We're ready to go on another day of pool, beginning with...
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Chicky Phil. The red cue is in line for 7-ball as the host makes her season debut. Web City's Chicky Phil took a shaky game 1 as neither player really had a good grip on the offense. A few bad attempts by Golden's Valencia on the 6 ultimately allowed Chicky Phil to pull ahead 1-0 in the series. The Spiders' Chicky Phil took a stronger grip on game 2 with a four-ball run, but he missed a straight shot on the 7, and the Pilots' Valencia tapped it to the bottom right to poach the win. The series is tied at 1. Valencia and Chicky Phil both ended their first turns with scratches, which allowed Valencia to make the last pair of balls from ball-in-hand for the win. Valencia won the series 2-1 to earn a spot in the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Rudolph. A veteran and a strong sophomore play in Accuracy with the red cue. Boston's Gradley made a pair on the break and played excellently in game 1, giving Harrison's Rudolph no margin for error. Rudolph couldn't match Gradley's play, as the host won 1-3 for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley was strong again in game 2, getting a couple of lucky bounces to again best the Specters' Rudolph, this time by a 1-2 score. The win clinched the series at 2-0 for Gradley. Rudolph finally got the better of Gradley in game 3, playing an even game until Gradley missed on the second-to-last ball. Rudolph won the game 1-2, but Gradley claimed the series at 2-1 to get to the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Spirit. Two talented veterans clash in 9-ball with the blue cue. Swordpoint's Dreamy started game 1 on a three-ball run and added a pair of shots after forcing Lighton's Spirit into a scratch. Dreamy ended on a 4-9 combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Dreamy had a three-ball run in the middle of game 2, but a more consistent and present offense from the Prestige's Spirit was enough for her to win. Spirit set up a decisive game by tying the series at 1. Spirit then dominated in game 3, making a four-ball run and a three-ball run on her first two turns. Dreamy was rattled and missed the 9, allowing Spirit to send it to the top left to win the series 2-1. Spirit is off to round two after that comeback.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Jasmine. The blue cue stays up for 15-ball. Web City's Ted missed contact on the 4 in game 1, a seemingly innocent play that wound up being more. Freedom's Jasmine used ball-in-hand to take the 4 to the top side, then put the 5 there as well with the deflection sending the 15 to the top right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Jasmine took a couple of potshot looks at combinations on the 15, but defeated the Spiders' Ted after a full rack by potting a four-ball run-out instead. Jasmine clinched the series at 2-0 with the win. Game 3 saw streaky play, as both players had a pair of three-plus-ball runs. Jasmine's latter of the two was the best timed, winning the game on a three-ball run-out to earn a 3-0 series sweep, propelling her to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Steven v. Spot. An Eastern Hills rivalry series is in 12-ball, also using the blue cue. Pronger's Spot had a good start in game 1, but Atlantic's Steven held defense at the top left. Spot gave away a wild-card ball trying to power through, and Steven made his final two shots after that for the win and 1-0 lead in the series. The Pirates' Steven tried that defensive strategy again in game 2, but with more balls to go, the Tridents' Spot had just enough time to poke down his final ball at the top right to tie the series at 1. Spot surged early in game 3, then ceded ground to Steven on his three-ball run. At the end, Spot's better positioning helped him take the win by a ball over Steven for the 2-1 series win. Spot advances to the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Crystal. A pair of veterans give the silver cue its first appearance today in 10-ball. Golden's Strut had a majority of the possession in game 1, but he was unable to strike the 10 to the bottom right. Queens' Crystal used a more steady shot to poke it home, taking the win and 1-0 series lead. After the Pilots' Strut couldn't contact the 1 in game 2, the Flames' Crystal made a bold move. She potted the 1 and 2 to the sides on consecutive shots, then lightly deflected the cue off the 3 to bump the 10 to the bottom side as called for the win. Crystal secured the series at 2-0 with the big play. Crystal didn't have much left for game 3, eventually allowing Strut a sloppy win with his three-ball run-out. Crystal settled for a 2-1 series win to punch her ticket to the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Princess v. Bright. After the break, the red cue is back for 8-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Princess made three balls on the break and took solids. She later added a four-ball run and finished off the win after Pearl's Bright missed contact. Princess' dominant win gives her a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Bright struck first in game 2, but he missed the 7 late in the game after the Meteors' Princess posted a three-ball run to get on the 8. Princess gladly took the 8 at the top left on the next turn to seal the series at 2-0. Bright wouldn't fall to a sweep in game 3, playing solidly while Princess kept things close. Bright did pick up the win, so Princess will take a 2-1 series win to the second round, where she hosts the Lighton Prestige's Nicole.