Tournament 2019 - Round 3 Day 3

We're back for Tuesday's slate of games. Leading off...

Google Hall, Modernistic: Sydney C. v. Shaggy. The red cue gets the first look in an Urban derby 8-ball series. Whitewater's Shaggy had the first attack in game 1, but she didn't follow it up very well. Modernistic's Sydney C. pushed back to get the win on a three-ball run-out, going up 1-0 in the series. The Shores' Shaggy struck first in game 2 as well, but she scratched early. The Union's Sydney C. would make an impressive showing with a seven-ball run-out to win the game. This clinched the series at 2-0 in favor of Sydney C. In game 3, Sydney C. found an early five-ball run, Shaggy answered on a six-ball run, and Sydney C. won with a three-ball run-out. Sydney C. took a 3-0 series sweep to get to the bracket quarterfinals.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Kitty v. Dani. The red cue stays in action for Rotation. Midland's Kitty started and ended game 1 on three-ball runs, helping her establish a dominant lead and 8-2 win over Viewpoint Sound's Dani. Kitty leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Dani did a much better job in game 2 after the Predators' Kitty had a lousy break. Dani held the lead for much of the game, and while Kitty tied it late, Dani put the 15 in the top side for the 8-7 win to tie the series at 1. Dani had a strong break to start game 3. Kitty tied it in the middle with a three-ball run, but Dani shot back on a four-ball run-out capped by a deflected shot on the 11 to the bottom side that became a double-pot as the 14 fell in the top right. Dani won 8-4 and took the series 2-1 to get to the bracket quarterfinals.

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Mitchell v. Hannah. Junior players clash in 10-ball with the blue cue. A close start gave way to Victoria's Mitchell winning game 1 on a pair of three-ball runs, while Hannah can blame a miss on the 7 for her loss. Mitchell owns a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Mitchell had a five-ball run in the middle of game 2, but it went to waste as he struggled late. The Flames' Hannah countered by making two of the last three balls for her win to tie the series at 1. Mitchell did a better job of timing his attack in game 3, closing with a five-ball run-out this time. The late push gave Mitchell a 2-1 series win to put him in the bracket quarterfinals.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Dominic. Club-mates meet in Accuracy with the blue cue. Southern's Dominic was very sharp in game 1, missing once due to a scratch but making sure Everton's Cleo never really had a chance. Dominic won the game 1-3 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Dominic did everything he needed to in game 2, getting a ball on the break and forcing the Eagles' Cleo into tougher shots. Dominic held on for the 2-5 win, securing the series at 2-0 as well. Dominic completed the sweep in a competitive game 3, which saw a couple of mistakes from Cleo again cost her in the 1-2 game. Dominic's 3-0 series win sets him up to visit Lorde of the Capital City Sharpshooters in the bracket quarterfinals.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Ice Cream. The silver cue draws in for this 9-ball series. Terrace City's Oreo looked good at the start of game 1, but she couldn't make it work at the end, as Boston's Ice Cream picked up the win instead. Ice Cream holds a 1-0 series lead despite her iffy play. The Knights' Oreo didn't really recover in game 2, as both players had slow starts. The Swifts' Ice Cream shook off the struggles quite well with a six-ball run-out for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Ice Cream stepped up and weathered an attack from Oreo in game 3. Ice Cream then made the final pair for the win to sweep the series 3-0, advancing to the bracket quarterfinals in the process.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Princess v. Leandra. A former dynamic duo will battle in 7-ball with the red cue. Viewpoint Sound's Princess attacked quite well with a five-ball run in the middle of game 1. Tysini's Leandra had a chance to bank the 7 but missed, and Princess put it in the top left for the win and 1-0 series lead. Both players had three-ball runs in game 2, each coming on their first turns. The Meteors' Princess would capitalize at the end as the Hummingbirds' Leandra missed the 7. Princess made it at the bottom left to clinch the series at 2-0. Princess looked pretty good to start game 3, but she missed the 6 and Leandra made a pair at the end for the win. Princess claimed the series win at 2-1 to get to the bracket quarterfinals.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Violetta. Southeastern rivals tangle in this 8-ball series with the blue cue. Queens' Violetta began with a four-ball run in game 1, but she never got onto the 8 as her last ball proved elusive. Royal's Nightfur chipped her way into catching up to get the win, taking a 1-0 series lead on a three-ball run-out. The Flames' Violetta avoided the drop-off in game 2, making a seven-ball run that factored in all six pockets. The Crowns' Nightfur made one in response, but Violetta banked the 8 to the top right to get the win, tying the series at 1. Violetta didn't follow up well in game 3, leaving a lot of open shots on the table as Nightfur ran away with the win and 2-1 series win. Nightfur will host another Queens Flame in the bracket quarterfinals when Briana pays a visit.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Sierra. Stalwarts for their teams are set to face off in Rotation with the silver cue. Todavía's Sierra struck first and held a lead early in game 1, but she stalled out by mid-game. Swordpoint's Dreamy rallied back later to win 8-6, picking up a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Dreamy couldn't make a similar comeback in game 2, mostly because the Stills' Sierra played too fast to allow it. Sierra got the lead after a contested start and went on to win 8-2, which tied the series at 1. Dreamy gained the lead early in game 3, and while Sierra challenged and defended fiercely, Dreamy stepped away with an 8-5 win to win the series 2-1. Dreamy will be the visitor in her bracket quarterfinals series.