We're here for the last round of three-game series in the competition. The first of 16 series today is...
Marsell v. Dewey. Two league players with similar skill sets collide with the silver cue to start. Marsell struck early in game 1 with solids, but he couldn't make it hold up after missing contact. Dewey took over at the end with a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Dewey struck on the break in game 2, but his positioning let him down later in the game. Marsell had a crafty three-ball run to get close, and then potted the last two balls over two turns at the end for the win, tying the series at 1 with his forward-thinking play. Marsell had the lead for much of game 3, but he couldn't quite get set at the bottom side, and Dewey roared back with a three-ball run-out for the win to take the series 2-1. Dewey will play tomorrow in the fifth round.
Nikolai v. Nibbles. Another pair of good league players goes head-to-head with the red cue. Nikolai had a decent break in game 1, but Nibbles made him look silly as the game progressed, working around the table with ease. Nibbles took advantage of an error by Nikolai to pot the 8 to the top left for a 1-0 series lead. Nikolai had some offense in game 2, but he ruined his chance at the win by blocking a pocket he needed with the 8. Nibbles played patiently, but got the win for free when Nikolai accidentally tapped the 8 in turns later. Nibbles secured the series at 2-0. Nikolai struck first in a mostly even game 3, but Nibbles pulled back near the end and made three balls over his last two turns to get the win for a 3-0 series sweep. Nibbles is in the fifth round.
Panda v. Kiwi. League captains get the blue cue's first series today. Panda had a five-ball run late in game 1, but he had spent too much time setting it up and couldn't beat Kiwi's top-side defense. Kiwi patiently finished the win for a 1-0 series lead. Kiwi had no trouble on attack in game 2, making five balls over her first two turns before going for positioning. Panda made a few shots here and there, but he stood no chance against Kiwi's attack, which ended with a pair of shots for the win. Kiwi clinched the series at 2-0. Kiwi had a slower game 3 performance, waiting for Panda to remove most of his balls from the table. Kiwi had a chance to cut the 8 to the top side, but she missed, and Panda made a pair of shots for the win to avoid the sweep. Kiwi's 2-1 series win gets her a spot in the fifth round.
Strut v. Bear. The silver cue is back in action with this series between league veterans. Strut didn't have the most efficient offense in game 1, but he still had plenty of time to beat Bear, as the latter didn't have much of an attack at all. Strut is up 1-0 in the series. Both players took their time in attack in game 2, with strategizing and set-up shots more frequent in the early going. Strut then made a four-ball run, which Bear matched before his missed kick on the 8. Strut converted the 8 to the top right for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Bear finally found a way to get a win in game 3, just holding off Strut long enough at the end to avoid the sweep. Strut won the series 2-1, and he is off to the fifth round.
Irsyad Sudjana v. Waluigi. A strategic unaffiliated player takes on the league's Cinderella entry with the red cue. Waluigi had a lead over Irsyad early in game 1, and he made it hold with a late four-ball run-out after Irsyad had briefly pulled even. Waluigi owns a 1-0 series lead. Irsyad and Waluigi both converged on the top side after a quick attack early turned into a positioning battle. Irsyad got the better of it, and he made the 8 to the bottom right for the win to tie the series at 1. Irsyad struck on the break, but he got himself into some bad positions later on and had a few too many errors to hold off Waluigi's relentless, average-paced attack. Waluigi kept a cool head and got the win to take the 2-1 series win, putting him in the fifth round as his feel-good story continues.
Azul Mora v. Gal. Another unaffiliated player will try his slick moves against a third-year league member with the blue cue. Gal had the lead in game 1 for most of the battle, but a scratch set her back in the middle, and Azul did just enough late in the game to earn the win for a 1-0 series lead. Gal had a bit better of an attack in game 2, taking the lead early and beating Azul to the mutually needed bottom side after Azul fouled on his last ball. Gal then took a pair of shots to get the win, tying the close series at 1. Gal again took the lead in game 3, needing just the top left to get onto the 8 at the end. Azul had scratched on a previous turn, but he stormed back with a four-ball run-out to swipe the win for a 2-1 series win at the end. Azul moves on to a fifth round series with Nibbles.
