closes out 12-ball for the round with this series. Midland's Americus went empty on the game 1 break, but then made a pair of stripes before aligning and converting a four-ball run-out on her third turn to shut out Pacific's Leonette. Americus holds a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette showed more resilience in game 2, making a five-ball run on her first turn. The Predators' Americus had a five-ball run of her own to even the game, but she couldn't kick in her last shot. Leonette put her last ball in the bottom side for the win to tie the series at 1. Leonette didn't have as big of a run in game 3, but she still managed to take the early lead on her own. Americus made a decent counterattack, falling short due to Leonette having better positioning on her final ball. Leonette now leads the series 2-1. Leonette began with a four-ball run in game 4, establishing her offense pretty well. Americus refused to bow down, making a four-ball run of her own with great positioning on her last two shots. Leonette scratched on the next turn, and Americus converted her last two shots to win, retying the series at 2. Americus held on in game 5, finding a small burst of offense early on and following it up with three balls over her last two turns to hold off Leonette for the win. Americus took the series 3-2, earning the right to host Web City Spiders captain Shadow in the bracket semifinals. Leonette is the 102nd player out of the Tournament, while Americus earns her first kill this year.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Kyle. The silver cue is set to finish 9-ball for the round in this series. Queens' Kyle did his fair share of offense in game 1, going without reward as Golden's Dusty made the final pair of shots to pick up the win. Dusty leads the series 1-0 after a close initial battle. The Flames' Kyle broke out of a rut in game 2, working a four-ball run-out with an 8-9 combination to the bottom left at the end to get the win, tying the series at 1 while the Pilots' Dusty tried to figure out what went wrong with her shooting this time. Frustrations continued to simmer in game 3, with Dusty angry at Kyle's defensive positioning, while Kyle could only blame himself for missing on the 9 at the top right. Dusty buried the 9 with a tap-in on her second try, taking the win to restore her series lead at 2-1. Kyle again found a four-ball run in game 4, but he missed on the 9 on a tough cut toward the bottom left. Dusty struck it in from long range to poach the win, sealing the series at 3-1 in the process. Dusty struggled from the start of game 5, coasting through the rack while Kyle did most of the work. Kyle made five balls over his last two turns to claim the win, but Dusty will advance on a 3-2 series win that allows her to host the Lighton Prestige's Nicole in the bracket semifinals. Dusty earned her first kill of the year to make Kyle the 103rd player out of the Tournament.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Acorn. The blue cue gets another turn at the table for the last Rotation series of the round. Archtown's Ruby made a push after starting slow, finding a five-ball run to take a commanding lead. Lighton's Acorn got a pair back, but Ruby beat him 8-2 for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn did better at the start of game 2, staking out an early lead. Acorn had an error that allowed the Arrows' Ruby to get close, and she didn't stop there, pulling ahead of Acorn and eventually winning 8-4 when Acorn provided no counterattack. Ruby's series lead is up to 2-0. Acorn again found the early lead in game 3, and he protected it better this time, although it was still a nervy ending for the visitor with Ruby pressuring him. Acorn put the 14 away at the top right to win 8-6, just holding off Ruby to cut her series lead to 2-1. Ruby bounced back in game 4, a six-ball run helping her cause right from the start before she coasted to win 8-1, clinching the series 3-1 along the way. Ruby had a good start in game 5, bursting out to a lead without much challenge from Acorn. Ruby had some unfortunate late scratches, eventually letting Acorn win 8-7 on a four-ball run-out. Ruby took the series 3-2, and will host the Royal Crowns rookie Cassie in the bracket semifinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Diddley. The silver cue gets one more series in the round, playing 7-ball between grizzled veterans. Maplewood's Diddley struck first on a three-ball run, including a crafty double-pot, but he missed on the 4, allowing Modernistic's Ms. Puppy to counter with a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Diddley had another three-ball run in game 2, getting himself onto the 7 only to miss the decisive ball twice. The Union's Ms. Puppy mopped it up on her second try, taking the win to move her series lead to 2-0. Ms. Puppy had her strongest appearance yet in the series, making a six-ball run to get onto the 7, but she missed it at the top side. Diddley converted the shot with ease, taking the win to cut the series to 2-1 despite a lack of involvement in much of game 3. Diddley didn't get the break he wanted for game 4, but Ms. Puppy really didn't have much offense going early on either. The two players scrabbled for possession until Diddley broke out with a four-ball run-out to take the win, tying the series at 2. Diddley again had a rough break to start game 5, but things only got worse for him this time, as Ms. Puppy would align and convert a five-ball run-out to take the win and 3-2 series win. Ms. Puppy will host the Oceanside Waves sophomore Celestia in the bracket semifinals. Diddley is the 104th eliminated player this year, with Ms. Puppy earning her first kill of the year.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Katelynn v. Strut. The final five-game series of the year is in 15-ball with the blue cue. Golden's Strut didn't get a particularly effective run at the table at any point in game 1, and he also failed to contact the 15 at the end, leaving it for a ball-in-hand shot by Lighton's Katelynn. The host converted easily, taking a sloppy win in game 1 for the 1-0 series lead. Both players made improvements on offense in game 2, most notably with the Prestige's Katelynn making a ball on the break and putting up a three-ball run later on. The ending was still choppy, as the Pilots' Strut exchanged shots with Katelynn twice before missing on the 15. Katelynn drove it to the top left from range, taking the win to go up 2-0 in the series. Katelynn found success with a five-ball run in game 3, and she made some other difficult and lucky shots during her turns, but Strut found a deflected shot off the 9 to pot the 15 at the top left to snag the win. Katelynn remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Strut had an early six-ball run in game 4, which Katelynn countered on a five-ball run of her own as the two players exchanged moments of brilliance. Katelynn couldn't back her run up at the end, while Strut made the last two balls for the win to tie the series at 2. Strut and Katelynn resumed with high-attack pool in game 5, with Strut taking an early five-ball run and Katelynn answering with a six-ball run. Katelynn scratched to end her run, and Strut buried the 13-15 combination from ball-in-hand to take the win and a 3-2 series win. Strut's full comeback gets him to visit the Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine in the bracket semifinals. Katelynn is the 105th eliminated player, and the third to exit to Strut.
That's all for the bracket quarterfinals. We are taking three days off for rest and maintenance of the equipment, and we will return with the Bracket Semifinals on Monday.
No comments:
Post a Comment