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Mario. Another Southeastern derby is in 13-ball with the silver cue. Queens' Mario made a bone-headed play late in a close game 1, illegally potting a ball with adjudged intent. Golden's Strut made a three-ball run-out from there for the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut commanded his positioning in game 2, starting with a three-ball run early on. The Flames' Mario did what he could to stay competitive, but Strut had pairs potted on each of the last two turns to get the win, which sealed the series at 2-0. Strut jumped out to a nice lead in game 3 after making one of each on the break. He faltered late, allowing Mario to make five balls over two turns before a scratch set Strut up to sink the 8 at the bottom right. Strut swept the series 3-0 and will host his appearance in the bracket quarterfinals.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Andrew v. Leonette. The red cue is back for 7-ball. Central's Andrew was an absolute disaster in game 1, failing to pot a ball even with a handful of chances on the 7. Pacific's Leonette wasn't exactly great, but she got the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette still looked a little shaky in game 2, but she benefited from the Warriors' Andrew missing a straight shot on the 7 to the top right. Leonette mopped up the miss for her own win, sealing the series at 2-0. Leonette looked her calmest in game 3, easily taking a pair on the break and another pair at the end to defeat Andrew for the 3-0 series sweep. Leonette is set to appear in the bracket quarterfinals. Andrew is the ninth player eliminated from Tournament play, with Leonette picking up her second kill.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Luigi. The red cue stays in action for 8-ball. North Modernistic's Luigi did the bulk of his attacking early in game 1, taking the lead at first. Southern's Pounce pushed back with a four-ball run, but the comeback fell short as Luigi put the 8 in the top left for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi had a number of fouls early in game 2, which caused the Monarchs' Pounce to take control on a four-ball run. Luigi made a decent comeback effort, but Pounce closed the door for a win to tie the series at 1. Luigi had a six-ball run early in game 3, and while Pounce pushed back, he scratched and sank Luigi's last stripe on the same shot. Luigi put the 8 in the top right to win the series 2-1, and he'll host Nicole of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Prism. The silver cue is up for a Coastal derby in 8-ball. Todavía's Prism looked alright at the start, but Pearl's Beth rallied with a seven-ball run. Prism didn't recover, and Beth made the 8 to get the win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Prism kicked off game 2 with a three-ball run on her first turn. The Surfers' Beth replied with a four-ball run of her own, but Prism got the win with a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Prism did nearly everything right in game 3, but her one mistake cost her the game, as she sent the 8 to an uncalled pocket. Beth took the gifted win and the 2-1 series on that play despite struggling in the finale. Beth will host the winner of the next series in the bracket quarterfinals.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Hoppy. More 8-ball is on the way with the silver cue in hand for this Northeastern rivalry. Maplewood's Whiskers made two stripes and a solid on the game 1 break but took solids for a six-ball run. She'd later scratch, but Archtown's Hoppy wasted the many advantages as Whiskers got the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Hoppy got the lead at the start in game 2, and she took a later calculated risk that paid off. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers couldn't catch her, and Hoppy cruised to the win to tie the series at 1. Hoppy pulled off an impressive run in game 3, making a seven-ball run-out with a woven bank on the 5 to the top left giving her perfect positioning for the 8 at the top right. Whiskers was shut out in the game and Hoppy won the series 2-1 to get to the bracket quarterfinals in Pearl versus the Surfers' Beth.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Bryant. The silver cue goes again between club-mates in Accuracy. An even battle in game 1 went to overtime, where Royal's Kayla couldn't get anything from the break. Maplewood's Bryant stood true to win 3-4 with a cut on the 8 to the bottom side for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant played better in game 2, controlling the game with defensive positioning and strong shooting. The Crowns' Kayla had fallen apart by the end, with Bryant winning 1-5 to clinch the series at 2-0. Bryant didn't do so well in game 3, letting one get away from him as Kayla avoided the sweep with a 3-4 win. Bryant's 2-1 series win sends him to the bracket quarterfinals.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Wings v. Bandit. Another pair of club-mates clash in 13-ball with the red cue. Game 1 had a wild finish, with Central's Wings getting positioning at the mutually needed top left. Swordpoint's Bandit made Wings' ball, Wings missed on the 8, Bandit made his last ball and then missed on the 8, and Wings ended up with the win and 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Wings had much worse positioning despite making a pair on the break in game 2. The Blades' Bandit went unchallenged in a moderately-paced attack for the win to tie the series at 1. Bandit started game 3 with a five-ball run and an intentional scratch on his last ball to get better positioning. Wings fired back with a four-ball run, but Bandit's lack of finish on the 1 to the top left bought Wings the time to get the win. Wings also won the series 2-1 and will host his series in the bracket quarterfinals.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Brownie v. Twinkie I. The day ends with the blue cue in Rotation. Royal's Brownie got off to a good start, faded long enough for Pacific's Twinkie I to tie it, and then pulled away for the 8-5 win in game 1. Brownie leads the series 1-0. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I found an early surge in game 2, riding the progress to the lead. At the end, the Crowns' Brownie tried to rally a couple of times, but Twinkie I held her off for the 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Brownie left no doubts in game 3, working a five-ball run early on and cruising from there to the 8-0 shutout win. Brownie won the series 2-1 and will visit Vincent of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the bracket quarterfinals.

