We're approaching the quarter mark of the first round, with today's action beginning at...
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Celestia. The red cue will get first dibs on today's action with a 15-ball series. Lighton's Shiny struggled to generate consistent offense in game 1, and her miss on the 14 allowed Oceanside's Celestia to take the win with a pair of late shots. Celestia leads 1-0 in the series after the back-and-forth game. The Prestige's Shiny found a four-ball run late in game 2 after another choppy battle, but she scratched on the 13. The Waves' Celestia had a chance to win from ball-in-hand, but chipped the shot on the 15 wide, and Shiny cleaned it up for the win to tie the series at 1. Celestia did pretty well in game 3 early on, but it got close at the end. Shiny ultimately lost when she missed on the 14, as Celestia made a pair of shots for the win and 2-1 series win to get to the second round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Paps v. Shelley. Club-mates clash in 9-ball with the silver cue for the second series of the day. Tysini's Paps led the way on offense in game 1 of this Southwestern Derby, but he struggled after the 6, and Infinity's Shelley would take the win and a 1-0 series lead on a three-ball run-out. The Torpedoes' Shelley kept the momentum going in game 2, but she couldn't sustain it throughout, scratching as she potted the 8. The Hummingbirds' Paps made no mistakes on the 9, burying it to the top side to tie the series at 1. Game 3 remained close, with Paps working a three-ball run before missing a bank on the 9. Shelley then whiffed her cut on the 9, and Paps made it on his second try to take the series 2-1. Paps will advance to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Bear. Club-mates and Northeastern rivals meet for 8-ball with the silver cue. Harrison's Twinkie II had the lead from the start of game 1, and a couple of scratches for Everton's Bear didn't do him any favors. Twinkie II walked away with a 1-0 series lead with a fairly easy win. The Eagles' Bear turned the tables in game 2, using a pair of three-ball runs to pace his attack. The latter of those runs game him the win over the Specters' Twinkie II, tying the series at 1. Twinkie II had a good chunk of offense early in game 3, but Bear made six shots over his last two turns to snag the win for a 2-1 series win. Bear will head to the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Salmo v. Bandit. The silver cue stays on for this 10-ball series. Swordpoint's Bandit failed on a jump attempt in game 1, leading to a four-ball run for Southern's Salmo, who would take the 10 on his second try after Bandit missed that as well. Salmo leads the series 1-0. The Monarchs' Salmo had some strategic play in game 2, but it didn't pay off as the Blades' Bandit rallied with a three-ball run-out to take the win, tying the series at 1. Salmo had a five-ball run and a three-ball run on consecutive turns around a scratch by Bandit, but Salmo missed on the 10, and Bandit put it away for the cheap win. Bandit took the series 2-1 to advance to round two.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Yekaterina v. Easter. The blue cue gets its first series today in 7-ball. Victoria's Yekaterina had a scratch in the middle of game 1, which was better timing than Todavía's Easter, who scratched while cutting the 7 in to the top right. Yekaterina takes the gifted win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina paced the attack in game 2 early on, but she slipped on the 6, missing it twice. The Stills' Easter took advantage by making the last two shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Yekaterina capitalized on Easter's early scratch in game 3, making the 1 and then using a decoy shot on the 2 to bump the 7 to the top right for the win. Yekaterina claimed the series at 2-1 to get to the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Katelynn. The blue cue goes again with this series of 13-ball between veterans. Diamond's Katelynn had the better early offense, but Infinity's Fluffina took time to position herself. The long play worked, as Katelynn committed an error and Fluffina rattled off a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Fluffina didn't have as thoughtful an effort in game 2, and she had no plan for defense when the Gems' Katelynn got onto the 8. Katelynn waited for a clean look before putting the 8 in the top left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Fluffina stormed forward with a four-ball run on her first turn, and it wasn't long before she made a three-ball run-out after a scratch by Katelynn. Fluffina won the series 2-1 and will head to the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Cowzart v. Leonardo. Players on new teams clash in Rotation with the silver cue. Pacific's Cowzart had a strong start despite Diamond's Leonardo potting two balls early. Cowzart overcame that on a three-ball run, and would win 8-3 in the end for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Cowzart took the lead in a choppy game 2, but he would later stall out. The Gems' Leonardo pulled ahead with a four-ball run before a weak spot, and then he made another pair for the 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Cowzart started well again in game 3, evoking the memory of the opening game, but Leonardo had a chance to tie the game with a double-pot that ended in him scratching. Cowzart escaped the moment of danger with an 8-5 win to clinch the series at 2-1. Cowzart will visit the Capital City