We're back after a midweek off-day, ready for a full schedule. First up...
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Yekaterina v. Vladimir. A battle between siblings in 7-ball with the blue cue starts the day. Both players made three-ball runs in game 1, but the Wolves' Vladimir capitalized when the Spurs' Yekaterina saw her run end on a failed bank of the 7. Vladimir cleaned it up at the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina again had the more poorly-timed error in game 2, scratching after she made the 6. The Wolves' Vladimir tapped in the 7 to the bottom left from ball-in-hand for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Yekaterina had a three-ball run and a good luck at the 7 in game 3, but she missed it at the top left where Vladimir made it to finish a 3-0 series sweep. Vladimir will visit Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette in the third round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Gizmo v. Sleepy B. The blue cue stays on for the second series, this time in 9-ball. Eastside's Gizmo didn't have the cleanest effort in game 1, but Archtown's Sleepy B. missed on the 9 at the top right and Gizmo buried it on the next shot for his 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sleepy B. had a good bounce-back effort in game 2, holding even with the Sharks' Gizmo initially before breaking out a five-ball run-out. Sleepy B.'s strong finish tied the series at 1. Sleepy B. couldn't quite hold on late in a back-and-forth game 3, missing on the 8. Gizmo made the last two shots cleanly for the win, taking the series 2-1 to get into round three.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Stripes. Club-mates go at it in 10-ball with the red cue. A slow-moving game 1 battle ended as Infinity's Smudge had a late three-ball run answered by a pair from Freedom's Stripes at the end. Stripes won the game and took a 1-0 lead in the series. The Torpedoes' Smudge showed a bit more authority in game 2, making a three-ball run and leaving the Cascades' Stripes in a tough spot. Stripes made contact, but lined up an 8-10 combination to the bottom right for Smudge, whose win would tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw Smudge take a step back at first, but Stripes struggled in the late game. Smudge capitalized with a three-ball run-out to get the win, securing a 2-1 series win as well. Smudge will host the Pronger Tridents' Potter in the third round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Peach. The red cue goes again in a 7-ball series. Midland's Americus had a four-ball run-out in game 1, topping North Modernistic's Peach with the simple late surge. Americus holds a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Americus kept the hot streak going by running the table in game 2, never letting the Nighthawks' Peach see the table. Americus clinched the series at 2-0 with the dominant effort. Game 3 didn't go as well for Americus, who went empty on the break and scratched on her only other shot. Peach instead had a four-ball run and a pair at the end for the win, avoiding the sweep as Americus wins the series 2-1. Americus will visit Prism of the Todavía Stills in the third round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Andrew v. Nikolai. Another 7-ball series sees the red cue in hand. Freedom's Nikolai made a three-ball run to start game 1, but missed on the 4. Central's Andrew stepped in for a four-ball run-out, taking a 1-0 series lead with his win. The Warriors' Andrew secured the series on the game 2 break, knocking the 7 down at the top right for the win that stunned the Cascades' Nikolai. This made it a 2-0 series. In game 3, Andrew again potted the 7 on the break, but he scratched this time, gifting a win to Nikolai. Andrew won the series 2-1 and will host Leonette in round three.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Watermelon. Leaders clash in Accuracy with the blue cue in this Coastal derby. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot skidded a little at the start of game 1, but Pearl's Watermelon dropped off later, and Hoot held steady for a 1-3 win to put him up 1-0 in the series. The Meteors' Hoot scratched on the break, and that was enough to be the difference as he and the Surfers' Watermelon played even from there. Watermelon won 2-3, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Watermelon looked good in game 3 as well, while Hoot kept things close until a late scratch derailed his effort. Watermelon won 2-3 again to take the series 2-1, earning the right to host the Tysini Hummingbirds rookie Sarah in the third round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Chris. More Accuracy awaits, this time with the red cue. Pacific's Twinkie I made a ball on the break and each player did a double-pot in a fast game 1, but Twinkie I also had a miss. Capital City's Chris played perfect to get the 0-1 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Chris had a rough start and a rocky finish in game 2, giving the Volcanoes' Twinkie I just enough of a cushion to take the win 2-3, which tied the series at 1. Twinkie I had too many mistakes to recover from in game 3, as Chris slipped but held on for a 3-4 win at the end. Chris took the series 2-1 to earn his spot in the third round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Luigi. The blue cue cycles back in for Rotation here. Royal's Nightfur never took control in game 1, battling back-and-forth until the end, where North Modernistic's Luigi made a pair for the 8-6 win. Luigi leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Nightfur played much better in game 2, posting a four-ball run early on and spin-kicking the 10 to the bottom side before winning 8-3. The Nighthawks' Luigi could only watch as Nightfur rallied to tie the series at 1. Luigi held the lead at mid-game in game 3, but he didn't make it stand. Nightfur fought to tie it, then added a three-ball run-out at the end for an 8-5 win to give her a 2-1 series win. Nightfur will host her third-round series.