More to come tomorrow.

Tournament 2019 - Round 3 Day 2

The second day of the third round begins with...

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Puff I. The host plays a doubleheader, beginning with the blue cue in 12-ball. Infinity's Fluffina looked good at the start and added a three-ball run later, but Modernistic's Puff I had already made a five-ball run. When Fluffina scratched, Puff I needed only two more turns to pot her last ball for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Fluffina made a three-ball run early in game 2, but she slipped late, allowing the Union's Puff I to get positioning. Puff I skipped a ball-in-hand play, and then potted Fluffina's last ball two turns later, gifting the game away to tie the series at 1. Fluffina didn't get her preferred solids in game 3, but she made the most of stripes with a four-ball run and a defensive play. Puff I couldn't rally back, and Fluffina got the win for a 2-1 series win. Fluffina will host her bracket quarterfinals series.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Kitty. Completing the host's doubleheader, there's Accuracy with the silver cue. Infinity's Fluffina made it look easy in game 1, as Midland's Kitty was unprepared for the pace of the game. Fluffina walked away with a 2-7 win and 1-0 series lead after Kitty never got a grip. The Torpedoes' Fluffina took her turn to struggle in game 2, while the Predators' Kitty played strong in a 1-4 win to tie the series at 1. Fluffina returned to form in game 3, dominating in a perfect performance while Kitty fell apart in the 0-5 game. Fluffina won the series 2-1 and will head to the bracket quarterfinals.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Easter. The silver cue stays on this time for 15-ball. Terrace City's Quincy had the better of play in game 1, while Todavía's Easter had to battle many mistakes. Quincy won with a four-ball run-out, capped by a 13-15 bank combination to the top left for the 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Quincy had a couple of convincing runs early in game 2, but his late play was unremarkable. The Stills' Easter put up a better fight to get the win, tying the series at 1 in the process. Easter and Quincy battled in a contested start to game 3, with Easter deflecting the cue off the 3 to pot the 15 at the top right for an early win. Easter took the series 2-1 and will play on the road in the bracket quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stinky v. Sydney C. A veteran and a rookie collide in 13-ball with the silver cue. Modernistic's Sydney C. had the advantage for most of game 1, but Freedom's Stinky made a three-ball run-out by kicking his last stripe to the bottom left before putting the 8 in the top right. Stinky leads the series 1-0. The Cascades' Stinky went empty on the game 2 break, leading to the Union's Sydney C. getting easy positioning. Sydney C. had a four-ball run of mostly tap-ins, and then got the win after cautious play later. Sydney C. made good use of her positioning again in game 3, working a little harder this time but seeing less push-back from Stinky. Sydney C. easily won, taking the series 2-1 to punch her ticket to the bracket quarterfinals.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Slinks. Gritty veterans collide in 7-ball with the red cue. Pronger's Precious made a pair on the break to start game 1, and added a 5-7 combination to the top left at the end of a dominant performance for the 1-0 series lead over Westside's Slinks. The Tridents' Precious went empty on the game 2 break and never got back to the table, as the Rockers' Slinks ran the table this time. Slinks' big run tied the series at 1. Slinks made the first two balls in game 3, but Precious would get the win with a crisp four-ball run-out. Precious won the series 2-1, and she'll host Solaris of the Commerce Tradewinds in the bracket quarterfinals.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Luigi v. Snowball. The red cue goes again in 10-ball. North Modernistic's Luigi had a strong start and an even better finish in game 1, closing the win on a three-ball run-out after Swordpoint's Snowball failed to keep up. Luigi leads the series 1-0. The Blades' Snowball waited as the Nighthawks' Luigi had a good start to game 2 as well. Snowball then struck a three-ball run-out capped by the 9-10 combination to the bottom right for the win to tie the series at 1. Snowball looked to have bad positioning in game 3, but she split between the 4 and 8 to cut the 3-10 combination to the bottom right for an impressive winning shot. Snowball took the series 2-1 and will be a visitor again in the bracket quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Shaggy. Back east, the blue cue draws in for 12-ball. Freedom's Nikolai made a ball on the break and never looked back in game 1, besting Whitewater's Shaggy in just three turns with help from Shaggy's missed contact. Nikolai owns a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Nikolai gave away a wild-card ball at the start of game 2, and while the Shores' Shaggy was a bit sloppy, she held the advantage long enough to get the win. Shaggy's victory tied the series at 1 heading into a decisive game. Shaggy yielded a wild-card ball in game 3, and Nikolai did damage with a three-ball run on the next turn. Nikolai had trouble with his last ball, but not enough to let Shaggy back in. Nikolai won the series 2-1, setting him up to host a bracket quarterfinals series.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Vincent v. Bright. Rotation is up next, using the blue cue as well. Tysini's Vincent struggled to gain traction early on, splitting the first half of game 1 with Pearl's Bright. Vincent then made four of the last five balls to get an 8-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Vincent looked a little stronger at first in game 2, but the Surfers' Bright kept right with him until the end. Vincent broke away and got the 8-6 win to seal the series at 2-0 after a tough battle. Vincent took game 3 off, chipping in a little offense and scrapping with Bright, who would win the game 8-3. Vincent took the series 2-1 and will continue to hold home-field advantage in the bracket quarterfinals.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach v. Kodiak. The second half of the day begins with 13-ball and the blue cue. Modernistic's Kodiak made a six-ball run in game 1 but couldn't finish on the 8. Pronger's Zach knew the situation was desperate and thoughtfully made a seven-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Union's Kodiak ripped a five-ball run early in game 2, but then saw the Tridents' Zach make six balls over the next two turns. Zach just missed a kick on the 8 toward the bottom right, allowing Kodiak to convert a pair for the win to tie the series at 1. Kodiak made two solids and a stripe on the break in game 3, and he navigated the ensuing battle carefully to get the win and 2-1 series win over Zach. Kodiak's frenzied attacks will feature again in the bracket quarterfinals.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Dustin. Strong foes clash in 10-ball with the blue cue. North Modernistic's Lionel had a majority of the offense in game 1 and made it stand for something when he made the final pair to bear Central's Dustin. Lionel leads the series 1-0. Game 2 was a little slower at the start, as the Warriors' Dustin made it chippy for a bit. The Nighthawks' Lionel wasn't bothered, rallying at the end for a four-ball run-out. Lionel clinched the series at 2-0. Lionel couldn't get anything going until a late three-ball run in game 3. Dustin surrounded it with a four-ball run and the final pair for his lone win in Lionel's 2-1 series win. Lionel will host his series in the bracket quarterfinals.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Brownie. The red cue cycles in for a series of Accuracy. Infinity's Mr. Snowman kept a steady hand after missing a shot in game 1, while Royal's Brownie unraveled. Mr. Snowman ended up with a 1-3 win to build his 1-0 series lead on. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman scratched on the break in game 2, a mistake he wasn't able to recover from. The Crowns' Brownie locked up a 1-2 win this time, tying the series at 1 in the process. Mr. Snowman whiffed on his first shot, and Brownie never let him back into the game. By the time Brownie took her only miss, Mr. Snowman was out of range. Brownie won 1-3 and took the series 2-1 to get into the bracket quarterfinals.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Max v. Fluffina. The blue cue comes between siblings in 10-ball. A slow start to game 1 quickly turned into a three-ball run-out for Infinity's Fluffina, who buried the 3-10 combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead over Golden's Max. Game 2 was slow throughout, with neither player able to make a huge impact on any given turn. The Torpedoes' Fluffina looked listless, and that gave the Pilots' Max enough time to get the win to tie the series at 1. Fluffina had a slightly better game 3, but she was limited to keeping defensive positioning at the end. Max eventually took a chance on cut and made the 10 to the top right to win the series 2-1. Max will head to a bracket quarterfinals series in North Modernistic against the Nighthawks' Lionel.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Delila. Also in the Southeast, the blue cue goes in 7-ball. Royal's Jake had a rough game 1, watching Atlantic's Delila make a five-ball run on her first turn. Delila just missed on the 7 at the bottom right, where Jake tapped it in for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake did a bit more to earn his win in game 2, holding off the Pirates' Delila early on and then finding his own four-ball run-out at the end. Jake secured the series at 2-0 with this win. Jake opened with a creative four-ball run in game 3, but he peaked too early. Delila fired back on a three-ball run-out for the win to avoid the sweep. Jake's 2-1 series win sets him up to host a bracket quarterfinals series.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Jake. The visitor completes a doubleheader with 12-ball and the silver cue. Lighton's Shiny had a good start from the break in game 1, keeping Royal's Jake at bay with defense. Shiny broke her own defense later, but Jake couldn't rally from there, and Shiny made her last ball for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Shiny overfilled the top right at the start of game 2, a mistake she couldn't recover from. The Crowns' Jake got better positioning and ran away with a confident win to tie the series at 1. Jake had a habit of under-hitting his shots in game 3, a costly set of mistakes as Shiny pushed him out of position, forced him to scratch, and ultimately earned the win for herself. Shiny won the series 2-1 and will host Stinky of the Freedom Cascades in the bracket quarterfinals.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Rudolph v. Spot. Another 12-ball series sees the blue cue take a turn. Harrison's Rudolph made two stripes and a solid on the break in game 1, and gave away another wild-card ball while scratching at the end of the turn. Pronger's Spot, despite having double flexibility, couldn't find a run to finish it off. Rudolph won for a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Rudolph made a ball on the game 2 break, but he went quiet after that. The Tridents' Spot was on the verge of winning when Rudolph rallied with a five-ball run-out for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Rudolph wasn't able to get as much early success in game 3, allowing Spot to push with a four-ball run. Spot struck later as well to get the win. Rudolph claimed the series at 2-1 and will visit Fluffina of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket quarterfinals.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Strawberry. The day ends with the host's second series, playing Rotation with the red cue. North Modernistic's Lionel found some fortune on a run in game 1, and then held off a three-ball run from Victoria's Strawberry to get the 8-5 win. Lionel leads the series 1-0. The Nighthawks' Lionel had a good start in game 2, but he didn't sustain the attack later. The Spurs' Strawberry took over, with momentum carrying her to the 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 looked a lot like the series opener, with Lionel getting on the brink of victory, Strawberry pushing back with a three-ball run, and Lionel answering for an 8-5 win to seal the series at 2-1. Lionel will host again in the bracket quarterfinals. Lionel picked up his first kill by making Strawberry the eighth player out of the Tournament.