Solaris v. Ruby. A talented young player meets a proven winner as league talents clash with the silver cue. Solaris made one of each on the game 1 break, choosing solids to build his five-ball run. Ruby answered with a pair, but she'd get the win when Solaris hit a spinning bank shot that sent the 8 to the top left early. Ruby is up 1-0 in the series thanks to Solaris' misfortunes. Ruby made one of each on her break in game 2, and then scratched on the next shot. Solaris got down to his last ball with great haste, sacrificing position for his last ball at the top side. Ruby overcame an additional scratch and rallied for the win, the 8 dropping in the top side to seal the series at 2-0. Solaris again popped up with the lead in game 3, but positioning failed him outright this time, and Ruby passed him at the end to earn the win for a 3-0 series sweep. Ruby continues to rack up wins as she heads to the fifth round.
Louvel Lefevre v. Barasa Contee. The only series with two unaffiliated players goes with the red cue. Louvel had a good start in game 1, but when he made one of Barasa's balls, the whole game changed. Barasa took over the offense and easily beat Louvel on the 8, taking a 1-0 series lead in the process. Game 2 was a similar game, although Barasa struck first and played well throughout this time. Louvel, learning nothing from before, potted Barasa's defensive blocker at the bottom right, allowing Barasa to ignite a four-ball run-out two turns later for the win. Barasa clinched the series at 2-0. Louvel had his best performance in game 3, but he continually missed on late shots, buying Barasa enough time to rally from far back for the win. Barasa gladly took the win for a 3-0 series sweep, putting him into the fifth round.
Lexi v. Lucio Adame. The blue cue completes the third cycle here with two of the toughest remaining players. Lexi started with a three-ball run from the break, but she went cold soon after that, and Lucio had an easy time after that. Lucio did scratch once, but he overcame it with a four-ball run before making the 8 on his next turn for the 1-0 series lead with his win. Lexi had a stronger lead late in game 2, but she couldn't align her last two shots at all. Lucio slowly pulled his way back into the game before finding a three-ball run to go ahead. Lucio made a pair on his next turn for the win, securing the series at 2-0. Lucio struck quickly in game 2, but he never found position at the side pockets. Lexi made five balls over her last three turns, earning the win to avoid the sweep. Lucio took the series 2-1, and he looks to continue dominating in the fifth round.
Mams v. Smokey. A former captain meets a current one as league players battle with the silver cue. Mams ripped a ball in on the break in game 1, and then beat Smokey for their mutually needed top side at the end. Smokey came close, but couldn't stop Mams from running away with the win at the end for a 1-0 series lead. Mams struck on the break again in game 2, but Smokey made due with better positioning for an early three-ball run. Mams got that damage back, but Smokey continued to exploit his positioning well, winning on a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Smokey made a couple from the break in game 3, but still needed a massive run at the end to hold off Mams, who nearly played defense at the bottom right. Smokey won with the last four shots, earning the 2-1 series win and a chance to meet Strut in the fifth round.
Spice v. Sage. The Victoria Spurs teammates clash with the red cue in this series. Spice never really got a handle on her positioning in game 1, while Sage showed extremely high quality with her late shots. Sage had no trouble converting a pair on her final turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. Spice put up a much better fight in game 2, but Sage's attempt at the 8 knocked Spice out of position. Spice's response was to bank the 11 in such a way that she scratched and illegally potted the 8, gifting the win to Sage, who secured the series at 2-0 thanks to Spice's double blunder. Sage had a four-ball run from the break to start game 3, but she would fall on the next turn, illegally bumping the 8 into the bottom right to gift a win back to Spice. Sage can thank her pure win in game 1 for her 2-1 series win that sets her up to meet Waluigi in the fifth round.