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Diddley. The second half of the day begins with 12-ball and the red cue. Midland's Fuchsia gave up a wild-card ball early in game 1, but Maplewood's Diddley scratched to give it back. He then hesitated too long in attack, allowing Fuchsia to get the win despite brutal positioning. Fuchsia leads the series 1-0. The Lumberjacks' Diddley was much more decisive in game 2, attacking with poise on an early three-ball run. The Predators' Fuchsia tried and failed to keep up, as Diddley's win tied the series at 1. Diddley had the early advantage in game 3, but he couldn't make it stand in a close finish. Fuchsia cut the 5 to the bottom right just in time to win the game and take the series 2-1, pushing her into the third round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Dominic v. Bells. The silver cue finally comes aboard for 10-ball. Todavía's Bells put an early end to game 1, deflecting a shot off the 4 to tap the 10 into the top right after Southern's Dominic left it lined up as such. Bells owns a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Dominic had a little more luck in game 2, but not enough to stop the Stills' Bells from getting the win in a back-and-forth battle. Bells secured the series at 2-0 with this victory. Neither player did well in game 3, as it was a struggle to pot any ball. Dominic ultimately took the ugly win to avoid a sweep, while Bells' 2-1 series win sets her up to host Wario of the Southridge Defenders in the third round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Cleo. Underrated veterans meet in 9-ball with the red cue. Everton's Cleo popped off with six balls over her last two turns in game 1, erasing the memory of a slow start that Modernistic's Puff I couldn't recover from. Cleo holds a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Cleo tried to keep pace in game 2, but she didn't do so well. The Union's Puff I filled the void with an admirable five-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1 rather easily. Cleo looked a little out of it early in game 3 as Puff I saw a solid amount of offense, but Puff I committed a foul late. Cleo made the last two balls and got the win, taking the series 2-1 to move into round three.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Smudge. Southwestern captains collide for a Rotation series with the silver cue. Lighton's Acorn staked out a small lead at first, but Infinity's Smudge pulled ahead before dropping off. Acorn then rallied with a five-ball run and made another ball on his next shot to win 8-4, giving him a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn couldn't quite keep control in game 2, a contested start falling for the Torpedoes' Smudge instead. At the end, Smudge made a three-ball run-out to win 8-5, tying the series at 1. Acorn held the lead early in game 3 and extending it later on a three-ball run. Smudge's comeback effort was short-lived, and Acorn won 8-2 to take the series at 2-1. Acorn will play host again in the third round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Strut. Staying in the Southwest, we have 9-ball with the blue cue. Tysini's Leandra controlled game 1 from the start, potting a ball on the break and ending as her shot on the 3 deflected the 9 into the bottom right for the win. Golden's Strut never saw the table as Leandra took a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut did better in game 2, by virtue of getting to the table this time. The Hummingbirds' Leandra was still strong, but she missed the 9 to snap a four-ball run, and Strut pocketed it at the bottom left to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was as close as it gets in possession, but Leandra emerged with the win by making the final pair to beat Strut. Leandra will host the Eastside Sharks' Graham in a captains' battle in the third round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Lize v. Blizzard. The red cue's last series of the day comes in 15-ball. Pronger's Lize had the offensive control early in game 1, but it went back-and-forth in the middle as Harrison's Blizzard put up a decent challenge. Lize made the last two balls to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Lize made a ball on the break in game 2, but it would be her only offense, as the Specters' Blizzard struck for a 1-15 combination to the top right on her only shot. Blizzard's quick win tied the series at 1. Blizzard didn't let Lize get to the table in game 3, sinking a ball on the break and winning two shots later by deflecting a shot off the 2 to take the 15 at the top right. Blizzard's comeback series win, 2-1, puts her into round three in a hosting position.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Sydney S. The host's second series today is in 8-ball with the silver cue. Golden's Strut had the early advantage in game 1, but by the end he was pushing through the defense set by Harrison's Sydney S. It was a failed plan, as Sydney S. collected the win and earned a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sydney S. had a hot start in game 2, and just as the Pilots' Strut figured things out on a three-ball run, she countered with a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0. Strut began game 3 with a four-ball run, then saw Sydney S. work a six-ball run before getting dinged for illegal contact. Strut rallied from there with a four-ball run-out to get his lone win. Sydney S. won the series 2-1 and will play in the third round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: A. Charlton v. Steven. Club-mates meet in the day's finale, playing Rotation with the silver cue. Atlantic's Steven had a couple balls at the start, but Archtown's A. Charlton charged back to gain the lead at mid-game. Steven wasn't done, surging with a six-ball run-out to pick up the 8-5 win and 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' A. Charlton built up a nice lead in game 2, but she almost gave it all away as the Pirates' Steven got to the brink of victory. A. Charlton fired off a couple of shots at the end to win 8-7, tying the series at 1. A. Charlton hit a six-ball run to start game 3, but she fell near the end as Steven made six balls over two turns. A. Charlton fought back to scrap out an 8-7 win and 2-1 series win, which sends her to the third round.
That's all we've got today. We'll play a compacted schedule tomorrow, as best we can, and then again on Saturday to make up for Wednesday's off-day.
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