We'll be back tomorrow with a similar workload, hopefully played slightly faster.

Tournament 2019 - Round 3 Day 1

We're set to begin the third round of Tournament play today, which is expected to last into early December. First up...

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Spice v. Brownie. The red cue gets the first look with 9-ball. Victoria's Spice had a little jump early in game 1, and then followed it up after Royal's Brownie missed a bank on the 4. Spice made the 4 at the top right and put the 5-9 combination in the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Spice had an alright game 2, but she missed contact at a bad angle on the 9. The Crowns' Brownie won from ball-in-hand, tying the series at 1 in the process in a mediocre game. Another balanced but slow game saw Spice prevail by making the last two balls for the win and 2-1 series win over Brownie. Spice is the first player to punch her ticket to the bracket quarterfinals.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Rosemary. The silver cue goes next, playing 8-ball between Urban rivals. North Modernistic's Peach had a decent start with a four-ball run. She scratched and struggled later, allowing Commerce's Rosemary to make it interesting, but Peach locked up the win on a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Rosemary tightened up on defense in game 2, and attacked a little better as well. The Nighthawks' Peach couldn't escape a late-game cluster, and Rosemary picked off the 8 on the next turn for the win to tie the series at 1. Peach failed to rally in game 3, getting onto the 8 but missing contact and sinking Rosemary's last ball. Rosemary sent the 8 long-distance to the top right for the win and 2-1 series win, which will allow her to host a bracket quarterfinals series.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Prism. The silver cue stays on here for a Rotation series. Todavía's Prism got the better of game 1 after an atrocious break by Terrace City's Oreo. The game started out close, but Prism made two pairs at the end to get the 8-4 win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Prism looked a bit more confident in game 2, helped by the fact that the Knights' Oreo couldn't figure anything out offensively. Prism capitalized on a late scratch from Oreo, double-potting the 10 to the top side and the 11 to the top right for a rare 9-2 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Prism had a good lead in game 3 thanks to an early three-ball run. Oreo caught up but couldn't corral the 15, and Prism escaped with an 8-7 win to sweep the series 3-0. Prism will return home for her series in the bracket quarterfinals.

Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Solaris. Hotshot youngsters meet in 7-ball with the red cue. Game 1 didn't really look like two of the best young players meeting, as Queens' Violetta struggled and Commerce's Solaris only got the win with a late pair of shots. Solaris leads the series 1-0. The players both had better looks in game 2, with the Flames' Violetta working a three-ball run before missing contact. The Tradewinds' Solaris shot back on a three-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 2-0 as well. Another sloppy effort from Violetta in game 3 allowed Solaris to make a late pair of shots for the win to sweep the series 3-0. Solaris will play on the road in the bracket quarterfinals.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Easter. Coastal rivals tangle in 8-ball with the blue cue. Oceanside's Jason V. had an early five-ball run that ended with a scratch. He later made a three-ball run, and Todavía's Easter failed to apply pressure. Jason V. would easily win for the 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Jason V. had a dominant share of the offense in game 2, attacking with a three-ball run early and a four-ball run on his next turn. The Stills' Easter made it interesting with a three-ball run of her own, but Jason V. potted the 9 at the bottom left to seal the series at 2-0 with this win. Jason V. wasn't able to complete the sweep as Easter attacked with a much more urgent pace in game 3. Easter would get this win, and Jason V. heads to the bracket quarterfinals with a 2-1 series win in hand.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Crystal. Southeastern captains meet with the silver cue in 10-ball. Golden's Valencia attacked decently in game 1, but she scratched while attempting at the 9. Queens' Crystal sandwiched that mistake from Valencia with pairs of shots to earn the win. Crystal owns a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Valencia took over the offense in the middle of game 2 with five balls over two turns. The Flames' Crystal made a pair in response but left the 10 at the bottom right, and Valencia tapped it in for the win to tie the series at 1. Both players brought intensity in game 3, with each of them making a three-ball run. Crystal's came at a better time, closing the game to win the series 2-1. Crystal will take to the road once again in the bracket quarterfinals.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Gradley. A Cola Wars derby sees the red cue playing Rotation. Lighton's Shiny set the pace in game 1, and Boston's Gradley fell far short of keeping up. Shiny picked up a pair at the end to seal an 8-3 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Shiny showed far less control in game 2, wildly spraying offense everywhere. She excelled late at defensive positioning to prevent the Swifts' Gradley from making a comeback effort. Shiny then locked up the win at 8-3 to clinch the series at 2-0. Shiny held the lead for most of a back-and-forth game 3, but she fell short on her final turn. Gradley responded with a three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win to avoid the sweep as Shiny advanced to the bracket quarterfinals on a 2-1 series win.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Graham. A captains' battle occurs in 9-ball with the blue cue. Eastside's Graham had a little luck early in game 1, but Tysini's Leandra got some nice bounces on a four-ball run-out to earn the win. Leandra went ahead 1-0 in the series with the strong finish. The Hummingbirds' Leandra started hot with a three-ball run, but she fell apart soon after that in game 2. The Sharks' Graham didn't pick up the pace until the end when he made the 9 to tie the series at 1. Leandra found a groove on her second turn in game 3, making a seven-ball run-out to run away with the 2-1 series win. Leandra advanced to the bracket quarterfinals with the decisive win.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Jennifer. The silver cue cycles in again for Rotation. Lighton's Acorn dodged multiple defensive attempts from Terrace City's Jennifer, working an early four-ball run. Jennifer got ahead late, but Acorn made a pair to win 8-7, earning a 1-0 series lead in a tough battle. The Prestige's Acorn had a little more positional luck in game 2, but it didn't translate into an easier game. The Knights' Jennifer controlled the pace and won 8-3, tying the series at 1 to set up a big finale. Jennifer got out to a big lead early in game 3, but Acorn did well to erase that advantage. He made illegal contact soon after, and Jennifer turned in a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win to take the series 2-1. Jennifer will play on the road again in the bracket quarterfinals.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Oreo. The visitor's second series is in 8-ball with the blue cue. Terrace City's Oreo showed no mercy in game 1, making a six-ball run early on and following it up after Capital City's Chris failed to counterattack. Oreo got the win confidently to take a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Oreo again looked strong to start game 2, working a three-ball run. The Sharpshooters' Chris kept it close up to the end, where Oreo made the final three shots over two turns for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Chris had a lead in game 3 at the start, but he stalled out way too soon after a scratch. Oreo slowly worked her way back for the win to sweep the series 3-0, sending her to the bracket quarterfinals.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Summer v. Nicole. More 8-ball sees the red cue in action. Maplewood's Summer took her time to get solids in game 1, and despite a strong first run, she stalled multiple times at the end, limping onto the 8. She missed the last shot, and Lighton's Nicole completed her unlikely comeback for a win to take a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Summer again started well before fading in game 2. The Prestige's Nicole rallied with a six-ball run that ended in a scratch. Summer kick-started her offense again, making the last three shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Summer was simply slow to start in game 3, a mistake that Nicole punished by taking the early lead. Nicole coasted into the finish but still got the win for a 2-1 series win. Nicole will be on the road again in the bracket quarterfinals.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Sugar v. Twinkie III. The blue cue is on hand for this Accuracy series. Swordpoint's Sugar played perfectly after a lackluster break in game 1, never letting Whitewater's Twinkie III in. Sugar picked up a 0-2 win for the 1-0 series lead, showing tons of confidence. The Blades' Sugar was unable to repeat that performance in game 2, never really seeing the lead this time. The Shores' Twinkie III wasn't great either, but she forced overtime and Sugar sent the cue ball off the table to allow Twinkie III an easy win. It was a 5-6 game that helped Twinkie III to tie the series at 1. Game 3 seemed to be in Twinkie III's control until she scratched twice to give away the lead. In overtime, she missed two shots, and Sugar locked down a 3-4 win to take the series 2-1. Sugar will advance to the bracket quarterfinals.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Sprinkles. Stalwarts of their teams clash in 10-ball with the blue cue. Capital City's Sprinkles had plenty of errors in game 1, but Maplewood's Bryant missed on the 9 after Sprinkles scratched. This led to the visitor making a pair at the end, banking the 10 to the top side for the win that gives Sprinkles a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant again struggled at the start of game 2, but he recovered as the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles faltered. Bryant closed with a four-ball run-out this time to get the win, tying the series at 1. Sprinkles solved her offense issues in game 3, making a five-ball run and adding the last three shots over two turns when Bryant couldn't strike back. Sprinkles won the series 2-1 and will play on the road again in the bracket quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stinky v. Blizzard. The silver cue's last series today is in 12-ball. Freedom's Stinky looked very good at the start of game 1, but it didn't matter when Harrison's Blizzard got positioning on her last two balls. Stinky gave away one as a wild-card ball and Blizzard made the other for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Stinky capitalized on the Specters' Blizzard scratching and giving away a wild-card ball early in game 2. Stinky turned solids into a five-ball run-out on his first turn, tying the series at 1. Blizzard made two errors early in game 3, and Stinky again punished the mistakes, making a four-ball run-out on the latter error. Stinky won the series 2-1 to advance to the bracket quarterfinals.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Neopolitan. The blue cue gets a look in Accuracy. Capital City's Lorde had an awful start to game 1, but she got back on track by the end. Pearl's Neopolitan simultaneously fell apart, allowing Lorde to make it look easy in a 3-6 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Neopolitan had a slow start in game 2, and the deficit was too much to overcome as she improved later. The Sharpshooters' Lorde had a late miss but stood tall in a 2-3 win to seal the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw a scattered break that led to few good shots. Lorde sportingly played a positional shot with the game tied on the final ball, and Neopolitan won this time by a 3-4 score. Lorde took the series 2-1 to get into the bracket quarterfinals.

Sony Center, Queens: Briana v. Sage. The day ends with the blue cue playing 8-ball. Queens' Briana had a stronger effort in game 1, controlling the pace early on while Victoria's Sage tried to plot her strategy. Briana's quick pace helped at the end as well, and she went ahead 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Briana found her groove in game 2 with a six-ball run to get onto the 8. The Spurs' Sage couldn't counterattack that, and Briana eventually won to secure the series at 2-0. Briana kept it up in a competitive game 3, completing the sweep as Sage just fell short in the end. Briana is through to the bracket quarterfinals.

That's all for today's opening action. We'll play 12 more full days and one half-day in the third round.

Tournament 2019 - Round 2 Day 27

The last day of the second round is here. We begin with...

