The middle of the fifth week of action is here, beginning with...
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Graham. The red cue has today's first series in 7-ball. Game 1 looked sloppy on both sides, none worse than Starlight's miss on the 7 after clipping the edge of a pocket. Eastside's Graham gladly took the win instead, going up 1-0 in the series. The Volcanoes' Starlight again had a chance to pick up a win in game 2, but her cut on the 7 left it outside the bottom left. The Sharks' Graham mopped it up for another win, clinching the series at 2-0. Starlight, somewhat vindictively, made the 1-7 combination on her only shot in game 3 after Graham scratched on the break. Graham still won the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Strawberry. The red cue gets another look for this 15-ball series. Maplewood's Gabe had a better share of the offense with a late four-ball run, but he still needed Victoria's Strawberry to scratch after making the 14. Gabe took the 15 from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went back and forth in poor form until the Lumberjacks' Gabe eventually made the last two balls to secure the series at 2-0 over the Spurs' Strawberry. In game 3, Strawberry peaked too early with a six-ball run, as Gabe would later bank in the 15 to the top right to snag the win for a 3-0 series sweep. Gabe is off to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Sydney C. v. Crystal. Back in 7-ball, the blue cue gets its first series of the day. Modernistic's Sydney C. made four balls on the game 1 break, putting the 3 and 5 in the bottom right, the 6 in the bottom side, and the 7 for the win in the top side to go up 1-0 in the series over Queens' Crystal. The Union's Sydney C. had a tougher start when she scratched on the break in game 2, but the Flames' Crystal butchered a shot on the 7 late and Sydney C. cleaned it up for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Sydney C. had a solid break in game 3, but she scratched near the end, and Crystal potted the 7 from ball-in-hand for the win. Sydney C. still won the series 2-1 to earn a place in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Salmo v. Lionel. Players new to their teams meet in 15-ball with the red cue. Southern's Salmo did enough to grab the win in game 1, ending on a three-ball run-out after finally getting past the slowdown set up by North Modernistic's Lionel. The Monarchs' Salmo attacked with more intent early in game 2, but he couldn't stop a push from the Nighthawks' Lionel at the end, as the visitor won on a five-ball run-out. Lionel's late rally tied the series at 1 game apiece. Lionel had a chance at game 3, but he scratched while trying to get positioning, allowing Salmo to end the back-and-forth battle with the 15 at the bottom side. Salmo won the series 2-1 and will play in the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Patches. A pair of captains go at it in Accuracy with the blue cue. Boston's Patches only missed once late in game 1, with the result well in hand as she took the 1-3 win from Archtown's Sally. Patches leads the series 1-0. The Arrows' Sally put up a competitive effort in game 2, but she couldn't quite hold the tie through regulation, allowing Patches to escape with the 3-4 win this time. Patches clinched the series at 2-0. In game 3, both players were perfect through regulation, but it took Sally three tries to capitalize on Patches' misses in overtime. Sally's 2-3 win made it a 2-1 series win for Patches, who is into round two.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Sparkles. The blue cue stays in action for this series of 9-ball. Golden's Sparkles made all but one ball in game 1, doing so over four turns to best Web City's Ted for the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Sparkles got things done much quicker in game 2, making the 4 on the break and the 1-9 combination to the top right on the next shot for the win. Sparkles' win left the Spiders' Ted stunned as Sparkles clinched the series at 2-0. Ted made a pair of three-ball runs in game 3, but he left the door open late, and Sparkles converted a pair of shots for the win. Sparkles swept the series 3-0 to move into the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Chris. The silver cue gets a crack at 9-ball to bring the day to half-completion. Boston's Ice Cream got going with a three-ball run in game 1, and then closed out a four-ball run-out with a 6-9 combination to the top right. Capital City's Chris looked listless as Ice Cream took the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Ice Cream knocked a six-ball run from the break in game 2, and then added a three-ball run-out, again stomping the Sharpshooters' Chris to clinch the series at 2-0. Ice Cream looked ready to dominate in game 3, but she scratched to end her five-ball run, and Chris fired back with a four-ball run-out for the win. Ice Cream took the series 2-1 to earn the right to host the Pronger Tridents' Potter in the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Sugar. The host plays her second series today in 15-ball with the red cue. After a fairly mixed start to game 1, Swordpoint's Sugar locked in a bit with five of the last seven balls for the win, as Archtown's Sally butchered her chance on the 15. Sugar owns a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 had a very back-and-forth ending, which saw the Arrows' Sally scratch late, only for the Blades' Sugar to miss a kick on the 15. Sally converted a tap-in for the win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Game 3 went right down to the wire with even play on both sides until Sally potted the final pair to get the win and the 2-1 series win over Sugar. Sally heads to a second-round series against the Southern Monarchs' Salmo.