We're set to reach three-quarters complete in the first round. Today's action begins with...
Briana v. Americus. A sophomore and a veteran of the league clash with the silver cue to start today. Americus got off to a good start in game 1, but her early run went mostly unsupported. Briana took longer to get going, but her steady play paced her to a win for a 1-0 series lead. Americus had a scratch that derailed her attack in game 2, as she never got into position after that play. Briana was meticulous with her set-up work, leading to an easy four-ball run-out for the win in the end, which helped her take the series at 2-0. Briana dominated in game 3, easily working around a flailing Americus, whose only potted ball was erased by a scratch. Briana took the series in a 3-0 sweep to reach the second round.
Stanley Watts v. Potter. A surprisingly strong unaffiliated player takes on a third-year league veteran with the red cue. Stanley made a pair on the break in game 1, and then whipped around the table faster than Potter could attack. Potter made it close at the end, but Stanley still took the win for a 1-0 series lead. Stanley started well in game 2, making almost all of his balls, but he got too generous in giving two away to Potter. This helped Potter recover quite well, and after Stanley scratched, Potter converted a pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Potter made two stripes and a solid on the game 3 break, setting the tone for a fast finale. Stanley was a little quicker with positioning for his final ball, and he struck for the win with the final pair of shots. Stanley took the series 2-1, setting him up to face Patches in the second round.
Kenzo Hashimoto v. Dusty. The blue cue's first series of today pits an unaffiliated star against a league legend. Neither player had a sharp game 1, with Kenzo missing a critical shot at the bottom side early on. Dusty played a safer game and got the win for it as well, taking a 1-0 series lead after a patient attack. Dusty started well in game 2, but she couldn't get her last ball to fall after a busy run early on. Kenzo replied with a four-ball run, and he made it look easy in potting three more balls to steal the win away, tying the series at 1. Dusty had some chances in game 3 to keep it even with Kenzo, but after a defensive stalemate in the middle, Kenzo made a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-1 series win. Kenzo will face another Reality player in the second round when he meets Bear.
Pancho Barrios v. Precious. The silver cue starts the second cycle with a closer against a captain. Pancho zipped his way onto stripes early in game 1, and it took him little time to get down to his last ball. Precious caught up well but flubbed a shot at the bottom right, and Pancho closed with a pristine pair of shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Precious took a strategic approach in game 2, although she could have had a quick win if not for a scratch. Pancho made a late push and got down to his last ball before Precious buried the 8 to the top right for the win, tying the series at 1. Precious made four balls in no time in game 3, putting Pancho behind quickly. Pancho tried a late rally but came up short as Precious made a pair of shots on her fourth turn to claim the win and a 2-1 series win. Precious will take on another league captain when she meets Peach in the second round.
Boots v. Bright. Pearl Surfers teammates were drawn together for this series with the red cue. Boots punched in four balls on the break turn in game 1, but Bright bounced right back later in the game, keeping it even as they positioned themselves on their last balls. Boots made many errors, helping Bright to come from behind for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Bright had a nice jump from the break in game 2, but got called for illegally potting a ball after the shot it happened on. Boots pounced on this opportunity to produce offense, doing so with force and holding off Bright's counterattack in a frenetic finish. Boots' win tied the series at 1. Bright and Boots battled in a close game 3, each shining on offense at times. Bright had a chance to win, but banked the 8 into an uncalled pocket, giving the win away to Boots after her defensive strategy paid off late. Boots took the series 2-1, and will face Isabella in the second round.
Prism v. Lorde. Talented but underrated league veterans will use the blue cue in their series. Prism had to rally after Lorde had a good start in game 1. Lorde did well to command the mutually-needed bottom side, which helped her to make a pair of shots on her last turn for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Lorde had an empty break in game 2, while Prism blasted a four-ball run right from the start. Lorde rallied back with a five-ball run later, but Prism had position at the bottom right that they both aimed for. Lorde had a miss, and Prism sealed up the win with a pair of shots on the next turn to tie the series at 1. Lorde and Prism played evenly for much of game 3, and much more conservatively than in the previous games. Lorde had to make a bold push at the end, positioning herself well to bank the 13 into the bottom left as the second of her three-ball run-out. Lorde took the series 2-1, giving her a series against Shaggy in the second round.
