Another day of games is here, beginning with...
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Rudolph. The blue cue takes a twirl at the top today, playing Rotation. Pacific's Leonette made six balls over her first two turns in an electric start. Harrison's Rudolph got a pair back later, but Leonette easily won 8-3 for the 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Rudolph took the early lead in game 2, but he coasted to the finish, narrowly beating the hard-charging attack of the Volcanoes' Leonette. Rudolph's 8-7 win tied the series at 1 game apiece. Leonette had an early four-ball run in game 3 and a whole ton of defense. Many errors were made, especially by Rudolph. Leonette won 8-2, taking the series 2-1 as she moves on to host Katharine of the Whitewater Shores in the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Daisy. The silver cue gets the next series in 13-ball. Modernistic's Daisy actually helped Infinity's Mr. Snowman, potting two of his balls in game 1. Mr. Snowman was able to complete the effort later, getting the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Daisy played far from a clean game in game 2, with errors all over the table, but the Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman wasn't sharp enough on his shots to capitalize. Daisy just scraped by for the win to tie the series at 1. Mr. Snowman did better in game 3, making an early run and adding a three-ball run-out to sandwich Daisy's three-ball run in the definitive battle. Mr. Snowman's win gave him a 2-1 series win and a second-round set with the Pronger Tridents' Lize. Mr. Snowman has four total advancing bids.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Shadow. Two players on new teams clash in Accuracy with the red cue. Game 1 was about as close as it gets, with a single miss from Diamond's Shadow enough to give North Modernistic's Lionel a perfect 0-1 win. Lionel leads the series 1-0. The Gems' Shadow had his chance to win a much-less-perfect game 2 battle, but he scratched on the final ball. After some exchanges in overtime, the Nighthawks' Lionel emerged with a 3-4 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Shadow finally got his win in game 3, coming from behind as Lionel again struggled late in the game. Shadow's 2-3 win made it a 2-1 series win for Lionel, who will host the Boston Swifts' Gradley in round two. Lionel has five bids going forward, while Shadow will play seven in the next round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Snuggle. A captains' battle in 15-ball with the blue cue will lead us into the break. A fairly standard game 1 got interesting when a 6-12 combination nearly sent the 15 to the top right from Oceanside's Snuggle. He made another pair, but Everton's Goldy would have a three-ball run-out end by deflecting off the 9 to take the 15 at the top right for the win. Goldy leads the series 1-0. The Eagles' Goldy lost ground in game 2, as the Waves' Snuggle enjoyed more possession. Snuggle didn't get a major run in the game, but he did mop up the 15 to the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 1. Snuggle faltered hard in game 3, as Goldy had an early five-ball run and a late six-ball run. Snuggle had his chance on the 15 but sent it wide of the top right, where Goldy cleaned it up for the win. Goldy's 2-1 series win pits her against Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts in the second round, one of her five advancing bids.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Solaris v. Strawberry. Energetic players meet in 8-ball with the silver cue. Both players made four-ball runs in game 1, with Victoria's Strawberry doing hers first. Commerce's Solaris very nearly won the game, but Strawberry made a pair at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Strawberry very simply outpaced the Tradewinds' Solaris in game 2. Strawberry played a solid game and got the win again, sealing the series at 2-0. Strawberry had a little more trouble in game 3, as Solaris put on a nice run near the end. Strawberry then saw a four-ball run-out fueled by good fortune to get the win for a 3-0 series sweep. Strawberry will visit Hoppy of the Archtown Arrows in the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Dewey. A Coastal derby is next in 12-ball with the red cue. Oceanside's Dewey had a rough performance in game 1, scratching and giving away a wild-card ball on the same play. Pearl's Beth already had a lead, and while Dewey made a four-ball run, Beth got the final pair in time to win for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Waves' Dewey eliminated errors from his effort in game 2, and his defense at the top left hung around just long enough to defeat the Surfers' Beth on a three-ball run-out. Dewey's close call win tied the series at 1. Beth took stripes on her first turn in game 3 due to better positioning, and it paid off. Dewey had one deep run but lost his momentum soon after, and Beth eventually earned the win for a 2-1 series win. Beth is off to host Luigi of the North Modernistic Nighthawks in round two.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Shaggy v. Chicky Phil. A couple of well-traveled foes clash in 12-ball with the blue cue. Whitewater's Shaggy had a positive start in game 1, but it took her awhile to finish it off as Web City's Chicky Phil played for defensive positioning. Shaggy got through it anyway, taking a shaky 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy stayed on top of things in game 2, but the Spiders' Chicky Phil took a much larger role on offense. It became a race to the top left, which Shaggy getting the inside lane and taking the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Shaggy had a hot start in game 3, enough to weather a three-ball run from Chicky Phil shortly after. Shaggy took her time on her last ball to get the win for a 3-0 series sweep. Shaggy will host Dusty of the Golden Pilots in round two. Chicky Phil will still have six bids to play in the next round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Jack v. Cobalt. The silver cue cycles into action for a 15-ball series. Web City's Jack seemed to have an edge in possession early in game 1, but Stonebridge's Cobalt kept it close and struck the last two balls in for the win. Cobalt holds a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 kept things close again between the two players. The Wolves' Cobalt managed a late three-ball run before scratching while shooting the 15. The Spiders' Jack tapped it into the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw both players let loose. Jack had a pair of four-ball runs while Cobalt made a four-ball run of his own. It got tense at the end, but Jack made two of the last three balls and got the win for a 2-1 series win that seconds him to the second round on one of his five remaining bids.