We complete the third round today with another 16 series. First up...
Louvel Lefevre v. Rana Naqvi. Unaffiliated players known for their slick shooting begin with the blue cue today. Louvel started with a five-ball run from the break in game 1, also making two balls for Rana. Louvel couldn't strike again after a scratch, and Rana patiently worked his way ahead and earned the win for a 1-0 series lead. Rana had the first offense in game 2, making five balls over two turns but never getting a clear look on his last ball. Louvel bounced back quickly, setting up and converting his last five shots over two turns to get the win that tied the series at 1. Louvel and Rana played an even game 3, with Rana's late scratch setting him too far behind as Louvel tapped the 8 into the bottom right for the win. Louvel won the series 2-1 to earn his spot in the fourth round.
Klaus v. Rodas Cazares. A strong league third-year takes on a star unaffiliated player with the silver cue. Klaus made a ball on the break with solids, and then he set himself up for later. Rodas tried to set-up and make shots at the same time, but Klaus shut him down with a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. Klaus had a slower start in game 2, but he made a three-ball run with stripes on his second turn. Rodas struggled to make any shots, and Klaus didn't need much time for a second push to finish the game. Klaus did well at the end, clinching the series at 2-0. Klaus had some chances in game 3, but a pair of scratches wiped out most of his offense. Rodas played his best game of the series, pressuring Klaus the whole time as he earned the win to avoid a sweep. Klaus takes a 2-1 series win to earn the right to face Crystal in the fourth round.
Zdenko Jansky v. Spice. The red cue's first series of the day has a crafty unaffiliated player against a league captain. Zdenko looked alright with a stripe on the break, but Spice wove a five-ball run on her first turn to take the lead. Zdenko would receive two gifts from Spice, but a scratch ended his chance at the win, as Spice tapped the 8 to the bottom right to go up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 was a bit closer, as Zdenko did a bit more before reverting to a defensive shape as Spice took good positioning for her last shots. Spice would get the win on a simple three-ball run-out, securing the series at 2-0. Spice lost her precise touch in game 3, and she looked a bit lost as the filler game dragged on. Zdenko got the positioning he needed at the end, taking the win to cut the series to a 2-1 win for Spice, who will face her Victoria Spurs teammate Sage in the fourth round.
Nibbles v. Cowzart. Coastal rivals go at it with the blue cue to begin the second cycle. Cowzart had a couple of chances to ignite a massive run on solids in game 1, but he flubbed the first shot and never made his last ball as Nibbles cautiously and casually rallied to the win for a 1-0 series lead. Nibbles began with a four-ball run from the break with a bit of collateral damage along the way. Cowzart never mustered much offense, and didn't cover the first damage before Nibbles converted a three-ball run-out for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Nibbles had some offense in game 3, but Cowzart stole the show after Nibbles scratched near the end. Cowzart's smart plays helped him build a three-ball run-out to salvage a win, although Nibbles still took the series 2-1 to get to the fourth round.
Leandro Gamboa v. Jake. A resilient unaffiliated player meets a sparky league veteran with the silver cue. Leandro had two stripes in the same pocket on the break, forcing him to take the suit to avoid gifting Jake any shots. Jake wouldn't need the help, taking the better suit of solids and working his way to a win for a 1-0 series lead. Leandro had the better of play in game 2, burying a three-ball run early and maintaining good positioning. Jake had pressure late in the game, but Leandro maneuvered out of trouble with a four-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Jake fell behind quickly in game 3, but Leandro made a critical mistake when he scratched on his last ball. Leandro never had a clear chance to overcome that scratch, and Jake slowly found the win to take the series 2-1.
