We're back for action in the preseason tournament today, beginning with...
Precious v. Peach. Two aggressive league captains meet with the red cue in the first series. Peach had an ugly game 1 performance, scratching on the first turn and making only two balls during the rest of the game. Precious kept a clean effort going and easily took the win for a 1-0 series lead. Peach broke out for a four-ball run late in game 2, but after such a cold start, she just cleared the way for Precious to pot the 8 at the bottom left for the win. Precious sealed the series at 2-0 with this win. Precious backed off quite a bit in game 3, falling apart with a lack of positioning after making two balls on the break. Peach had no trouble from here, controlling the game quite well in her only win of the series. Precious advances to the third round on a 2-1 series win.
Hyunjae Kwak v. Axel Cools. Two of the coolest names among unaffiliated players meet with the blue cue. Momentum changed frequently in game 1, with Axel's mistakes early and late getting erased as Hyunjae couldn't cut the 8 to the bottom right. Axel made the last two shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. Hyunjae had a good enough start in game 2, but nothing could prepare him for Axel's five-ball run to get onto the 8. Hyunjae was caught out of position, and Axel made the 8 on the next turn for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Axel couldn't get positioning fast enough in game 3, as Hyunjae's strategy worked far better for a late three-ball run. Hyunjae made the 8 from ball-in-hand after a foul by Axel, taking the win to cut the series to 2-1. Axel still advances to the third round.
Frisco Romero v. Lucio Adame. Two of the toughest hard hitting unaffiliated players clash with the silver cue. Frisco had better positioning in a close game 1 battle with Lucio, and ultimately Lucio's removal of Frisco's defense led to Frisco taking the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw momentum swing wildly with a number of scratches and ruined position plays. Lucio delivered a highlight with a bank of the 3 off the corner of the bottom side, the top rail, the right rail, and the 8 to sneak it in the bottom right, and he then won on the next turn when Frisco missed his chance at the 8 on a kick play. Lucio's crazy win tied the series at 1. Frisco got down to the 8 in a quick game 3, but Lucio showed off his well-document finishing skill, rallying with a three-ball run-out to snatch the win and 2-1 series win away. Lucio is off to the third round.
Katelynn v. Gal. We're back to league players with the red cue back in action. Katelynn had a no-win break in game 1, leaving herself with no good option. Gal took solids and made it work after Katelynn gave her a gift. Gal pushed with four balls over the last two turns to hold off Katelynn's late rally, giving Gal the 1-0 series lead. Katelynn had her chances to catch up, but Gal proved quicker in game 2 as well. Gal made a pair on the break and a three-ball run-out at the end for the win, sealing the series at 2-0. Katelynn had the first offense in game 3, but she illegally potted the 8 in the top side on the same turn, quickly giving Gal the win. Gal swept the series 3-0 and will face the winner of the next series in the third round.
Jennifer v. Delila. The blue cue takes its turn with a pair of league players now. Jennifer had a surprisingly fast run thru game 1, attacking with a bit of good fortune, while Delila struggled and gave Jennifer a freebie. Jennifer's strong play earned her a 1-0 series lead. Jennifer didn't have as strong of an effort in game 2, but she still outplayed Delila by a fair amount. Delila had a chance for a big finishing run, but missed at the bottom left, allowing Jennifer to make a pair of shots to take a hard-fought win, securing the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Delila do far better in keeping up with Jennifer's attacking pace, leading to a highly competitive game. Delila just managed to make three balls over her last two turns to take win. Jennifer still won the series 2-1, and she will face Gal in the third round.
Leonardo v. Leandro Gamboa. Similarly named players from separate pools are set to play with the silver cue. Leonardo had the early offense and plenty of chances to make a final push, but he came up flat, and Leandro weaved a three-ball run-out from Leonardo's mess to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. Leandro had a good break with one of each suit going down, but Leonardo prospered from it more. Leonardo had favorable position late in the game while Leandro chased his last ball. Leonardo escaped with the win after recording a three-ball run-out, tying the series at 1. Leonardo had his chances again in game 3, but he failed to keep the game clean. Leandro had a scratch or two as well, but Leonardo's came later, and Leandro had time to make the shots he needed to for the win. Leandro took the series 2-1, earning his third round spot.
Patches v. Stanley Watts. One of the league's most fearsome challenges an average unaffiliated player with the red cue. Stanley had all of the early offense in game 1, but had to fight off a jerky counterattack by Patches that saw her get onto the 8 despite a pair of scratches. After a short scuffle for the 8, Stanley potted it for the win and 1-0 series lead. Patches and Stanley erupted with a full fledged offense in game 2, with Patches prevailing at the end after sneaking ahead of Stanley's attacks and defenses. Patches' crafty win tied the series at 1. Stanley started off quite well with a three-ball run in game 3, but Patches caught up and used better positioning to get the win, firing a three-ball run-out at the end. Patches' 2-1 series win takes her to the third round.
Hershey v. Kitty. Inexperienced league players meet with the blue cue to bring the day to half-completion. Kitty had a scratch at an awful time late in game 1, allowing Hershey to go unabated for the 8. It took him two tries to convert, but Hershey won for a 1-0 series lead. Hershey and Kitty combined for a very fast game 2 battle, with Hershey getting on the 8 first only to see Kitty kick the 7 in the bottom side before kicking the 8 to the bottom right. Kitty's low-percentage double worked out to get her a win, tying the series at 1. Both players elected to remove the other's defense in game 3, as they wanted to avoid a stalemate. This mutual play benefited Hershey, who made a pair of shots after Kitty removed his defense to take the win. Hershey's 2-1 series win has reserved him a spot against Natal Badillo in the third round.