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Boots. Longtime veterans duel in 13-ball with the silver cue. Pacific's Ms. Kitty got off to a great start in game 1, but she never had good positioning for her last ball. Pearl's Boots pulled ahead with a three-ball run and deposited the 8 to the bottom right later for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Boots started with an early pair in game 2, followed by the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty making a three-ball run. In the ensuing battle for positioning, Boots struck first, delicately navigating her aligned five-ball run-out for the win to secure the series at 2-0. Ms. Kitty had a surge in the middle of game 3 to get onto her final ball, but once again Boots countered effectively. Boots picked up the win after Ms. Kitty scratched, sweeping the series 3-0 and earning a visiting role versus Wild Thing of the Stonebridge Wolves in the second round. Boots has only three bids advancing.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Graham. The blue cue draws in this time for Eastern Hills derby Rotation. A back-and-forth start to game 1 eventually saw Stonebridge's Cobalt draw ahead. Eastside's Graham had a three-ball run to get close again, but Cobalt's final pair of shots gave him an 8-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The back-and-forth theme continued into game 2, with the Wolves' Cobalt holding a lead somewhat early on before the Sharks' Graham took over mid-game. Graham chipped his way to the 8-5 win, tying the series at 1. Graham didn't mess around in game 3, going empty on the break but responding with an eight-ball run-out on his second turn for the 8-0 win. Graham's quick annihilation of Cobalt gave the visitor a 2-1 series win and a trip to Del Sur to face Southern Monarchs veteran Pounce in the second round. Graham advances five bids while Cobalt takes three to the next round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa v. Sarah. A sophomore takes on a rookie in a T-Line Derby edition of Rotation with the blue cue. Terrace City's Melissa started slowly in game 1 while Tysini's Sarah surged, but they switched roles by the end, with Melissa making a four-ball run-out to earn the 8-5 win. Melissa went ahead 1-0 in the series. The Hummingbirds' Sarah made a similar comeback in game 2, pulling off a five-ball run-out to win 8-5 after trailing to the Knights' Melissa for much of the game. Sarah's win evened the series at 1. Game 3 was no easier than the previous two, and it looked like Sarah had a good chance until Melissa roared back. Melissa grabbed a few shots to get close, a few more to pull ahead, and a three-ball run for the 8-6 win to clinch the series at 2-1. Melissa will host the Pronger Tridents' Zach in the second round with one of her five advancing bids.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Rosemary v. Ice Cream. The red cue takes a turn in a third consecutive Rotation series. Commerce's Rosemary had virtually no luck in game 1 at all, while Boston's Ice Cream could be considered fortunate on a couple of occasions. Regardless, Ice Cream won 8-0 to take a confident but unstable 1-0 series lead. Fortunes reversed in game 2, with the Tradewinds' Rosemary sprinkling in shots here and there before a three-ball run put her firmly ahead. The Swifts' Ice Cream tried a late run by missed the 8, which Rosemary made for an 8-2 win to tie the series at 1. Ice Cream wrangled the lead away from Rosemary early in game 3, and then put the game away on a four-ball run-out for the 8-3 win. Ice Cream's 2-1 series win takes her to a second round series in Stonebridge against the Wolves' Wild Thing with one of her four advancing bids.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Yekaterina v. Twilight. The blue cue is back in yet another Rotation series, the marquee match of the day. A close start saw both players firing hard shots that occasionally led to errors. Victoria's Yekaterina fell behind but caught up, only for Central's Twilight to rattle off a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win, earning a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight came out of a sloppy start to game 2 ahead of the Spurs' Yekaterina and never looked back. Twilight used a little defense and decent offense for the 8-3 win, sealing the series at 2-0. Yekaterina avoided disaster in game 3, biding her time before ripping a six-ball run to take the lead from Twilight. Yekaterina sealed up the 8-4 win later, but Twilight still won the series 2-1. Twilight is set to visit Lighton Prestige star Spirit in the second round. Twilight will advance with six bids.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Katharine v. Dusky. The silver cue wraps up the day with 8-ball. Whitewater's Katharine got the jump with a three-ball run in game 1, pulling ahead of Archtown's Dusky and staying there. Katharine slowly chipped away at her shots to get the win for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Shores' Katharine struggled with a couple of scratches in game 2, allowing the Arrows' Dusky to build a lead for a bit. Katharine charged back with consecutive four-balls runs (with a scratch at the end of the first), earning the win to secure the series at 2-0. Katharine couldn't get going fast enough in game 3, as Dusky came out swinging and easily corralled her lone win. Katharine's 2-1 series win allows her to host the Boston Swifts' Ice Cream in the second round. Dusky will only have two advancing bids.
Tomorrow, we'll wrap up the penultimate week of first round play. We'll be taking both Saturday and Sunday off before resuming on Monday.
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