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Charli. A Southwestern rivalry match occurs in 12-ball with the silver cue. Both players showed quality in strategy, but Infinity's Mr. Snowman had more success in execution, while Tysini's Charli whiffed at the top left. Mr. Snowman holds the 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman again had solid execution in game 2, aided by the Hummingbirds' Charli falling behind when she committed a scratch. Mr. Snowman's win clinched the series in his favor at 2-0. Despite looking a bit flustered in game 3, Charli managed to hook the win out from under Mr. Snowman with her three-ball run-out. Mr. Snowman still took the series 2-1 to get into the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Acorn. The silver cue stays on as two veterans clash in 9-ball. Maplewood's Bryant took game 1 on a three-ball run-out, potting the 9 surprisingly after a favorable hit from the 5. The stunning win gave the host a 1-0 series lead over Lighton's Acorn. The Prestige's Acorn grabbed a larger chunk of the offense in game 2, and then fought off the Lumberjacks' Bryant nimbly at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Bryant had a big six-ball run in game 3, pacing the attack for much of the game, but he whiffed on a kick for the 9 at the top side, and Acorn put it away on a tap-in to take the win and the 2-1 series. Acorn will visit a Southwestern rival in the second round, facing the Tysini Hummingbirds' Paps.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Dani. The blue cue cycles in again for this 7-ball series. Everton's Puff III had a hot start in game 1, but Viewpoint Sound's Dani fought fire with fire, blasting a three-ball run-out for the win that sees Dani take the early 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dani needed three turns and a pair of three-ball runs to get the win, but she made every ball as the Eagles' Puff III couldn't quite make a long-distance poke on the 7 near the top left. Dani secured the series at 2-0. Dani had a closer battle with Puff III in game 3, but Dani didn't have any trouble taking the win to sweep the series 3-0. Dani is into round two.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Sage v. Sweetheart. Club-mates meet in 13-ball with the blue cue this time. Victoria's Sage trailed for much of game 1, but found her way at the end while Boston's Sweetheart scrambled for positioning. Sage casually pulled ahead and took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Sweetheart needed some time to get things lined up, but she finished off game 2 just in time to beat the Spurs' Sage for the win, which tied the series at 1. Sweetheart had the hot start in game 3, but once again positioning was evasive for the veteran, buying Sage the time to use a strategic scratch to her advantage. Sage won the game and a 2-1 series to put herself in the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Ruby v. Crystal. Two big-name veterans go at it in 8-ball with the red cue. Queens' Crystal made an impressive comeback effort in game 1 with a five-ball run-out, but she scratched on the 8 to gift the win away to Todavía's Ruby anyway. Ruby leads the series 1-0. The Flames' Crystal went big with an early five-ball run in game 2, and she got down to the 8, but she missed it. The Stills' Ruby used a two-part comeback, ending with an easy three-ball run-out to earn the win that clinched the series in her favor at 2-0. Crystal finally broke through with a win in game 3, battling quite closely with Ruby throughout. Ruby did take the series 2-1 to advance to the second round, where she hosts the Southridge Defenders' Caitlin.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Kodiak v. Mams. Today's final series is in Rotation with the blue cue. Southern's Mams dominated in game 1, making a pair of four-ball runs to easily counter Modernistic's Kodiak being limited to a single ball on the break. Mams' 8-1 win gave her a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Kodiak bounced back with a firm attack in game 2, making a four-ball run-out for the 8-3 win that tied the series at 1 with the Monarchs' Mams. In game 3, both players had their moments of success, but Mams pulled away at the end, taking the 8-6 win to win the series 2-1 over Kodiak. Mams is the latest to punch her ticket to the second round.
Play resumes with Day 24 tomorrow.
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