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney S. v. Katelynn. The silver cue is on for 15-ball as the host completes a split-day doubleheader. Diamond's Katelynn made the last three balls over two turns in game 1, picking up a slow and ugly win over Harrison's Sydney S. for the 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sydney S. poached the game 2 win, taking the final pair after the Gems' Katelynn had a strong majority of the offense. Sydney S.'s win tied the series at 1. Katelynn had slightly better offense in game 3, but she won by throwing the cue at a cluster, striking the 6 and pinching the 15 to the bottom right to defeat Sydney S. Katelynn claimed the series 2-1 and will visit Diddley of the Maplewood Lumberjacks in the third round.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Cobalt. The silver cue stays in action for this 13-ball set. Royal's Jake was upset after Stonebridge's Cobalt subverted the spirit of the game to get an advantage in game 1. Jake couldn't catch up in time to stop Cobalt from winning for the 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt scratched on the break in game 2, leading the Crowns' Jake to a four-ball run on his first turn. Jake used the 8 defensively until he could make it legally, picking up a strong win to tie the series at 1. Jake finished the comeback with a strong effort in game 3. Cobalt came close to catching up, but his scratch ended his bid. Jake won the series 2-1 and will visit the Commerce Tradewinds' Niki in round three.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Watermelon. The blue cue takes a turn for Rotation. A back-and-forth game 1 saw Everton's Kirstin lead for much of the game, until Pearl's Watermelon banked in the 12 and 13 to the bottom side to win 8-6. Watermelon leads the series 1-0. The Surfers' Watermelon picked up a sizable lead in game 2, but nearly gave it away as the Eagles' Kirstin made two pairs of shots to tie the game. Watermelon put away the 15 at the end for the 8-7 win, sealing the series at 2-0. Kirstin led for much of game 3, but Watermelon rallied back on a five-ball run-out for the 8-7 win to secure a 3-0 sweep. Watermelon will visit the Infinity Torpedoes' Shelley in the third round.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Nicole v. Caitlin. Club-mates meet in 9-ball with the blue cue. Lighton's Nicole scratched on the break, but dominated after Southridge's Caitlin also had an early scratch. Nicole won on a six-ball run-out capped by a bank on the 9 to the bottom left. Nicole leads the series 1-0. The Prestige's Nicole kept her dominant run going in game 2, running the table in a basic nine shots to win again. This secured the series in her favor at 2-0 while the Defenders' Caitlin could only watch her bid come to an end. Nicole was alright in game 3, but her shot streak ended at 16. Caitlin capitalized at the end with a pair of shots for the win. Nicole settled for a 2-1 series win, which puts her against Gizmo of the Eastside Sharks in the third round.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Shaggy v. Dusty. Two big-name players collide in 12-ball with the blue cue. Whitewater's Shaggy struck at the sides quickly in game 1, and then got Golden's Dusty to give up a wild-card ball soon after. Shaggy then converted a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy made one of each on the game 2 break, and then defied conventional wisdom by accepting a corner over a side. The Pilots' Dusty wasn't quite sharp enough through the rest of the game, and Shaggy beat her with a ball each to go, sealing the series at 2-0 for Shaggy. In game 3, Shaggy looked alright for awhile, but Dusty executed a three-ball run-out just in time to get her lone win. Shaggy won the series 2-1 and will visit the Freedom Cascades' Nikolai in the third round.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Princess. The blue cue keeps going in 13-ball. Capital City's Chris made one of each on the game 1 break, but his last ball proved elusive. Viewpoint Sound's Princess waited for Chris to make an error before striking for her own three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Chris struck back quickly in game 2, his first turn marking a seven-ball run-out after the Meteors' Princess was limited to a pair on the opening turn. Chris' one-turn win tied the series at 1. Chris tried to get better positioning with a kick shot in game 3, but it struck the 8 to the top left instead, way too early to count. Princess accepted the gifted win to take the series 2-1, and she'll host Golden Pilots captain Valencia in the third round.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Kiwi. Talented veterans clash in 12-ball with the blue cue. Golden's Strut made an impact early and held on despite poor positioning to get the win at the end, as Terrace City's Kiwi was just a turn too late on her positioning. Strut leads the series 1-0. The Pilots' Strut made one of each to start game 2, which would come back to bite him later. Strut had a three-ball run to get onto his last ball, but the Knights' Kiwi answered with a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Strut bounced back as Kiwi made one of each on the game 3 break. Strut rallied with a well-positioned five-ball run-out on the next turn to get the win and 2-1 series win. Strut will host Sierra of the Todavía Stills in round three.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sarah v. Fluffina. The host begins a home doubleheader in 7-ball with the red cue against a Southwestern rival. Tysini's Sarah had a four-ball run to open game 1, but it didn't work out, as Infinity's Fluffina made two of the last three balls for the win to go up 1-0 in the series. The Torpedoes' Fluffina didn't have much in the way of consistent offense in game 2. The Hummingbirds' Sarah also struggled, but she found her path forward with a pair of shots at the end to tie the series at 1. Sarah again had difficulty stretching long streaks of offense together in game 3, and Fluffina capitalized on it at the end to get the win. Fluffina won the series 2-1 and will visit Twinkie I of the Pacific Volcanoes in the third round.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sarah v. Summer. Completing the doubleheader, the silver cue is up in 9-ball. Maplewood's Summer appeared to have a bit more of the offense in game 1, but it didn't matter as Tysini's Sarah struck late for the 9 to get the win. Sarah owns a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Lumberjacks' Summer dropped off a bit on pace. The Hummingbirds' Sarah made a 4-9-5 combination to the bottom right that double-potted the 4 at the top right, and she would later add the last two shots for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Summer tried to get a little too creative at times in game 3, including on the shot on the 7 that ended her run at three balls. Sarah fired back with a pair to get the win, making it a 3-0 series sweep that sends her to the third round against the Queens Flames' Violetta.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stinky v. Bryant. Another silver cue series takes place in 12-ball. Freedom's Stinky had slightly better positioning than Maplewood's Bryant in game 1. Bryant tried to play defense, but Stinky kicked the 6 to the top right for the win and took the 1-0 series lead in the process. The Cascades' Stinky followed a similar pattern in game 2, striking early and establishing defense before getting himself set. The Lumberjacks' Bryant wasn't sharp enough to get ahead, and Stinky took the win on a three-ball run-out for the 2-0 series lead. Stinky took his game to another level in game 3, winning rather easily as Bryant lacked any clear looks on target. Stinky swept the series 3-0 and will host Blizzard of the Harrison Specters in round three.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Solaris v. Patches. A rising star meets an established one in 15-ball with the silver cue. Commerce's Solaris got a little lucky in game 1, scratching multiple times early on but making the 7-9-13-15 combination to the bottom right after Boston's Patches missed a 5-15 combination. Solaris leads the series 1-0. The Swifts' Patches decided to end game 2 early, taking ball-in-hand after the Tradewinds' Solaris fouled. Patches converted the 4-15 combination to the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 1 and eliciting boos from the crowd. Patches had a six-ball run late in game 3, but she scratched as she double-potted the 9 and 10. Solaris took over for a four-ball run-out, winning the game and the 2-1 series. Solaris will host Bryant of the Maplewood Lumberjacks in the third round.

Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Prism. Coastal rivals collide in 8-ball with the silver cue. Pacific's Starlight didn't quite have her offense under control in game 1, allowing Todavía's Prism to set the tone. Prism had no trouble earning the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Starlight got more aggressive in game 2, rattling off a nice run with a couple instances of collateral damage. The Stills' Prism couldn't catch up, and Starlight buried the 8 at the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Starlight had a decent start in game 3, but she couldn't finish the effort as Prism rallied with a six-ball run-out for the win. Prism took the series 2-1, and she'll visit another Coastal rival in the third round when she faces the Pearl Surfers' Beth.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Debby. Another silver cue turn comes in 15-ball. Central's Dustin ascended to unstoppable status in game 1, making an eleven-ball run-out as Southridge's Debby could only watch the host work. Dustin's massive play puts him up 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Dustin toned it down just a little in game 2 but still easily won over the Defenders' Debby. Dustin made a seven-ball run and a three-ball run-out on consecutive turns for the victory, which clinched the series in his favor at 2-0. Dustin didn't have a dominant share of the offense in game 3, but he was more than happy to pick up the final two balls after Debby couldn't finish the game. Dustin swept the series 3-0 and will host a Northeastern rival in the Harrison Specters' Lexi in the third round.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Chicky Phil. The silver cue ends its time in the round with 9-ball. Capital City's Lorde had too many scratches in game 1, as her foul on the 4 led to Web City's Chicky Phil making a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win. Chicky Phil leads the series 1-0. The Sharpshooters' Lorde had a chance to win game 2 despite still lacking quality, but she sent the 9 wide. The Spiders' Chicky Phil cleaned it up at the bottom side for the win to secure the series at 2-0. Lorde again wasted late chances to get on the scoreboard, allowing Chicky Phil to ultimately take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Chicky Phil will host Acorn of the Lighton Prestige in round three.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Wings. Former teammates meet in the red cue's final series of 12-ball. Pearl's Neopolitan gave away a wild-card ball in game 1, and despite a late three-ball run, she couldn't overcome the disadvantage. Central's Wings picked up the win just in time for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Neopolitan held the lead pretty much throughout game 2. She had the better positioning at the end as the Warriors' Wings gave away a wild-card ball late. Neopolitan then made her last shot for the win to tie the series at 1. Neopolitan had a good start in game 3, but a scratch and some poor positioning opened things up for Wings to get the win. Wings did his part, taking the series at 2-1 as he's set to visit the Eastside Sharks' Chelsea in the third round.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa v. Zach. The blue cue ends the round with Rotation. After a slow start in game 1, Pronger's Zach attacked with a five-ball run-out to get the 8-2 win. Zach leads the series 1-0 over Terrace City's Melissa, who just couldn't keep up in the opener. Undeterred, the Knights' Melissa put in a good effort in game 2. She held the lead at two separate points and fought off the Tridents' Zach at the very end for an 8-5 win. Melissa's win tied the series at 1. In game 3, Zach had Melissa on the ropes, needing to pot just one more ball. Melissa instead made a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out on separate turns for the 8-7 win and 2-1 series win. Melissa will travel to Royal to take on Crowns captain Nightfur in the third round.

After some battles with fatigue, Tournament round two is done. Expect the third round to start by next Sunday.

Tournament 2019 - Round 2 Day 26

After a one day break, we're ready to play the penultimate second round day. First up...

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Citrus v. Kiwi. Big-name players open the day in 9-ball with the silver cue. Lighton's Citrus made an early pair in game 1, but she was no match for a seven-ball run-out by Terrace City's Kiwi, which gave the visitor a quick 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi had a pair on the break in game 2 before a baffling scratch. The Prestige's Citrus took a four-ball run from ball-in-hand, but Kiwi made the last three over two turns, including banks on the 7 to the bottom side and the 9 to the top left for the win. Kiwi clinched the series at 2-0 with this win. Kiwi nearly made the 9 on the break in game 3, but left it near the top right instead. Citrus was tempted by the location, but made illegal contact before bumping it down, gifting Kiwi the win for a 3-0 series sweep. Kiwi heads to round three on the road against Fuchsia of the Midland Predators.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Kodiak. The blue cue comes aboard for 12-ball in the second series today. In a close game 1, Modernistic's Kodiak was forced to give a wild-card ball to Pronger's Spot. Kodiak was prepared to win if Spot couldn't convert his last ball, but the host came through with a kick on the 12 to the bottom side for the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Kodiak didn't learn his lesson in game 2, again yielding a late wild-card ball that allowed the Tridents' Spot to cash in his last ball on the next turn. Spot will take the easy finishes for the 2-0 lead in the series. Kodiak received the wild-card ball in game 2, but unlike his opponent, he failed to capitalize on it. Kodiak lacked positioning, and when he finally missed contact, Spot made his own last ball to overcome the disadvantage. Spot swept the series 3-0 and will visit Rudolph of the Harrison Specters in the third round.

McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Jason N. v. Bear. Back in 9-ball, the red cue makes its daily debut in its last turn in the event this round. Atlantic's Jason N. got on the right side of a back-and-forth game 1, topping Everton's Bear for the 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Jason N. had a foolproof strategy in game 2, running the table with three balls on the break and seven total shots in the game. The Eagles' Bear never got a chance to even the series as Jason N. clinched it at 2-0. Jason N. made it even simpler to win in game 3, taking the 9 on the break to the top right to earn the 3-0 series sweep. Jason N. will travel to Central to meet Warriors captain Twilight in the third round.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Gradley. Southeastern rivals from the Doubles Derby battle in 9-ball with the blue cue. Golden's Sparkles had a better run in game 1, but her hard-angle cut on the 7-9 combination to the bottom right caused a scratch at the top left, gifting the win and 1-0 series lead to Boston's Gradley. The Swifts' Gradley didn't quite connect at first in game 2, but when the Pilots' Sparkles struggled to find her way, Gradley unleashed a seven-ball run-out. Gradley did well to earn this win to seal the series at 2-0. Gradley still looked good in game 3, but he had a pair of late scratches that paved the way for Sparkles to get her win. Gradley settled for a 2-1 series win that sends him to the third round against Todavía Stills veteran Bells.

Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Cowzart v. Easter. The red cue is back for a Coastal Derby in Accuracy. Game 1 went at an electric pace, with only a scratch by Pacific's Cowzart marring an otherwise perfect game on both sides. It was enough for Todavía's Easter to win 0-1 for the 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter couldn't maintain perfection in game 2, but she was more than good enough as the Volcanoes' Cowzart unraveled at the end. Easter took this win 1-4 and secured the series at 2-0 in the process. Easter couldn't complete the sweep in a tight game 3 that went 1-2 to Cowzart as he sealed the result with a double-pot. Easter won the series 2-1 and will host Steven of the Atlantic Pirates in the third round.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Easter. The visitor finishes a personal doubleheader on the road in 10-ball with the blue cue. Infinity's Fluffina found a groove in game 1 after a slow start, besting Todavía's Easter with a three-ball run-out that saw her bank the 10 to the bottom side. Fluffina owns a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter nearly flipped the script late in game 2, banking the 9 to the bottom left but just missing a long shot on the 10 at the top left. The Torpedoes' Fluffina technically kicked the 10 in for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Easter had a four-ball run late in game 3, but it wouldn't amount to anything when she twice missed on the 10. Fluffina cut it gently to the top side for the win to sweep the series 3-0. Fluffina will travel to Golden to face her brother, the Pilots' Max, in the third round.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Wings v. Taylor S. The red cue cycles in again for 13-ball. Central's Wings had plenty of chances to gain control in game 1, but his numerous misses led to Commerce's Taylor S. rallying over her last three turns for a comeback win and 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. caught herself with an overfill at the bottom side late in game 2, but she didn't have time to correct the mistake. The Warriors' Wings rallied on a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Wings made one of each suit on the break in game 3, leading to him taking a three-ball run with solids. Wings added another three-ball run and then made the 8 after Taylor S. had a three-ball run of her own to make it interesting. Wings won the series 2-1 and will host club-mate Bandit of the Swordpoint Blades in round three.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Juno. Back on the coast, it's time for 8-ball with the silver cue. Pearl's Beth snagged a win in game 1 despite a late scratch, as Stonebridge's Juno failed to kick and bank the 1 on consecutive turns. Beth had time for a three-ball run-out to get the win and 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Wolves' Juno had the late scratch. It didn't exactly help the Surfers' Beth, but it slowed Juno down enough for Beth to find her last few shots over multiple turns. Beth eventually got the win, securing the series at 2-0. Beth weathered a five-ball run from Juno at the start of game 3, as the visitor soon stalled on offense. Beth fired back with a six-ball run-out for the win to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Beth will host her third-round series. Juno is the seventh player out of the Tournament, with Beth earning her first kill.

