Today, we have the finale of the third round, with the last eight series set to be played. We begin with...
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Whiskers. A captain and a rising star meet in the silver cue's last 15-ball series of the round. Maplewood's Whiskers battled well in game 1, taking a majority of the possession thanks to a four-ball run and pairs of balls at other times. North Modernistic's Peach had one chance for a late run that went wasted, with Whiskers making the last two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Peach brought the heat in game 2, controlling positioning to prevent much of a response from the Lumberjacks' Whiskers. Peach struck at the right time with a three-ball run-out, making a 4-15 bank combination to the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 1. Whiskers continued to push on offense late in games, making a four-ball run and a three-ball run on consecutive turns in game 3. Peach capitalized on Whiskers missing the 15 at the bottom left, converting a tap-in to steal the win and a 2-1 series lead. Peach had an awful break in game 4, but it played into her aptitude for playing in congested areas. Peach got help when Whiskers bumped the 15 toward the bottom right on illegal contact, gifting Peach ball-in-hand for the 3-15 combination. Peach easily converted, taking the win and clinching the series at 3-1. Peach had a four-ball run early in game 5 after scratching on the break and putting the 15 near the top right. Whiskers had very few chances for good shots, as Peach controlled the game and won with a kick on the 5 leading to a 6-9-15 combination at the top right, with the 9 falling in the bottom right on two deflection to make it a double-pot. Peach won the series 4-1, and will visit the Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette in an Urban Derby bracket quarterfinals series.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Steven. The silver cue will now bring 8-ball to a close for the round. Pacific's Ms. Kitty started a little slower than Atlantic's Steven in game 1, but Ms. Kitty got more on her choppy turns to pull ahead. Steven couldn't get positioning on his last ball, and he freed up Ms. Kitty's last ball, which she made as part of a game-winning pair for the 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Steven had a more concise offense in game 2, sandwiching a five-ball run by the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out of his own for the win. Steven's win tied the series at 1. Ms. Kitty and Steven exchanged shots early in game 3, and then Steven found a four-ball run to give himself a lead. Ms. Kitty tried to fire back at the end, but her miss let Steven bury the 8 at the top left on a tap-in, putting the visitor ahead 2-1 in the series. Steven made a ball on the break in game 4, and managed to establish a defense Ms. Kitty couldn't break down on her first turn. Steven then put on an expert showing, making a seven-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 3-1 with the effort. Steven didn't bring his best on offense in game 5, scratching on the break and lacking conviction late in the game. Ms. Kitty didn't plan on putting in a counterattack, but salvaged the win with a six-ball run-out. Steven settled for a 3-2 series win to send him home for a bracket quarterfinals series against Boston Swifts captain Patches. A good season comes to an early end, as Ms. Kitty is the 60th player eliminated, meaning 1/3 of the league is out. Steven has his second kill of the year.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Luigi. The red cue's last appearance of the third round is in this Accuracy series. Boston's Patches started out alright in game 1, but she slipped up with too many misses on bank attempts. North Modernistic's Luigi didn't have a great game, but he held on to win 3-5 at the end for the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Patches fell behind again in game 2, but this time she held her ground better. The Nighthawks' Luigi skidded behind Patches after a handful of misses, and Patches made it stick for a 2-4 win to retie the series at 1. Patches stayed perfect for most of game 3, but Luigi never trailed by much. Luigi managed to get Patches to miss once near the end of the game, but Patches took the 1-2 win by potting the final ball. Patches has taken the series lead at 2-1 with this victory. Neither player was at their best in game 4, with a lot of misses throughout the game on both sides. These were evenly distributed, and led to overtime, where Luigi missed both of his shots, the latter of those causing Patches to win 6-7 to clinch the series at 3-1. Patches didn't put a whole lot into game 5, settling for the series win already. Still, Luigi had some struggles that kept the game close before Patches conceded with a miss on the last ball. Luigi won 3-4, and Patches takes her 3-2 series win on the road against the Westside Rockers' Misty in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Roxy. In the blue cue's Accuracy finale, a pair of club-mates will battle for the last spot on the bracket. Freedom's Roxy fell behind with a couple of unlucky misses early in game 1, but Infinity's Smudge couldn't hold the lead as the game went on. Smudge fell behind late and lost 2-4 to Roxy, giving the visitor a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge went behind again in game 2, and then brought the game back to a tie in the middle. Smudge had a double-pot, a bold play in this event, but it worked, as the Cascades' Roxy missed on the last ball. Smudge converted, taking the 1-2 win to tie the series at 1. The last shot exchanged hands multiple times in game 3, with Smudge making a ball on the break, scratching on her second shot, and Roxy returning the advantage to Smudge with a double-pot. Smudge cashed in at the end, besting Roxy 2-4 to take the series lead at 2-1. Game 4 had a large element of excitement as both players pushed perfection. Smudge cracked first, and then again right at the end, giving Roxy the 1-2 win to tie the series again at 2. Smudge fell behind by a couple of shots early in game 5, clawed back to tie it, and then lost it with a late miss followed by Roxy cutting the last ball to the bottom right. Roxy's 2-3 win gave her a 3-2 series win and a visiting role against the Pearl Surfers' Bright in the bracket quarterfinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Bells v. Jason V. The silver cue's Accuracy series is in a Coastal Derby to finish the event for the round. Todavía's Bells couldn't find her shot in game 1, missing in bunches during two spurts of bad play. Oceanside's Jason contributed to Bells' struggles while preserving a good score for himself in the 1-8 win for the 1-0 series lead. The two players reversed roles in game 2, although to less extreme extents. The Waves' Jason slipped up a couple of times in the middle of the game, while the Stills' Bells held a perfect line en route to a 0-3 victory to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw both players bring something closer to their best performance. Bells and Jason exchanged misses just before the middle of the game, but Bells had a second miss late, and Jason shut the door for a 1-2 win, retaking the series lead at 2-1. Jason made a ball on the break in game 4, but couldn't find traction early in the game. Bells made sure that Jason's early mistakes would be enough to cost him, only missing once late in the game as she took a 1-3 win to tie the series again at 2 games apiece. Bells brought her absolute best again in game 5, finding a lead early when Jason butchered a shot, and then holding on to win 0-3 again to take the series 3-2. Bells heads to Freedom to face the Cascades' Nikolai in the bracket quarterfinals.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Luigi v. Rosalina. The silver cue remains up to close out 9-ball for the third round. North Modernistic's Luigi broke through for the win in game 1, a choppy battle that saw Diamond's Rosalina scratch while potting the 7 to set up Luigi for the last two shots. Luigi leads the series 1-0. Game 2 started even slower, only speeding up when the Gems' Rosalina found a three-ball run. Rosalina had a narrow miss on the 9, and the Nighthawks' Luigi was there to mop it up for the win, extending his series lead to 2-0. Luigi had a fair share of offense in game 3, most notably a three-ball run in the middle after leaving the 9 near the top right on earlier turns. Rosalina fired back with a four-ball run-out for the win, avoiding a trick play as she made the safe shots to get the win. Luigi remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Luigi returned to form a bit more in game 4, making a three-ball run early on and then the final pair after Rosalina scuffled on her attempt for a run late in the game. Luigi's late burst gave him the win, sealing the series in his favor at 3-1. Luigi found more offense late in game 5, another three-ball run-out providing all he needed to claim the win over a hapless series effort from Rosalina. Luigi won the series 4-1, and will travel to oppose the Eastside Sharks' Chelsea in the bracket quarterfinals. Rosalina is the 61st eliminated player, while Luigi records his first kill of the year in a bout of friendly fire on the club level.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Vincent Sullivan. Rotation is all that's left, with the silver cue playing in this Coastal Derby series. Pearl's Neopolitan began with a three-ball run from the break, but her offense went cold after that. Viewpoint Sound's Vincent surged ahead with a four-ball run, and then capitalized on Neopolitan's flubbed shot to win 8-4 for the 1-0 series lead at the end. The Surfers' Neopolitan did well to keep up with the Meteors' Vincent in game 2, an even performance between the opponents defining the game. Vincent pulled away in the end, winning on a three-ball run-out for an 8-6 win and 2-0 series lead. Vincent made clinching a series look easy in game 3, getting two balls on the break as part of a five-ball run, and then having patience while Neopolitan floundered helplessly around the table. Vincent won 8-0, moving to a 3-0 series lead. Vincent did even better in game 4, making the 2 on the break, deflecting the 1 off the 6 to the top side, and ending with a back-spun deflection off the 8 to bump the 14 to the top right for the 8-0 win. Even better, Vincent did that all off the break turn, and made a ball to every pocket as he pushed his series lead to 4-0. Vincent still played well in game 5, but Neopolitan made it interesting at the start by plugging up some of Vincent's chances at a run. Vincent eventually regained the lead and used a four-ball run-out to win 8-3 a turn after that, giving him a 5-0 series sweep. Vincent will host the Queens Flames captain in a likely exciting bracket quarterfinals series. Neopolitan is the 62nd player to be eliminated and the last in the third round, while Vincent takes his first career kill.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Gizmo v. Zach. The blue cue closes out the round with an Eastern Hills Derby in Rotation. Eastside's Gizmo had a positive start in game 1, but Pronger's Zach pulled back on a four-ball run to tie the game, and then beat Gizmo to the finish with an 8-6 win for the 1-0 series lead in what is promising to be a thrilling finale. The Tridents' Zach jumped out to another nice lead in game 2, and he doubled down with a three-ball run to get onto the brink of victory. The Sharks' Gizmo held him at bay with some savvy defensive plays, and then broke Zach's heart with a five-ball run-out at the end, positioning and executing in fluid motions for a comeback 8-7 win. Gizmo has tied the series at 1. Zach took the initial lead in game 3, but Gizmo provided a run unlike most with a five-ball run, of which the first three were very lucky bounces. Gizmo got onto the fringe of winning with that run, and Zach had illegal contact, ruining any chance to stall. Gizmo won 8-3, pulling ahead 2-1 in the series. Zach tried to make game 4 as cagey as possible, keeping even with Gizmo initially and playing defense more as the game progressed. Zach's only mistake was scratching when a wild shot saw him pot the 11, giving Gizmo a chance from ball-in-hand. Gizmo buried a four-ball run-out, his 8-4 win sealing the series at 3-1. Gizmo kept going in game 5, battling with Zach again at the start but pulling away to win 8-3 at the end. Gizmo took the series 4-1, and will visit the Pearl Surfers' Watermelon in the bracket quarterfinals.
That's all for the third round. We'll take the weekend off most likely, taking the time for table maintenance and another round of cricket re-acclimation practice.
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