We return today to bring the fifth round past its halfway point. Leading off today...
Intel Center, Diamond: Cassandra v. Marsell. The silver cue has a major role today, playing in six of seven series including this 10-ball one. Diamond's Cassandra had a three-ball run from the break in game 1, and then ended the game on a three-ball run-out in response to a three-ball run from Whitewater's Marsell. Cassandra has a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Marsell took hardly any time to bounce back in game 2, burying a pair of three-ball runs and adding the last two shots at the end when the Gems' Cassandra failed to provide a counterattack. Marsell's dominant win tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw the players take a fairly even split of the possession, battling back and forth for most of the game. Marsell had a late three-ball run, but couldn't corral the 10, and Cassandra tapped it into the bottom right for the win and a 2-1 series lead. Cassandra looked a bit better in game 4, making a couple of late pairs of shots to pressure Marsell. The strategy fell apart when she missed on the 10, which Marsell mopped up for a bit of a poached win to retie the series at 2. Game 5 started off sloppy thanks to a somewhat poor break from Marsell clogging up the shooting lanes. Cassandra struggled to break free, missing a couple of shots she'd usually make. Marsell eventually took advantage of that, burying a five-ball run-out for the win to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Game 6 saw a reversal in form from the previous one, with Marsell doing great early on before hitting a small skid in the middle. Cassandra also struggled here, having not contributed much to the offense, and she waited for a chance that never came as Marsell won on a four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 4-2. Marsell continued to attack well in game 7, making a four-ball run from the break. Marsell chipped in frequently after that, but showed mercy after Cassandra scratched, and Cassandra would take the last two shots to grab the win. Marsell settled for a 4-3 series win as he heads on to the bracket finals. Cassandra in the 116th player out of the Tournament, giving Marsell his third kill of the year. This is also the second team-wipe of the year.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Josie. Two teams with deep bad blood from cricket see their players clash in Rotation with the silver cue. Queens' Crystal took a difficult win in game 1, striking first but watching Oceanside's Josie take over in the middle. Josie couldn't hold her lead, and Crystal bounced back, chipping her way to an 8-6 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Crystal had a three-ball run from the break, but her further efforts on offense were quickly stymied by the Waves' Josie. This lasted for quite some time, until Crystal kicked the 5 to the bottom right and got the deflection to take the 9 at the top right. Josie switched to all-out attack, but missed on the 11, and Crystal claimed the 8-4 win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Crystal continued to improve, battling with Josie shot-for-shot early in game 3. Crystal held her off well for awhile, and then switched to attack, making five-balls over her last two turns. Crystal won 8-3 on a three-ball run-out with a combo, a tap-in, and a bank of the 7 to the bottom side to seal it as she moves to a 3-0 series lead. Josie had her best start on offense in game 4, holding a lead for most of the game and looking good to finish it ahead. Crystal had other plans, storming ahead on a brilliant four-ball run, including a crafty 8-12 combination to the top left, and then Crystal made a pair on her next turn to win 8-5, sealing the series at 4-0. Josie had a four-ball run in game 5 after Crystal delivered an empty break. Crystal battled for a bit, and then attacked with a four-ball run, but just missed on the 13, allowing Josie to bounce back with a three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win. Crystal remains ahead 4-1 in the series. Crystal returned to form in game 6, taking the early lead with a nice attack. Josie had a crafty double-pot to tie the game, but Crystal was better over the back half, ultimately winning 8-5 to push her series lead to 5-1. Crystal burst out to a big lead after a bunch of short runs, only for Josie to take two turns to tie the score. Crystal promptly answered that threat with a pair of shots to win 8-6, taking the series win at 6-1. Crystal faces a big test when she visits Terrace City Knights rookie Quincy in the bracket finals. Crystal took her first kill of the year to make Josie the 117th eliminated player.
