The second day of the Tournament is here, beginning with...
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Spice v. Crystal. A captains' battle in 9-ball with the red cue awaits in today's first series. Victoria's Spice made quick work of game 1, winning on a four-ball run-out on her second turn in response to a four-ball run from Queens' Crystal. Spice leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Spice clinched even faster in game 2, making the 5 and 9 to the right corners on the break in game 2 to stun the Flames' Crystal. Spice is up by a 2-0 margin. Spice didn't look as sharp in game 3, but she still got the win after Crystal couldn't string a run together near the end. Spice swept the series 3-0 and will visit the Freedom Cascades' Stripes in the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Lionel. A tough third-year meets the top overall qualifier in Rotation with the red cue. Pronger's Spot held the lead early in game 1, but North Modernistic's Lionel breezed ahead with a five-ball run-out for the 8-5 win and 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Spot capitalized on multiple game 2 errors from the Nighthawks' Lionel, who only had a little offense toward the end of the battle. Spot sealed up an 8-2 win to tie the series at 1. Spot had a couple of comebacks in game 3, but his lack of precision on late shots cost him the game, as Lionel made the final pair of shots for an 8-6 win and 2-1 series win. Lionel will meet Sally of the Archtown Arrows in the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Prism v. Niki. The silver cue gets a look now, playing in 13-ball. Todavía's Prism had a good start and thought she earned the win with the 8 in the bottom left, but an illegally potted ball from earlier that went unnoticed gifted Commerce's Niki with the win upon review. Niki leads the series 1-0. The Tradewinds' Niki put up a better fight on offense, battling with the Stills' Prism, who missed her only chance on the 8. Niki made the final two shots to win, securing the series at 2-0. Prism finally put it all together in game 3, getting enough offense to best Niki for her lone win in the series. Niki's 2-1 series win sets her up to face a former teammate, the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Lionel, in the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Josie v. Jack. The silver cue stays up for 12-ball this time. Oceanside's Josie had a strong comeback after Web City's Jack began game 1 with a bit of offense. Josie banked on good positioning to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Jack had a much less impressive push despite holding a wild-card ball from the break in game 2. He allowed the Waves' Josie to have too much space, and then gifted her a wild-card ball late in the game. Josie won with a tap-in at the bottom side for the 2-0 series lead. Jack got another gift in game 3, but he couldn't do anything with it this time either, and Josie roared back on a three-ball run followed by good positioning to get the win for a sweep. Josie will face Pronger Tridents captain Precious in the second round.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Spice v. Taylor M. The red cue returns for the first 8-ball series of the Tournament. Eastside's Taylor M. showed a little more persistence in attack in game 1, as Victoria's Spice mostly floundered at the end. Taylor M. leads 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Taylor M. went empty on the break in game 2, but she made a five-ball run and then didn't let the Spurs' Spice find much room after that. Taylor M. eventually finished cleanly for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Spice butchered a couple of easy shots in game 3, costing herself a chance to salvage a game from the series. Taylor M. took the 3-0 sweep and will visit Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi in round two.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Patches. A rising star meets a feared captain as the blue cue comes on for 10-ball. Game 1 went back and forth, with Boston's Patches scratching early but cashing in with a pair of shots after Maplewood's Whiskers missed on the 9 late in the game. Patches is up 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Patches made two balls from the break before a foul, which allowed the Lumberjacks' Whiskers to strike from ball-in-hand. Whiskers made the 3-10 combination to the top right for the win, tying the series at 1. Patches tried to answer with a tricky shot early in game 3, but it didn't go. She still made the last two shots to beat Whiskers, who couldn't find a big run. Patches' 2-1 series win sets her up for a second round meeting with the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Lionel.