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Rosalina. More red cue 8-ball awaits in this series between heady players. Infinity's Shelley got nothing on the break, but Whitewater's Rosalina stormed ahead with a five-ball run. After some patient play, Rosalina added a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Rosalina mustered a three-ball run in game 2, but couldn't break away from a persistent attack from the Torpedoes' Shelley. It benefited Shelley in the end as she nabbed the win to tie the series at 1. Shelley rattled off a seven-ball run in the middle of game 3, but she made illegal contact on her attempt at the 8, allowing Rosalina to wipe up a three-ball run-out for the win. Rosalina narrowly took the series 2-1, and will visit a club-mate in the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Luigi in round two.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Twilight. A classic captains' battle in 15-ball is set as today's marquee match. Central's Twilight used a six-ball run to gain majority possession, and then added a three-ball run-out to counter a four-ball run from Westside's Misty. Twilight's strong and confident finish put her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Twilight again enjoyed the bulk of possession in game 2 while the Rockers' Misty struggled to find legal contact. Twilight wasted it when she mis-positioned herself on the 14, allowing Misty to make the last two balls for the win. This tied the series at 1. Misty's luck ran out in game 3, as her attempt for contact on the 4 illegally struck and potted the 15, gifting the win and 2-1 series win to Twilight in the process. Twilight will visit Stephanie of the Southridge Defenders in the second round after this crowd-silencing finish.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Sleepy B. The blue cue cycles in for this Rotation series. Archtown's Sleepy B. got a favorable decision early in game 1 to keep things close, but Boston's Patches pulled away on a four-ball run-out, using a decoy combination attempt as she kicked in the 11 to secure the 8-2 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sleepy B. avoided controversy in game 2, simply outplaying the Swifts' Patches with a steady offense in an 8-4 win that tied the series at 1 all. Patches put herself on the verge of victory with a four-ball run that saw her double-pot the 9 to the bottom left and the 12 to the top side on a kick. Sleepy B. refused to fall, rallying for a five-ball run-out that gave her the 8-7 win and 2-1 series win. Sleepy B.'s heroic comeback puts her into the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Cobalt. The silver cue will play this series of 10-ball. Game 1 started shaky before Modernistic's Puff I flexed her control at the end with a five-ball run-out to take the 1-0 series lead over Stonebridge's Cobalt. Game 2 went much the same, expect it was the Wolves' Cobalt turning it on late with a four-ball run that ended with a miss on the 10 after the Union's Puff I ceded possession when Cobalt potted the 9 illegally. Puff I then converted the 10 on her turn to get the win, securing the series at 2-0 with the heady decision earlier. Game 3 went a bit more smoothly, with Cobalt's late miss on the 10 setting Puff I up for a straight shot to earn the sweep. A 3-0 series win sends Puff I to the second round, where she'll host the Boston Swifts' Sweetheart.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Snowball. A captains' battle is set for Accuracy with the silver cue. North Modernistic's Peach hit the ground running while Swordpoint's Snowball stumbled early. Peach would miss on the last ball but still won 1-3 to take the early 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball made a much better effort to hold her ground, keeping things even until the Nighthawks' Peach fell off the pace late in game 2. Snowball also had a late miss, but her 2-3 win was enough to tie the series at 1. Peach took an early miss in game 3 and added another in the middle of the game, just enough of a cushion for Snowball to win the game 1-2. This gave Snowball a 2-1 series win and a pass to the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Marsell. The silver cue stays up for this 13-ball battle. Whitewater's Marsell did a good job to keep up despite awful positioning, but Viewpoint Sound's Hoot was able to secure the game 1 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Marsell had his chances in game 2, holding a lead for most of the game, but he flubbed a pair of tries on the 8. The Meteors' Hoot had kept it close enough to strike, finishing with a pair of shots for the win to seal the series at 2-0. In game 3, Marsell again took the lead, and this time he did just enough to get the win after Hoot failed to make a defensive play. Hoot still won the series 2-1, and he will play in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Melissa. The venue doubleheader completes the day with 9-ball and the red cue. Game 1 was a back-and-forth battle between the players, with Terrace City's Melissa eventually striking the decisive shot to take a 1-0 series lead over Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles. The Meteors' Nibbles kept it interesting, making a pair of shots at the end of a much faster game 2 to tie the series at 1 with the Knights' Melissa. In game 3, Nibbles rattled off an eight-ball run from the break, but he missed the 9 twice, once at tap-in range. Melissa eventually converted it, a stolen win but enough for a 2-1 series win to put her in the second round.
We'll have more action tomorrow in similar time slots.
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