Apple Center, Todavía: Prism v. Hannah. The only non-silver series today is 8-ball with the red cue, right here. Queens' Hannah attacked with force on her first turn, a five-ball run stopped only by a stick foul. Todavía's Prism tried to fight back but couldn't find a run, and Hannah coasted to the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Prism copied the playbook for game 2, making a five-ball run on her first turn. The Flames' Hannah answered back with a six-ball run and some collateral damage to even things out, but lost when Prism won two turns later with a pair of shots. Prism's quick offense helped her tie the series at 1. Game 3 went mostly even between the players, and a lot slower than the previous game. In the end, Hannah couldn't ignite her offense before Prism rallied on a four-ball run-out for the win, giving the host her first series lead at 2-1. Prism had a firm attack in game 4, her second turn consisting of a six-ball run to get onto the 8. Hannah had to switch to a defensive tactic for a bit before unleashing a six-ball run-out to snag the comeback win, tying the series again at 2. Hannah did not bring her best in game 5, making an early four-ball run but scratching twice to set herself back. Prism had some dangerous chances but her runs lacked depth, and Hannah managed to pick up the win and 3-2 series lead anyway. Game 6 started out alright, but by Hannah's third scratch it had devolved into a mess of scattered and overpowered shots on both sides. Prism threw away her chance to win to let out frustrations, missing multiple late shots with the game yet to be decided. Hannah took the sloppy win to secure the series at 4-2. Game 7 saw the players simmer down a bit better, with Prism then trying to find the win while making a late four-ball run that left the 8 up. Hannah converted a three-ball run-out in response for the win, taking the series win at 5-2. Hannah will visit the Web City Spiders captain Shadow in the bracket finals. Hannah grabbed her third kill this year, while Prism is the 118th player eliminated.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach v. Princess. The silver cue is back for the first of two consecutive Accuracy series. Pronger's Zach had a ball on the break, and he held his shooting well for quite awhile. Tysini's Princess was good as well before missing a couple of shots, only for Zach to even it late. Princess had one more bad miss at the end, giving Zach the 2-3 win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Hummingbirds' Princess couldn't settle herself in game 2, a spree of misses in the middle ruining her chances of getting anywhere. The Tridents' Zach held himself well, shooting simple shots to take the 1-4 win and a 2-0 series lead. Zach was the one to falter in game 3, missing a couple of shots he should have made, and then scratching to confirm he would remain behind. Princess kept herself to one miss in the 1-3 win, cutting the series deficit to 2-1. Princess took a turn to perfection in game 4, evoking the early play from game 1 as she and Zach both avoided misses for most of the game. Zach missed on a long cut toward the bottom right and Princess would win 0-1 from there, tying the series at 2. Princess put in plenty of challenges for Zach in game 5, but neither player could really take control. Both ended up with a late miss to force overtime, and Princess' break in overtime yielded nothing to save her from Zach's 3-4 win when he converted. Zach retook the series lead at 3-2. In game 6, Princess slipped behind relatively early, while Zach maintained a perfect score until very late. Princess grew desperate on later shots and missed many of them as Zach took the 1-6 win to seal the series at 4-2. Princess took the lead when Zach scratched on the game 7 break, and held it until the end of the game, winning 3-5 to leave Zach as the series winner at 4-3. Zach will visit the winner of the next series in the bracket finals. Princess is the 119th player out of the Tournament, giving Zach his third kill.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Oreo. The other silver cue Accuracy semifinal goes here between more aggressive competitors. The two players brought the heat in game 1, with Freedom's Nikolai making a ball on the break and Terrace City's Oreo using a double-pot to earn the last shot rights. They were perfect until Oreo missed on her second shot in overtime, giving Nikolai an instant 0-1 win and 1-0 series lead. The two players again went perfect deep into game 2, but the regression came quickly as the Cascades' Nikolai had a spree of misses and a scratch to sacrifice his chance at the win. The Knights' Oreo held on better, winning 1-3 to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Oreo stayed pretty locked in for game 3, battling with Nikolai in the early going before the host fell off the pace. Nikolai had a handful of misses in the late game, and while Oreo scuffed one shot, she still won 2-5 to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Nikolai had the lead for most of game 3, created when Oreo missed a couple of early shots. Unfortunately for Nikolai, he failed to clamp down quickly enough on these, and when he missed twice at the end, it gave Oreo the 3-4 margin she'd win by, pushing her series lead to 3-1. Oreo's offense cratered in game 5, falling apart early on despite Nikolai having the first miss. Nikolai managed to make the lead hold up after the two players exchanged misses, with Nikolai's 2-3 win also representing his current position in the series. Nikolai didn't have enough energy left to battle in game 6, falling apart with many misses. Oreo was no better, and they finished regulation sloppily before rebounding slightly in overtime, where Oreo ultimately won 7-8. Oreo clinched the series at 4-2 with this ugly win. Nikolai managed to force overtime in a careless game 7 effort as well, and he ended up winning 3-4 after a narrow miss by Oreo. The series went to Oreo by a 4-3 score, giving her the chance to host the Pronger Tridents' Zach in the bracket finals. Oreo picked up her second kill of the year, while Nikolai is the 120th player to be out of the Tournament, with only one-third of the player base left.