We're back for another full day of fifth round action, beginning with...
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Shadow. The visitor completes a doubleheader he began yesterday with a 12-ball series using the red cue. Web City's Shadow had a jump on his offense in game 1, and while Midland's Americus evened the game in the middle, Shadow pulled away with his last two turns for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow made a ball on the game 2 break and then took a three-ball run on his second turn against expectations. The Predators' Americus pulled some back, but ceded a wild-card ball, and Shadow banked the 13 to the top side on his next turn for the win to push his series lead to 2-0. Shadow settled for short bursts in a back-and-forth game 3 with Americus. Shadow did give Americus a late wild-card ball, but Americus had no positioning for her last shot, and Shadow tapped in his final ball to grab another win for the 3-0 series lead. Shadow had a less impressive game 4, spending most of it trying to catch up to Americus. The host had trouble with lining up her last two shots, giving Shadow enough time to miss on his final ball before converting it from a tougher spot a turn later. Shadow sealed the series at 4-0 with this win. Americus had her best effort so far in game 5, with Shadow challenging but ultimately unable to convert his final ball to the bottom right before Americus tapped one in at the top left for the win. Shadow's series lead shrinks to 4-1. Americus wouldn't be stopped in game 6 despite giving away a wild-card ball and illegally double-potting on the break. Shadow came close on positioning, but scratched to give the wild-card ball back, and Americus made her last two shots from here to get the win, cutting the series to 4-2. Americus continued to mitigate the damage with her win in game 7, making an unlikely three-ball run-out to stop Shadow from taking over the game at the end. Shadow will settle for a 4-3 series win that could have been more as he prepares for a road series in the bracket finals. Americus is the 110th eliminated player, and Shadow has sole possession of the kills lead at 5.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Shawn v. Bright. A venue doubleheader is completed with Accuracy and the blue cue. Midland's Shawn scratched on the break, and Pearl's Bright played hardball at first to punish the host. Shawn bounced back and ended up forcing Bright into many late misses, as Shawn surged to a 2-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Shawn made a ball on the break in game 2, but couldn't hold a lead against the Surfers' Bright in this one. The two exchanged misses here and there before Shawn fell apart at the end. Bright wasn't much better, but managed to take the 5-6 win to tie the series at 1. Bright made a pair on the break in game 3, but went a little too casual early on, allowing Shawn to gain the lead. This time, Shawn held on, and Bright had a late miss to put a comeback out of reach in Shawn's 2-4 win. Shawn retook the series lead at 2-1. Shawn again had a ball on the break, and then managed to punish Bright for more lazy shooting early in game 4. Shawn held a tight grip on the lead, and both players missed on the final ball to give Shawn a final score of 2-3 in this win to move up to 3-1 ahead in the series. Shawn refused to yield in game 5, striking on the break and keeping up a run of perfection while Bright struggled with misses scattered throughout the game. Shawn would win 0-3 to clinch the series at 4-1. Bright didn't offer much of a challenge to Shawn in game 6, holding on initially before completely fading away at the end. Shawn gladly took another win by a 1-5 score, extending his series lead to 5-1. Shawn finally eased up in game 7, showing a significant weakness as Bright bossed the game en route to a 2-3 win. Shawn claimed the series at 5-2, and will await the other series on the bracket for the location of his bracket finals appearance. Shawn took his first kill of the year, making Bright the 111th player ousted from competition.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Gal Gadot. These two teams clash again in Rotation with the silver cue between rookies. North Modernistic's Gal had a good start in game 1, but couldn't hold the lead against a pressuring attack from Terrace City's Quincy. After a late miss from Gal, Quincy made two shots to win 8-4, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gal had a bigger lead in the middle of game 2, but the Knights' Quincy again kept pace, tangling the two players' attacks toward the end until Quincy finally emerged with the 8-7 win to move his series lead to 2-0. Gal had a four-ball run to build her lead in game 3, only to watch Quincy make a five-ball run to pull ahead. Gal regained the lead with a pair of shots, and then made the 14 when Quincy failed to, holding on for an 8-6 win. Gal has cut the deficit in the series to 2-1. Gal kept her offense on track, making a ball on the break and adding a quick run to build a lead. Quincy played defensively, but Gal made three balls over her last two turns to win 8-2, tying the series at 2. Quincy absolutely belted a seven-ball run on his first turn of game 5, forcing Gal into a response. Gal made only a four-ball run, and missed contact on the last shot, giving Quincy ball-in-hand to pot the 11 for the 8-4 win. Quincy regained the series lead at 3-2. Quincy pulled off a remarkable six-ball run to start game 6, including a ridiculous two-rail kick on the 2 at the top right. Gal couldn't match the offense, her comeback effort falling short in Quincy's 8-4 win to seal the series at 4-2. Gal gave it her all in the final game of her rookie campaign, dominating with short bursts of offense to get the 8-1 win. Quincy and Terrace City's dominance over the Nighthawks continued as the host moves on with a 4-3 series win to earn a hosting spot in the bracket finals. Gal is the 112th player to exit this Tournament, and Quincy's third kill.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Celestia. The silver cue stays in play for an underrated battle in 7-ball. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy had a pair from the break in game 1, but her miss on the 3 led to Oceanside's Celestia finding a five-ball run-out to claim the win. Celestia's dominant stretch put her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Waves' Celestia took game 2 on the break, a double-hit on the 7 bumping it to the bottom left while also sinking the 1 in the top side and the 4 in the top right. Celestia's fantastic break pushed her series lead over the Union's Ms. Puppy to 2-0. The frenetic pace of the series continued as Celestia made a pair on the break to ignite a three-ball run to start game 3, only to lose when Ms. Puppy buried a four-ball run-out on her first turn in response. Celestia remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Ms. Puppy had a slower but dominant attack on offense in game 4, making the bulk of the shots in the game until she scratched while potting the 6. Celestia took the 7 to the top side from ball-in-hand, giving herself the win and a 3-1 lead in the series. Ms. Puppy bounced back a bit in game 5 with a three-ball run, only to suffer another untimely scratch. Celestia countered from ball-in-hand with a three-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series at 4-1 in the process. Celestia had another three-ball run-out to close game 6 after a mixed bag between her and Ms. Puppy at the start. Celestia's strong finish gave her a 5-1 series lead. Ms. Puppy ended up getting the win in game 7 after a back-and-forth battle void of much of the offense that made the start of the series go by so fast. Celestia will take a 5-2 series win into her visiting position in the bracket finals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Taylor Swift v. Dani. The red cue returns for the better of its 10-ball series. Game 1 started with stagnant offense on both sides before Commerce's Taylor took control with a five-ball run-out, earning a 1-0 series lead over Viewpoint Sound's Dani. The Tradewinds' Taylor lacked the relentless attack needed to stay strong in game 2, as the Meteors' Dani bounced back with a four-ball run over the middle before poaching the 10 at the bottom left when Taylor failed to convert. Dani's crafty win tied the series at 1. Dani claimed possession in game 3 after Taylor got caught illegally potting the 9 on a combination attempt. Dani made two shots but twice missed on the 10 before Taylor took the 10 at the bottom left for the win to restore her series lead at 2-1. Dani again held a respectable share of the offense in game 4, but ended up falling apart after a four-ball run that saw her miss a bank on the 10 toward the bottom left. Taylor made the remaining cut shot for the win, pushing her own series lead to 3-1. Dani stayed in the series with a timely 6-10 combination to the top right after Taylor had held the majority of the possession in this game. Dani's fortunate play helped her cut the series to 3-2. Dani didn't support herself well in a back-and-forth battle in game 6, which ended with her making the 7 and 8 before Taylor tapped in the 9 and put the 10 at the top left for the win to secure the series at 4-2. Taylor and Dani exchanged pairs of shots to begin game 7, and then Taylor exploded for a six-ball run-out for the win, finishing a 5-2 series win. Taylor will host her bracket finals series. Taylor took her second kill of the year to make Dani the 113th eliminated player despite a solid start to her season.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Shaggy. The host bites the scheduling bullet, beginning a doubleheader with 10-ball and the blue cue. Central's Noelle took a dominant approach in game 1, burying a seven-ball run-out after an even start with Whitewater's Shaggy. Noelle's big attack gave her a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Noelle had a much more disjointed offense in game 2, barely able to string a pair of shots together. The Shores' Shaggy also struggled, leading to a slow and choppy game that Noelle barely won with a pair of shots at the end. Noelle leads the series 2-0. Shaggy bounced back with an early three-ball run in game 3, then added a pair of shots that Noelle answered in the latter half of the game. Shaggy would get the first look on the 10, and she put it in the bottom right easily for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Shaggy continued her bounce back with a good break in game 4. Noelle had a little bit of offense in the early going, but Shaggy stormed to the win on a six-ball run-out, the dominant turn tying the series at 2 games apiece. Shaggy couldn't recapture her previous form in game 5, falling apart early on and scratching before getting to the 4. Noelle took over from here, evoking memories of game 1 with a seven-ball run-out to take the win and a 3-2 series lead. Shaggy had some shots in game 6, offering a close challenge to Noelle, but Shaggy ultimately came up short as Noelle took the last two balls for the win. Noelle clinched the series at 4-2 right here. Noelle and Shaggy again battled early in game 7, but Noelle persevered to find a five-ball run-out at the end for the win. Noelle made the most of the home half of her doubleheader, winning the series 5-2 to earn a visiting spot in the bracket finals.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Noelle. A pair of Empyre club-mates close the day in 7-ball with the red cue, marking the end of the visitor's doubleheader. Central's Noelle couldn't convert or position properly in game 1, as Royal's Jake made six balls over three turns for a fairly simple game 1 win. Jake leads the series 1-0. The Warriors' Noelle checked the same problematic boxes in game 2, scratching early and wasting a three-ball run with an awkward miss toward the end. The Crowns' Jake had struggled more this game, gladly taking the final two shots to walk away with the win and 2-0 series lead anyway. Jake had a scratch on the break in game 3, leading to a clumsy start on both sides. Jake would miss on the 3 later on, leading to Noelle's busting a five-ball run-out for the win, putting her on the board but trailing Jake 2-1 in the series. Noelle had a positive game 4 as well, making a pair on the break and burying a three-ball run-out after a sloppy middle-game performance from Jake. Noelle has rallied to tie the series at 2. Noelle was a little less certain of herself in game 5, leading to a back-and-forth battle that saw both players take chances at the 7. Noelle ended up making it in the end when Jake's final run fell short. Noelle pulls ahead to 3-2 in the series. Noelle showed too much sportsmanship in game 6 after Jake's scratch left the 2-7 combination aligned at the top left. Noelle instead made a three-ball run, but Jake had the final three balls over two turns for the win to retie the series at 3. Noelle had an early four-ball run in game 7, but once again lacked bite to end the game. A scratch ruined her chance to recover, as Jake made the final pair of shots for the win and 4-3 series win. Jake will take good fortune and charity to win the series 4-3, earning a hosting spot in the bracket finals.
That's all we've got today. Count on more of the same for the league tomorrow.
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