Daisy v. Oshri Aharonov. A third-year league veteran takes on a strategic unaffiliated player with the silver cue. Oshri showed off some of that strategy after Daisy gave him a gift on the break of game 1. Daisy tried to play defense, but left Oshri with a clear shot on the 8 that he made for the win and 1-0 series lead. Oshri had a positive start in game 2 as well, but his inability to make his last ball allowed Daisy to assemble a run. Daisy made two of her three remaining balls, just missing the 7 at the top side. Oshri closed with a pair of shots after that, sealing the series at 2-0. Daisy didn't have to try as hard in game 3, although a lot of turns for both players were spent trying to establish positioning. Oshri had no luck here, as Daisy walked away with the win, although Oshri did take the series 2-1 to earn his spot against Twinkie II in the second round.
Neopolitan v. Rayan Carranza. Another league veteran takes on a crafty strategist, this time using the red cue. Neopolitan had a good start in game 1, but it was a three-ball run to get onto the 8 that impressed the fans most. Rayan had no response to Neopolitan's brilliantly-executed run, and she made the 8 on the next turn for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Neopolitan didn't do quite as well in game 2, but she still had plenty of time to spare as Rayan spent a majority of the game looking lost. Neopolitan's patient approach at the end paid off for another win to clinch the series at 2-0. Neopolitan decided to take it easy in game 3, and she couldn't do anything to stop a well-made three-ball run-out by Rayan at the end. Rayan's earlier play set the tone for that finishing run that helped him cut the series to 2-1, the margin by which Neopolitan advances to a second round series with Chicky Phil.
Jaturun Choen v. Gal. A little-known unaffiliated trickster takes on a league sophomore with the blue cue. Jaturun had a decent push in the end of game 1, after battling for a majority of the game to get positioning. Gal put up a good fight but fell just short at the end, as Jaturun put the 8 in the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. Jaturun started with a four-ball run in game 2, a great play but nothing compared to Gal's physics-defying four-ball run with better positioning. Gal took the edge late in the game with quick shots on her last two balls before putting the 8 in the top right. Gal's win tied the series at 1. As if that wasn't enough, Gal goes down in the 13-ball history books as the first player to pot the 8 on the break, sending it to the bottom side to take the instant win in game 3. Gal's heroics gave her a 2-1 series win and a spot against Katelynn in the second round.
Kirstin v. Twinkie I. Two quietly talented league players battle with the silver cue to start the fourth cycle. Kirstin's break in game 1 left a large cluster in two spots on the table. Twinkie I picked at it a bit, but failed to get good positioning, and Kirstin stayed patient in her attack until she kicked the 8 to the bottom side for the win. Kirstin leads the series at 1-0. Kirstin found a productive breaking zone in game 2, spreading the rack out well this time. Twinkie I had some proper positions, but failed to convert on few shots, and Kirstin worked around it for the win, sealing the series at 2-0. Kirstin had a bad break in game 3, but capitalized on it early and late. Twinkie I rallied for a big run in the middle, but missed the 8 twice, allowing Kirstin to come back for a three-ball run-out. Kirstin swept the series 3-0, and will host Veto Casas in the second round.
Fuchsia v. Kiwi. A rising star in the league meets a top player with the red cue. Fuchsia had a decent break in game 1, but Kiwi stormed forward to take an advantage. Fuchsia exchanged scratches with Kiwi to buy more time, but missed on the 8, and Kiwi made it for the win to give her a 1-0 series lead. Kiwi did poorly with her early shots in game 2, allowing Fuchsia to command the table with relative ease. Kiwi came down to her last ball before Fuchsia made a bold positioning play that paid off when she sank the 8 at the bottom right for the win to tie the series at 1. Kiwi started strong in game 3, making a three-ball run on her first turn. Fuchsia got most of that back, but just in time for Kiwi to post a four-ball run-out for the win, which gave her the series at 2-1. Kiwi will visit Roxy in the second round.