Natal Badillo v. Twilight. The blue cue is up as a strategist unaffiliated player meets a strong league captain. Natal and Twilight had a quintessential back-and-forth game, especially after late scratches for each player. Natal got onto the 8 first but missed contact on a kick play, and Twilight finally made a pair of shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. Twilight made two stripes and a solid on the break in game 2, and she will regret spotting Natal that ball, as he had positioning on her at the end of the game without another shot to take. Twilight tried her best, but Natal was better this time, tying the series at 1 with his win. Twilight got down to her last ball without trouble, but she never found a way to break Natal's defense. He did it himself eventually, making three balls over his last two turns with a bank on the 8 to the bottom side for the win. Natal's upset 2-1 series win gets him to the fifth round against another league star, Kiwi.
Sarah v. Slinks. A rookie faces a resurgent league veteran as the silver cue starts the fifth cycle. Sarah started with a four-ball run in game 1, but she wouldn't have to pick up the win herself. Slinks used the 8 defensively, but when Sarah scratched late, Slinks accidentally tapped the 8 in early on the next turn. Sarah holds a 1-0 series lead. Sarah had a good start again in game 2, but she couldn't win a positioning race later on, as Slinks used a strategic scratch to great success. Slinks then kicked the 8 to the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 1. Slinks found herself in a very similar finishing scenario in game 3, but this time she lacked positioning or a strategic scratch to get her there. Sarah needed only two turns to go for the win, taking the series 2-1 at the same time. Sarah will meet the ever-dangerous Ruby in the fifth round.
Shaggy v. Precious. After a break, two of the league's most active veterans battle in the red cue's final series. Precious had a slightly easier time with positioning and converting her shots in game 1, although Shaggy did make a good effort to catch up at the end. Precious held on for the win to take a 1-0 series lead. Shaggy struck first with stripes in game 2, but she had trouble attacking the left corners. Precious didn't have any big run this time, but she found a way ahead and got the win to secure the series at 2-0. Precious made a pair on the break in game 3, but her positioning was awful after that, and Shaggy received the win when Precious accidentally made the 8 prematurely. Precious won the series 2-1, setting her up to face Lucio Adame in the fifth round.
Martin Badillo v. Jake. The last unaffiliated player to play faces a league veteran in the blue cue's round finale. Martin had a crafty break in game 1, but it was his mid-game play that got him ahead. Jake had a chance to rally at the end, but he missed contact on a long tap-in, and Martin took the 8 at the top right for the 1-0 series lead instead. Martin had a curveball break again in game 2, but Jake got around him with stripes and outplayed Martin in the late game to pick up the win. Jake tied the series at 1, setting up a critical final game. Martin had a chance at a big finishing run, but it ended with three downed balls, as he rattled the 1 out of the bottom right. Jake stayed calm despite the scare, and he won two turns later with the 8 going in the bottom left for the 2-1 series win. Jake took the series 2-1, and will face his fourth unaffiliated player, Barasa Contee, in his fifth round match.
Klaus v. Crystal. The final three-game series is with the silver cue between good league players. Klaus had a hot start and a successful finish as well, capitalizing on Crystal's late scratch to take control of game 1. Klaus ended with a perfectly weighted bank on the 8 to the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. Klaus had his chances in a chaotic game 2 effort, but it didn't match up with what Crystal could do. She played a patient game, striking where she could, and then she pinned Klaus out of position multiple times before rallying to the win to tie the series at 1. Disaster decided game 3 and the series, with Klaus' third turn ending in an unintentional potting of the 8, gifting the win and 2-1 series win away to Crystal. In the fifth round, Crystal faces Dewey in a massive rivalry for their two teams.
Tomorrow, UPCL Premier begins its week 5 schedule, followed by the fifth round in full. All of these series are five games long going forward, with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final scheduled for Saturday currently. The cue order for the final fifteen series is reversed, so as to set the red cue up for being in the final.
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