Today's Tournament action begins in...
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Steven. The red cue gets the first look today for 9-ball. Both players made reasonable pushes on offense in game 1, but it was Atlantic's Steven tapping the 9 to the top right after Southern's Pounce left it short. Steven took the 1-0 series lead with his win. The Pirates' Steven made six balls over his last two turns in game 2, but he left the 9 short at the bottom left. The Monarchs' Pounce had no trouble converting that to get a win for himself, tying the series at 1. Steven struck early in game 3, bouncing a shot off the 7 to drive the 9 to the top right for the early win. Steven defeated Pounce 2-1 in the series and will take his spot in the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Caitlin. The red cue stays up for this 7-ball series between veterans. North Modernistic's Lionel picked up the win in game 1 after a back-and-forth battle with Southridge's Caitlin, as he tapped the 7 to the bottom right to go up 1-0 in the series. The Nighthawks' Lionel did it again in game 2, posting a four-ball run and then answering the call when the Defenders' Caitlin flubbed a late chance on the 7. Lionel's win secured the series for him at 2-0. Caitlin was flustered by game 3, and she made many mistakes. Lionel impressively finished with a bank of the 3 off the 7 to the top side, which double-potted the 7 to the bottom left for the win. Lionel swept the series 3-0 to get to the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Brownie v. Shaggy. A couple of league originals meet in 10-ball with the blue cue. Royal's Brownie started with a three-ball run in game 1, but Whitewater's Shaggy made the 2 and deflected a shot off the 3 to send the 10 to the bottom right as called for the win. Shaggy leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Brownie broke away from the Shores' Shaggy in the middle of game 2, with Brownie executing a six-ball run-out in great form to tie the series at 1 with her win. Brownie and Shaggy exchanged short choppy runs in game 3, but it was Brownie who took the 10 by itself after Shaggy missed it at the bottom left. Brownie's 2-1 series win propels her to round two.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Sprinkles. The red cue is back for 8-ball between two players entrenched with their teams. Diamond's Smokey started and ended with three-ball runs in game 1, a consistent pressure that proved too much for Capital City's Sprinkles. Smokey leads the series 1-0. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles bounced back in game 2 with a four-ball run-out after holding mostly even with the Gems' Smokey early on. Sprinkles' late push for the win helped her earn the win to tie the series at 1. Smokey had most of the offense in game 3, but his six-ball run ended with the 8 falling illegally in the top side, gifting the win to Sprinkles, who also took the series 2-1 to make it into the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Sarah. Back in 10-ball with the blue cue, a veteran meets a rookie. Royal's Jake paced the attack early on, but one scratch ruined his game, and Tysini's Sarah worked a three-ball run-out from there for the win. Sarah staked out a 1-0 series lead with the late push. Game 2 saw the players attack well early on before fading to the finish. The Hummingbirds' Sarah failed to adjust to the quality of play, while the Crowns' Jake bounced back and poked in the 10 to get the win, tying the series at 1. Jake and Sarah didn't make things look much better in game 3, until Jake managed a three-ball run. He missed on the 10, but Sarah did too, and Jake made it on his second try for the win and 2-1 series win. Jake is on to the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Max v. Fuchsia. Southeastern rivals do battle in Accuracy with the silver cue. Golden's Max made the rack's middle ball on the game 1 break and held a lead for a bit, but fell into a tie to force overtime. Midland's Fuchsia missed one chance to win it, and then missed again to lose 3-4 to Max, who took a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 had the same energy, with the Pilots' Max taking the early lead and then blowing it near the end, but the Predators' Fuchsia couldn't force overtime this time, and Max walked away with the 2-3 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Neither player was motivated to do much with game 3, so Max picked up the 4-7 win in a sloppy battle that earned him a 3-0 sweep. Max is set to play in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Summer v. Crystal. A motivated sophomore takes on a captain in Accuracy with the silver cue. Maplewood's Summer fell behind early in game 1, then managed to hold on long enough to force overtime, only to miss her only shot on the extra rack. Queens' Crystal gladly took the 4-5 win after blowing a couple of leads, going up 1-0 in the series. Both players improved in game 2 after a rough start to the battle, but it was the Flames' Crystal nabbing the 1-2 win as the Lumberjacks' Summer couldn't play any late defense. Crystal secured the series at 2-0. Crystal didn't put much effort into game 3, falling 1-3 to Summer, who made a much better showing in her consolation win. Crystal's 2-1 series win puts her into round two.