Taylor M. v. Lexi. The blue cue will go between two of the most vicious players in the league. Taylor looked like the better play for much of game 1 as Lexi played a seemingly directionless game. Lexi had a plan though, and used defense and a bit of luck that Taylor missed a tap-in at the top side to pace her three-ball run-out at the end. Lexi's smart play gave her a 1-0 series lead. Both players had plenty of mistakes to regret in game 2, but none worse than Taylor's chance to pot the 8 at the top right going awry on a miscue. Lexi made the next two shots from ball-in-hand for the win, securing the series in her favor at 2-0. Taylor again came within a shot of a win in game 3, but her bank attempt on the 8 toward the top left went wide, and Lexi made a pair of shots to scoop up this win, earning the 3-0 series sweep.
Wild Thing v. Andrew Reynolds. The silver cue sees a weaker league player face a moderate unaffiliated player. Wild Thing had a chance to make a bunch of shots at once, but he missed the ones he set up. Andrew had already pulled away with good shooting before, and he had no trouble with the 8 to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. Andrew gave Wild Thing a ball on the break in game 2, a move that quickly became a mistake. Wild Thing charged with a four-ball run on his first turn, made his final stripe on his second turn, and then potted the 8 to the top side on the third turn for the win. Wild Thing has quickly tied the series at 1 with this win. Andrew set off with a four-ball run in game 3, but his last ball got caught out of position. Wild Thing rallied with a four-ball run of his own to even things out, and he would surge ahead on his final turn for the win. Wild Thing claimed the series at 2-1, and he will visit Klaus in the second round.
Pedey v. Ice Cream. The red cue's last series of the day pits league veterans against each other. Ice Cream had a three-ball run cut off by a scratch early in game 1, but she remained ahead of Pedey for most of the game. Pedey gained ground when going to the left corners, but his miss on the 8 allowed Ice Cream to escape with the win and 1-0 series lead anyway. Both players had four-ball runs to start game 2 at a ridiculous pace. As the game transitioned to positioning, neither player budged, and Ice Cream ended up attacking with a three-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 2-0. Ice Cream cranked another four-ball run off the break in game 3, but she stalled out with three misses and an illegal make on her final ball at the end. Pedey took his time before putting the 8 in the top left for the win. Ice Cream won the series 2-1, and she will meet Jason N. in the second round.
Rosalina v. Dusky. The blue cue is up next, with a third-year taking on a veteran from league play. Rosalina had a good start with one of each suit on the game 1 break, but she never really advanced her pace. Dusky didn't do a lot until she made her three-ball run-out, using a deflected bank on the 8 to put it in the bottom side for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Rosalina pushed back for much of game 2, starting with a nice run and getting onto her last ball. Dusky had to catch up, and scratched when she did, keeping things close. Dusky's defense with one ball was brilliant, buying her enough time to line up and convert two shots at the end for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Dusky actually had her best start of the series in game 3, but her inability to pot her last solid held her back in the end. Rosalina would take the win, leaving Dusky with a 2-1 series win to take into her second round series against Marsell.
Rana Naqvi v. Katharine. Today's final series comes after a break with the silver cue. Katharine struggled to keep up with Rana's initial pressure in game 1, but Rana missed the 8 twice at tap-in range near the top right. Katharine converted it on her first try for the win and 1-0 series lead. Katharine was first to get onto the 8 in a tight game 2, as neither player blew the other away with pace. Katharine missed it at short range near the top right. Rana was thankful to tap in his last ball and then the 8 for the win, tying the series at 1. Rana made quick work of Katharine in game 3, nearly running the table on her and needing only a couple extra turns to mop up the rest. Rana took the series 2-1, setting him up to face Shelley in the second round.
That's all for today's games. We'll be going with this competition first tomorrow, likely as the only event.
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