Sharpshooters' Pauline in the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa v. Wings. The blue cue is back in action for this 10-ball series. Terrace City's Melissa drained three balls on the break as part of a five-ball run, and she won on the second turn with a 7-10 combination to the bottom right after Central's Wings couldn't convert the same shot. Melissa leads the series 1-0. The Knights' Melissa went with a five-ball run to answer an early three-ball run by the Warriors' Wings in game 2. Melissa had a chance to close it out on the 10, but she missed, and Wings put it away at the top right to tie the series at 1. Wings potted the 10 early twice in game 3, but both were uncalled plays. He had a six-ball run in the middle of that, but it was Melissa's pair of shots at the end that took the win. Melissa won the series 2-1 to get to round two.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Celestia. More 10-ball with the blue cue follows from the Northeast. Archtown's Sally scratched early in game 1, but that was better than the late scratch Oceanside's Celestia had, which led to her missing on the 10 on her next turn. Sally converted it, taking the win in a close game for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sally seemed to have an edge in possession in game 2, but the Waves' Celestia won on a 6-10 combination to the bottom side from a difficult angle. Celestia's impressive winning shot tied the series at 1. Sally again had an edge on offense in game 3, but Celestia countered with an 8-10 combination to the top right this time to grab another win for the 2-1 series win. Celestia will move on to the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Salmo v. Crystal. The host has his second series of the day in 13-ball with the red cue. Queens' Crystal looked to be in a good position early in game 1, but she butchered a few shots on her last ball, and Southern's Salmo ended up winning on a three-ball run-out for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Flames' Crystal flipped things around in game 2, waiting until the Monarchs' Salmo was down to one ball to launch her big attack. It didn't go off perfectly, but Crystal did do enough to get the win, which tied the series at 1. Salmo had most of the early offense in game 3, but Crystal held firm on defense, stymieing Salmo at the top right and top side. Crystal then broke the defense and won on a three-ball run-out to take the series 2-1 win, which puts her in the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Chris. Captains collide for a 10-ball series with the red cue. Capital City's Chris potted the 10 illegally early in game 1, leading to a six-ball run by Diamond's Smokey. Chris got possession back on the 9, making the last pair of shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Neither player seemed to have a grip on things in game 2, but it was the Sharpshooters' Chris who snagged a couple of late shots for the win to defeat the Gems' Smokey. Chris' win secured the series for him at 2-0. Smokey made sure game 3 went quickly, making the 3-10 combination to the top right to prevent Chris from sweeping. Chris will take a 2-1 series win with him to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Luigi. Players from teams with a burgeoning rivalry oppose each other in Rotation with the blue cue. North Modernistic's Luigi began on a three-ball run in game 1 before falling behind to Maplewood's Whiskers. Luigi then rallied back with a four-ball run and picked up an 8-5 win on the next turn to go up 1-0 in the series. The offense slowed way down in game 2, but the Lumberjacks' Whiskers managed to hold her lead this time, beating the Nighthawks' Luigi 8-3 to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Whiskers and Luigi battled for much of game 3, but Luigi set a scratch trap that Whiskers fell into at the end. Luigi then made the 13 for an 8-5 win to advance to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Fuchsia. The silver cue returns for 8-ball. Capital City's Lorde made a ball on the break in game 1, but her offense was slow. Midland's Fuchsia scratched on her first turn and still got onto the 8 before Lorde could clear her suit. Fuchsia never gave Lorde a chance, burying the 8 to the bottom right for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Lorde came closer to being a threat in game 2, but the Predators' Fuchsia erased the danger with a five-ball run-out in only four shots to get the win. Fuchsia clinched the series at 2-0. Lorde thought she was safe after a five-ball run at the start of game 3, but Fuchsia took some gambles to make an eight-ball run-out, just narrowly avoiding an illegal play on the 8 before tapping it in. Fuchsia swept the series 3-0 to earn her second-round spot.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa v. Gizmo. The blue cue finishes off the day in 15-ball. Eastside's Gizmo made six of the last seven balls in game 1, but the one he missed was the one that counted, which Terrace City's Melissa deposited in the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Gizmo kept himself in the series in game 2, double-potting the 12 and the 15 off of a kick shot to the bottom side and bottom right, respectively. This tied his series with the Knights' Melissa at 1. Gizmo doubled down on trick plays, winning game 3 and the 2-1 series with an 11-15 combination from distance to the top right. Gizmo is headed to the second round.
We'll be back tomorrow at the regular time after some Elite cricket.
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