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Stephanie v. Rainmane. More 10-ball with the blue cue is on the way here. Southridge's Stephanie did most of the work on offense early on, but Midland's Rainmane charged at the end with a three-ball run-out to go up 1-0 in the series. The Predators' Rainmane had a good break in game 2, but the Defenders' Stephanie still bossed the offense quite a bit. When Rainmane needed a late make, she flubbed on the 9, and Stephanie took a pair at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Rainmane made a push with a four-ball run-out in game 3, besting Stephanie after the host committed an error on the 7. Rainmane's 2-1 series win sets her up to oppose Mitchell of the Victoria Spurs in the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach v. Diddley. Two underrated veterans clash in 8-ball with the blue cue. Pronger's Zach did a lot of work to catch up to Maplewood's Diddley in game 1, but Zach then missed on the 8 twice. Diddley put it in at the top right to nab the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Zach made sure his comeback run in game 2 counted for something after the Lumberjacks' Diddley missed on the 8. Zach converted a five-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Zach made two balls on the break and didn't look back from there, finishing in three turns to defeat diddley handily in the final game. Zach won the series 2-1, and will face Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris in the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Citrus. Former club-mates tangle for 12-ball with the red cue. Boston's Ice Cream started and ended game 1 well, with a ball on the break and a three-ball run-out after calling the bluff from Lighton's Citrus at the end. Ice Cream leads this Cola Wars derby 1-0. The Prestige's Citrus nearly made game 2 look easy, but a whiff on her final ball created tension. The Swifts' Ice Cream tried a long shot for the win, but missed, and Citrus ultimately won the game to tie the series at 1. Ice Cream never really stood a chance in game 3, as Citrus found a way to quickly pot a four-ball run-out to get the win. Citrus' 2-1 series win sends her to the second round against Southridge Defenders newcomer Wario.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby v. Stripes. Another 12-ball series with the red cue goes next. Southridge's Debby made a three-ball run-out to supplement a ball on the break in game 1, stunning Freedom's Stripes early in the series. Debby owns a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Debby gave the Cascades' Stripes a wild-card ball on the game 2 break, but Debby didn't let it slow her down. She attacked wisely, ending with a three-ball run-out along the bottom rail to clinch the series at 2-0 with the win. Debby made a ball on the game 3 break as well, but after a scratch set her back, she battled with a three-ball run-out to defeat Stripes for the 3-0 series sweep. Debby will visit fellow captain Leandra of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Steven. Two tough and hard-hitting players battle in 8-ball with the blue cue. Westside's Midnight started with a decent run, but the late part of game 1 was ugly on both sides. Atlantic's Steven eventually prevailed with the 8 in the bottom left for a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Steven didn't have much for offense in game 2, but the Rockers' Midnight again faded after a single run of her own. Midnight then saw a contact play go all wrong as she illegally potted the 8 at the bottom side to gift Steven the win and the 2-0 series. Midnight made quick work of game 3, blasting in a six-ball run-out to defeat Steven before his offense could really get going. Steven still won the series 2-1, and he will face Gradley of the Boston Swifts in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Princess v. Wario. The blue cue returns after the break for a 13-ball series. Viewpoint Sound's Princess popped a four-ball run early on, answered by a three-ball run from Southridge's Wario. Game 1 slowed down from there, but Princess made a pair on her final turn for a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Wario bounced back with a crazy kick to the top side on his final ball in game 2, and then took the 8 to the top right to best the Meteors' Princess in a close game that tied the series at 1. Wario had the upper hand for most of game 3, but a scratch after missing on the 8 allowed Princess back in, and she made three balls over two turns for the win and a 2-1 series win. Princess will go on to the second round against Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris.
Apple Center, Todavía: Bells v. Patches. The silver cue cycles in for 7-ball between these two veterans. Neither player did well enough in game 1 to earn the win, but it went to Boston's Patches as she made her third attempt at the 7 to take a 1-0 series lead over Todavía's Bells. The Swifts' Patches started and ended game 2 with a pair on each of those turns, getting the win again as the Stills' Bells only had the three shots in the middle. Patches clinched the series at 2-0 with that win. Patches made three balls on the game 3 break as part of a six-ball run, and then added the 7 on the next turn when Bells couldn't convert it. Patches swept the series 3-0, and will visit the Everton Eagles' Kirstin in the second round.
Sony Center, Queens: Crystal v. Sleepy B. Club-mates clash in 15-ball with the red cue to get every event activated by the end of day 2. Archtown's Sleepy B. had more of the offense in game 1, including at the end, when she made four of the last five balls to earn the win and a 1-0 series lead over Queens' Crystal. The Arrows' Sleepy B. had to weather a three-ball run from the Flames' Crystal early in game 2. Sleepy B. then poked the 4 and got a lucky bounce to send the 15 to the top right for the win and the 2-0 series advantage. Sleepy B. and Crystal exchanged big runs in game 3, with Sleepy B.'s four-ball effort near the end coming up short on the 15. Crystal made the tap-in, giving Sleepy B. just a 2-1 series win. She will meet the Golden Pilots' Strut in the second round.
We'll be back tomorrow, likely earlier than usual, with Day 3 action after the end of Select Week 12.
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