Noppadon Gruemor v. Mams. A strong unaffiliated player meets an average league player with the red cue. Both players had some issues with under-hitting their shots, none worse than the shot Mams pulled wide of the 8 at tap-in range near the bottom right. Noppadon got off lucky this time as he made the 8, taking a 1-0 series lead in a sloppy win. Noppadon would not be so lucky in game 2, as his poor play was not excused by Mams' misses this time. Mams found her shots when she needed to, holding Noppadon off for the win at the end to tie the series at 1. Mams attacked much faster early in game 3, preventing Noppadon from getting close to the 8 as he had to use defense. The strategy failed for Noppadon when Mams got a clear look at the 8 near the top right, taking the win for a 2-1 series win. Mams is set to face Smokey in the fourth round.
Mitchell v. Nikolai. A league sophomore takes on one of the strongest rivals the league can offer with the blue cue. Mitchell made a stripe on the game 1 break, but a mixture of bad positioning and a scratch prevented him from finishing well. Instead, Nikolai took the lead and kicked the 8 to the top right for a win and a 1-0 series lead. Nikolai played better at the start of game 2, weaving through a tough distribution pretty well. Mitchell pushed back, but Nikolai had the brilliant four-ball run-out at the end with two tough shots in a small space, a cut on the 15, and a perfectly banked double-kiss on the 8 to the bottom side. Nikolai earned the win to secure the series at 2-0. Game 3 went by in a blur, with Mitchell making a four-ball run early on, answered by Nikolai's five-ball run. Nikolai got onto the 8 first, but he missed at the bottom right, and Mitchell rallied on a three-ball run-out for the win. Nikolai settles for a 2-1 series win to give him a fourth round meeting with Nibbles.
Barasa Contee v. Strawberry. The silver cue brings us to halfway today with this series. Strawberry had a good attack to get onto the 8 in game 1, but needed Barasa to rally all the way back and scratch while potting the 8 to take the win. Strawberry's sloppy finish went unpunished as she takes a 1-0 series lead. Strawberry took forever to claim a suit in game 2, and then proceeded to mangle many of her shots. Barasa was hardly better, but he managed to avoid Strawberry's biggest mistake. Strawberry accidentally made the 11-8 combination prematurely to the top left, returning Barasa's favor from game 1 to tie the series at 1. Barasa found his skill in game 3, making a couple balls from the break and pounding in a nice three-ball run-out at the end when Strawberry couldn't create a defensive position. Barasa is one of few unaffiliated players in the fourth round, facing Louvel Lefevre.
Natal Badillo v. Hershey. A tactical unaffiliated player meets a hard-hitting league player with the red cue. Natal made a pair of stripes and a solid on the game 1 break, but both players were shaky at mid-game. Hershey had his balls in position before brutally missing a shot, and Natal took over from here to earn the win for a 1-0 series lead. Natal led off well again in game 2, and Hershey played fairly well in the early going, but both players struggled on their final ball and the 8. Natal eventually slammed the 8 down in the top left to finish off a win, clinching the series at 2-0. Natal simply outplayed Hershey in game 3, doing just enough at the end to hold off any threat of Hershey making a comeback. Natal swept the series 3-0 and will face one of the league's best in Twilight in the fourth round.
Kiwi v. Mario. The blue cue begins cycle four with this series between league veterans. Mario held an advantage for most of game 1 after his early attack, but he gave a ball away to Kiwi on illegal contact, and Kiwi took it from there. Kiwi ripped a five-ball run-out to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. Kiwi had a lead in game 2 after her four-ball run, but she lost control at the end with illegal contact. Mario positioned himself to ignite a four-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1 in what has been a competitive battle. Kiwi began with force in game 3, but Mario was right on her tail for most of the game. Kiwi was a little faster to get onto the 8, and Mario had no angle for a top side shot. Kiwi kicked the 8 in the top right for the win and a 2-1 series win, putting her in the fourth round against Panda.