Steven v. Whiskers. Two sturdy league veterans are set to go with the silver cue. Steven had a good attack in game 1, but two things conspired to hold him back. One was his inability to make the 8 at the top right, and the other was the illegally potted ball discovered after the game that gifted the win to Whiskers anyway. Whiskers is up 1-0 in the series. Whiskers took game 2 by her own force, making one of each suit on the break and winning the late positioning battle that stymied Steven's more aggressive approach. Whiskers' win clinched the series in her favor at 2-0. Whiskers had Steven on the ropes at the end of a good game 3 battle, but Steven kicked the 8 in after Whiskers failed to make the same shot. Steven's win made it a 2-1 series win for Whiskers, who is off to the third round.
Shaggy v. Lorde. Two league players in their second year with their teams use the red cue to settle this series. Shaggy had a number of scratches in game 1 but still had a chance before scratching while making the 8 on a risky play. Lorde had stuck with the game to keep it close before receiving the gifted win for a 1-0 series lead. Lorde had a creative break in game 2, leading to a line of balls across the middle. The defensive game continued as Shaggy struggled to make her shots, but she eventually found the way through on a four-ball run-out after Lorde couldn't get out of her defensive shell. Shaggy's win retied the series at 1. Game 3 followed in the footsteps of the other two, with lots of errors and a difficult and slow finishing process. Both players got down to the last ball and scratched, and then they got onto the 8, which Shaggy took just in time at the end for the 2-1 series win. Shaggy will face Axel Cools in the third round.
Sarah v. Chelsea. A league rookie faces a consistent veteran with the blue cue in this series. Chelsea's experience showed in game 1, as she converted her shots with a bit more ease and class than Sarah could. Chelsea won by two balls for a 1-0 series lead. Sarah did a better job with late game positioning in game 2, besting Chelsea in that regard after a quick start to the game. Sarah used her good positioning to create a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Chelsea and Sarah had a race to the finish in game 3, with Chelsea proverbially spinning out at the end with a scratch. Sarah made the last two shots for the win, taking the series 2-1 and heading to the third round.
Stealth v. Chris. A more experienced pair of league veterans goes with the silver cue. Stealth had the jump on Chris from the start of game 1, and then backed it up with good defense at the top left until he was ready to make a pair of shots for the win. Stealth leads the series at 1-0. Stealth made quick work of Chris again in game 2, potting a stripe on the break and then doing a little set-up work after that. Chris scratched at one point, leading to Stealth igniting a five-ball run-out for the win, which secured the series for him at 2-0. Stealth had another fiery start in game 3, quickly getting onto the 8, but he missed his one clear chance to sink it, and this time Chris fought back enough to get the win on his second try at the 8. Stealth still won the series 2-1, and he will face Ruby in the third round.
Twinkie II v. Oshri Aharonov. A league captain meets one of the craftiest unaffiliated players with the red cue. Oshri had to wait for his chance to strike, as Twinkie II had plenty of offense early in game 1. Oshri then countered with a three-ball run with a good set-up to finish it, and he won with a pair of shots on the next turn, giving him the 1-0 series lead. Twinkie II accepted a reversed role in game 2, as Oshri had a good start and wonderful early positioning before going weak on consecutive turns. Twinkie II used that to her advantage, rallying to the win to tie the series at 1. Twinkie II had to play from behind after Oshri started with a three-ball run in game 3. Twinkie II got onto her last ball, but made illegal contact on her last turn, and Oshri put the game to rest with a three-ball run-out from there. Oshri is emerging as a dark horse favorite after this 2-1 series win gets him into the third round.
Louvel Lefevre v. Gerben Bovelt. A tricky unaffiliated player meets a strategist from the same group with the blue cue. Louvel jumped out to a hot start with a four-ball run, quickly overwhelming Gerben's best chances at a win. Gerben scratched late to set Louvel up for the easy shot on the 8, which gave Louvel a 1-0 series lead. Louvel had the lead and then lost it when he realized he was aiming at the wrong pockets. He still got onto the 8 before Gerben, but he couldn't corral it, chasing it around while Gerben played defensively. Gerben's tactics worked, and he eventually made a pair of shots to get the win, tying the series at 1. Gerben had a good start in game 3, but his positioning at the top side would cost him the game. Louvel's fine counterattack left him in a good position, and he converted a three-ball run-out for the win on the final turn. Louvel took the series 2-1 to reach the third round.
Melissa v. Caitlin. After a break, two league players meet with the silver cue administering its last series of the day. Melissa had two bursts of offense at each end of game 1, the latter pushing her past a growing stalemate with Caitlin en route to the win. Melissa leads the series 1-0 after a trying first game. Melissa had a strong start in game 2 as well, but she couldn't settle a shot at the top side. Caitlin rallied with a well-played four-ball run and then took the 8 two turns later at the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 1. Melissa had the lead for a good portion of game 3, but too many scratched tipped the game in favor of Caitlin, who pulled away at the end with three balls over two turns for the win. Caitlin took the series 2-1, and will play on into the third round.
Mitchell v. Kayla. A couple of friends in the league play the final series today with the red cue. Kayla struck first in game 1, then faced a scare as Mitchell made five balls over two turns to get very close to winning. Kayla stayed steady, battling back and making some good shots to position herself well before earning the win for a 1-0 series lead. Kayla had a decent break, but it was Mitchell making one of each suit on his first turn. This quickly ballooned into a table-running adventure on solids, as Mitchell picked up the win with one brilliant attack. The series is tied at 1 heading into the decisive game. Kayla had the early burst of offense in game 3, taking her chances in the attack at first. Mitchell didn't wait long to catch up, eventually overtaking Kayla and getting the win for a 2-1 series win. Mitchell is set to play in the third round.
Just two more days in the second round, with the next being played tomorrow.
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