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: A. Charlton v. Pedey. The blue cue takes a look at 15-ball with this series. Archtown's Charlton had a couple of nice runs near the end of game 1, a four-ball run at first and a five-ball run-out filled with great positioning and a double-pot to take the win over Diamond's Pedey for the 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Charlton stepped up again late in game 2 with a five-ball run-out after having sparred with the Gems' Pedey in a shaky early attack. Charlton's big run clinches the series for her at 2-0. Charlton didn't get a big run in game 3, as Pedey's failed combo for the win led to him scratching a couple of turns later. Charlton made the final pair of shots for the win, earning the 3-0 series sweep. Charlton will visit the Stonebridge Wolves' Hershey in the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Rosemary v. Sugar. The silver cue cycles in for 7-ball. Commerce's Rosemary triple-potted along the top rail in game 1, with the 3 in the top left, the 5 in the top right, and the 7 winning her the game at the top side for a 1-0 series lead over Swordpoint's Sugar. The two players exchanged three-ball runs in game 2, with the Blades' Sugar going first and the Tradewinds' Rosemary answering to close out the game cleanly for the win. Rosemary secured the series at 2-0 with the quick attack. Rosemary had some offense in game 3, but Sugar timed her strike on a three-ball run-out just in time to get the win. Rosemary settled for a 2-1 series win to take with her into the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Lexi. The silver cue stays in for 9-ball, which is the most popular event/stick combo so far. Infinity's Smudge started with a three-ball run in game 1, but Harrison's Lexi had a three-ball run-out at the end to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead on the timely attack. The Specters' Lexi scattered a little offense throughout the game, but made sure to capitalize on a late miss by the Torpedoes' Smudge. Lexi made the final two balls for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Lexi battled evenly again with Smudge in game 3, but Lexi's timing remained prime with a pair of shots at the end for the win to earn the 3-0 series sweep. Lexi has found a spot for herself in the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Klaus. Two highly talented players clash in Rotation with the silver cue. Atlantic's Klaus had a four-ball run to burst himself ahead of Harrison's Twinkie II. He was never threatened after that, as Klaus cruised to the 8-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Klaus had a three-ball run early on and then added a four-ball run-out at the end, smothering the Specters' Twinkie II with offense in an 8-2 win. Klaus' victory secured the series at 2-0 in his favor. Twinkie II finally kept up with Klaus in game 3, battling for every lead and eventually snatching an 8-6 win to avoid the sweep. Klaus took the series 2-1, and will face the Diamond Gems' Katelynn in the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Ms. Puppy. The red cue comes back for this Accuracy series. Both players were sharp in game 1, with Midland's Americus just a little better by winning 0-1 over Modernistic's Ms. Puppy, who had just one long miss. Americus leads the series 1-0. The Predators' Americus refused to budge again in game 2, staying perfect while the Union's Ms. Puppy faltered in the middle of the game. Americus' 0-2 win in the game sealed the series for her at 2-0. Americus fell apart in game 3, but she still did well enough to win 3-4 after Ms. Puppy sportingly let her have the sweep at the end of the game. A 3-0 series win sends Americus to the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Easter. Captains go at it in 10-ball with the blue cue. Neither player took command of game 1, and when Central's Twilight missed on the 10 at the end, Todavía's Easter picked up the scraps for the 1-0 series lead and a win. The Stills' Easter had a slow start in game 2, as the Warriors' Twilight made a three-ball run, but Easter pushed back with a 7-10 combination after some sustained pressure to pick up the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Easter and Twilight exchanged three-ball runs early in game 3, but the game tightened up at the end until Easter banked the 10 to the top right for the win to earn the 3-0 sweep. Easter will play in the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Gradley. The final series today is in 10-ball with the red cue. Pearl's Boots did a lot of the offense in game 1, but Boston's Gradley prevailed with late shots to pick up the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley still struggled to knock balls in during game 2, as the Surfers' Boots had a pair of four-ball runs. The latter of those runs won Boots the game, tying the series at 1. Boots again did as much as she could on offense, starting with three balls on the break, but she left the 10 at the top right for Gradley to cut in for the win. Gradley took the series 2-1 and will visit Pronger Tridents captain Precious in the second round.
Day 9 is done. We'll wrap up the second week tomorrow.
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