Precious v. Curtis Caldwell. A fit league captain goes against a heavy-hitting unaffiliated player with the silver cue. Precious scratched on the break of game 1, but she ended up winning as Curtis illegally potted the 8 as part of his unfortunate four-ball run on his first turn. Precious has a lucky 1-0 series lead. Precious again went empty on her break in game 2, and Curtis went big in attack, scoring a five-ball run. Precious answered on a four-ball run with a defensive block, but Curtis went through the defense on a pair of shots to win the game. Curtis' success tied the series at 1. Curtis had nothing from the break in game 3, and Precious soon burst forward with a four-ball run. Curtis had a couple of times where he saw a run layout, but he couldn't execute, and Precious easily walked away with the win for a 2-1 series win. Precious goes on to the fourth round.
Slinks v. Citrus. Longtime league veterans collide in this series with the red cue. Slinks had a decent amount of offense early on, but Citrus got by her before slowing things down. Citrus needed time for the last solid and the 8, but Slinks couldn't get positioning on her last two shots, so Citrus still comfortably won for a 1-0 series lead. Slinks bounced back incredibly well in game 2, refusing to bend to Citrus in the middle game. Citrus had a late push that came up short as Slinks buried a four-ball run-out for a firm win to tie the series at 1. It nearly came down to a hair miss for Slinks in game 3, but she was let off the hook in the close game as Citrus butchered her shot on the 8. Slinks made a pair of shots for the win and 2-1 series win, taking her to a fourth round series with the rookie Sarah.
Boots v. Martin Badillo. The blue cue is back in action as a league veteran takes on a strategist unaffiliated player. Boots started off quite well with a five-ball run in game 1 on her second turn, but she went cold after that, making just one shot. Martin took his time until he had a four-ball run, and he put the 8 in the bottom left when Boots missed it. Martin holds a 1-0 series lead. Martin had more of an impact at the start of game 2, challenging Boots the entire time. Boots ended up out of position for her last ball when Martin finally potted the 8 at the top right after multiple failures on previous turns. Martin secured the series at 2-0 with the win. Martin spent an unnecessary long amount of time defending in game 3, only to lose when a scratch allowed Boots to make a pair of shots. Boots gladly took the hard-fought win. Martin won the series 2-1, and he will face Jake in the fourth round.
Strut v. Oshri Aharonov. A league veteran known for clever play meets the unaffiliated group's top strategist with the silver cue. Oshri made only one ball in game 1, and scratched it away later on in a poor performance that saw Strut steamroll his way to a win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was much closer between the players, but Strut took himself out of position at the top side, and Oshri did his part from there, attacking well and earning the win to tie the series at 1. Oshri had game 3 in his hands after a four-ball run early on, but he missed contact on the 8 near the top right, and Strut attacked with five balls over two turns to steal the win and 2-1 series win. Strut will face Bear in the fourth round.
Solaris v. Whiskers. The red cue's last series today features two powerful league players. Solaris struck first in game 1, doing great work with solids on the opposite end of the table from the break. Whiskers pulled back toward the end, but her positioning was lacking, and Solaris took control with a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. Solaris didn't come anywhere near matching that in game 2, making a mess of his attack while Whiskers swiftly navigated the table. Whiskers closed on a pair of shots for the win, tying the series at 1. Solaris already had a lead with good positioning in game 3 when Whiskers butchered a shot that sent the 8 prematurely into the bottom right. Solaris took the gifted win for a 2-1 series win, and he will face Ruby in the fourth round.
Axel Cools v. Shaggy. The final series is with the blue cue, with an unaffiliated player taking on a pillar of the league. Axel made a stripe on the break in game 1, but ceded a lot of ground to a creative four-ball run by Shaggy. Axel would not rest, weaving a brilliantly-executed four-ball run-out at the end, which gave him a 1-0 series lead. Axel faced a bit more resistance in game 2, and he didn't do himself any favors by erring frequently late in the game. Shaggy held on and made a nice shot on the 8 to grab the win, tying the series at 1 to set up a decisive finale. Axel had more offense in game 3, but he lacked positioning at the very end, allowing Shaggy to make a deeper run for the win. Shaggy took the series 2-1, and she will face Precious in the fourth round.
That's all for the third round. Tomorrow, the entire fourth round is scheduled for play after the end of UPCL Elite Week 5.
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