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Shaggy. Two respected veterans tangle in an Urban Derby of 12-ball. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy made two balls on the break, but her three turns ended in two scratches and missed contact, giving Whitewater's Shaggy an easy path to pot all of her balls over three turns for the win. Shaggy leads the series 1-0. The Shores' Shaggy made a ball on the break and then scattered her shots well around the table. The Union's Ms. Puppy opted to work right to left, but couldn't set up her final ball before Shaggy won by double-potting the 13 in the top side and the 14 in the top left. Shaggy moves to a 2-0 series lead with this close win. Shaggy was the one unable to work her offense in game 3, making a ball in each suit on the break to give Ms. Puppy a wild-card ball and then scratching to make things worse. Ms. Puppy took over with one shot at the top side, but she won on her next turn with a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand when Shaggy had missed contact. Shaggy remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Shaggy had a four-ball run on her first turn in game 4 after Ms. Puppy failed to build up anything after making a ball on the break. Shaggy had good positioning for her last two shots, and took them patiently as Ms. Puppy tried to make a comeback only to fall short. Shaggy's win here puts her ahead 3-1 in the series. Shaggy made shots at the side pockets as part of a four-ball run to open game 5, but she also gave Ms. Puppy a wild-card ball. Had Shaggy had better positioning on her last ball, she might have clinched, but Ms. Puppy took ball-in-hand from missed contact and created a four-ball run-out to claim the win, staying alive despite trailing 3-2 in the series. Ms. Puppy took solids off the break, but also ceded a pair of wild-card balls on her opening turn. Ms. Puppy remained optimistic as Shaggy took her time on offense, but Shaggy struck from distance to win at the top left just as Ms. Puppy had gotten her last shot aligned. Shaggy secured the series at 4-2 with this win. Ms. Puppy focused on positioning in game 7, setting up five shots and converting them over two turns after Shaggy had progressed pretty quickly through the game but failed to sink her last ball. Shaggy settled for a 4-3 series win, setting her up for a road series in the bracket finals. Shaggy picked up her third kill while Ms. Puppy's excellent season ends as the 121st eliminated player.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Chelsea v. Whiskers. Today's finale is in 9-ball, with home-field in the silver cue's bracket final on the line between these talented veterans. Maplewood's Whiskers came agonizingly close to winning twice in game 1, the first on a missed shot on the 3 that put the 9 on the edge of the bottom right as the 3 fell in the top right, and the second as she scratched while converting the 4-9 combination on the next shot. All of this combined to give Eastside's Chelsea a 1-0 series lead out of thin air. The Sharks' Chelsea owned the early part of game 2, but the Lumberjacks' Whiskers challenged her with a four-ball run late to even possession. Whiskers would win with her second try on the 9 at the bottom left, tying the series at 1. Whiskers had the highlight in a messier game 3, making a four-ball run over the middle before things slowed down. Whiskers tried to run again late, but scratched as she made the 8, and Chelsea took the win with the 9 from ball-in-hand, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Whiskers again played high event pool in game 4, scratching on her first turn. Chelsea made the 1 from ball-in-hand and converted the 2-9 combination to the bottom right on the next shot for the win to move ahead 3-1 in the series. Chelsea delivered another quick win in game 5, taking the 3 and 7 to the bottom corners on the break before a 1-5-9 bank combination landed squarely in the bottom left for the win. Chelsea's quick finishes propelled her to seal the series at 4-1. Chelsea had a pair on the break again in game 6, and she made another good attack on her second turn, but a scratch that as she shot a 5-9 combination that didn't hit helped Whiskers take the win on a three-ball run-out. Whiskers' win cut the series to 4-2. Chelsea didn't ease up any in game 7, working on a four-ball run in the middle and poking in the 9 that Whiskers missed at the bottom left at the end. Chelsea had a 5-2 series win to put her in line to host the Lighton Prestige's Nicole in the bracket finals. Chelsea took her first kill of the year, with Whiskers as the 122nd eliminated player.
We'll play another full day tomorrow, with a likely split day over the weekend instead of one-off/one-on. Saturday will have the majority of the split day action.
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