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Strawberry v. Niki. The second half of the day starts with the red cue in 12-ball. Victoria's Strawberry made a stripe on the break in game 1, but it didn't align very well for her during the rest of the game. Commerce's Niki had an easier time getting lined up, cashing in that advantage for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Strawberry nearly regretted missing contact at the top side, but the Tradewinds' Niki couldn't execute a run from ball-in-hand. Strawberry then tapped in her last two balls to get the win, tying the series at 1. Strawberry had the series on her stick in game 3, but she scratched on her final ball. Niki capitalized by making her last two shots for the win to take the series 2-1 instead. Niki will head to Midland in the third round, facing the Predators' Fuchsia.

Sony Center, Queens: Crystal v. Rainmane. Southeastern foes clash in 13-ball with the red cue. Queens' Crystal battled with Midland's Rainmane for much of game 1, but Rainmane got onto the 8 faster and potted it from ball-in-hand after Crystal missed contact. Rainmane leads the series 1-0. The Predators' Rainmane had better positioning and skill in game 2, outpacing the Flames' Crystal by a mile in an easy win. Rainmane won with a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0. Rainmane started on an excellent three-ball run, and while Crystal caught up pretty effectively, she couldn't stop Rainmane from firing a three-ball run-out for the win. Rainmane swept the series 3-0 and will play as a visitor in her own arena versus Predators captain Shawn in round three.

Intel Center, Diamond: Shadow v. Bianca. The silver cue plays in 15-ball between these family members. Game 1 was a tight battle until Southridge's Bianca loosened the 3 from a cluster at the bottom right. It tapped the 6 in at the top left, and she converted the 3-15 combination to the same spot for the win and 1-0 series lead over Diamond's Shadow. The Defenders' Bianca skipped a clear cheap shot in game 2, instead shooting the 6 down away from the 15 after the Gems' Shadow scratched. Shadow took advantage of her generosity, winning on a long 8-15 combination later in the game to tie the series at 1. Shadow kept the momentum up in game 3, carving out a four-ball run-out for the win this time to take the series 2-1 on the comeback. Shadow will renew the Bloodbath Derby in the third round, hosting the Whitewater Shores' Katharine.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Luigi v. Rosalina. Club-mates and Urban rivals do battle in 8-ball with the red cue. Whitewater's Rosalina made a four-ball run at one point in game 1, giving her a bit of an edge that North Modernistic's Luigi couldn't overcome. Rosalina won the game for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi had a hot start stalled by a stick foul. The Shores' Rosalina pushed back a bit, but her defense didn't hold as Luigi roared back on a five-ball run-out for the win. Luigi's victory tied the series at 1. Both players had some collateral damage in game 3, but it was Luigi who escaped the game positively with a three-ball run-out. Luigi claimed the series at 2-1 and he'll visit the Southern Monarchs' Pounce in the third round.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Jack v. Jasmine. More 8-ball sees the blue cue take a turn. Freedom's Jasmine attempted to control game 1, but a scratch after a four-ball run and another with Web City's Jack just inches away from the win ruined her momentum. Jack capitalized on the second scratch, tapping the 8 to the bottom right to go up 1-0 in the series. The Cascades' Jasmine cleaned up the sloppy parts from before, working a five-ball run and getting great positioning on her last two shots a turn later. The Spiders' Jack didn't have time to answer, as Jasmine stormed to the win to tie the series at 1. Jack looked in good shape with a four-ball run to get onto the 8 in game 3, but Jasmine stalled him long enough to get back into the battle. Jasmine banked her last stripe to the bottom side and put the 8 in the top right for the win to take the series 2-1. Jasmine will visit Steven of the Atlantic Pirates in the third round.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney S. v. Lionel. Also in the Northeast, the red cue plays 7-ball. Harrison's Sydney S. fired off a three-ball run-out after exchanging pairs early in game 1 with North Modernistic's Lionel. A sharp cut on the 7 to the bottom left was enough for Sydney S. to take the 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sydney S. created a cluster at the top right in game 2, slowing things up initially. The Nighthawks' Lionel couldn't do much on offense, and Sydney S. poked a four-ball run-out for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Lionel failed to gain any traction in a throwaway game 3 effort, twice missing the 7 before Sydney S. buried it on her second try. Sydney S. swept the series 3-0 and will play in the third round against her Specters teammate Blizzard.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Roxy. The silver cue gets one more look in this 15-ball series. Terrace City's Quincy had seven balls over two turns at one point, but he peaked too early. Freedom's Roxy picked up a three-ball run-out at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was much more fragmented on offense, with the Knights' Quincy missing the 15 at two pockets on the same shot. The Cascades' Roxy also missed her chance, and Quincy cut the 15 to the bottom right on a hard angle for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 remained very choppy on both sides, with Roxy having a chance for a late run but missing on the 14. Quincy banked the 14 to the top right and tapped the 15 to the top left to clean up his previous trick shot miss when he tried a deflection with the 9. Quincy won the series 2-1 and will host Easter of the Todavía Stills in round three.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney S. v. Peach. The blue cue closes the day with 12-ball, with the host beginning a split-day doubleheader. Harrison's Sydney S. stormed ahead with a four-ball run from the break in game 1, and despite the host lagging later, North Modernistic's Peach couldn't catch up. Sydney S. took the 1-0 series lead with a strong win. The Nighthawks' Peach did well to set herself up for a run, but missed the ignition shot in game 2. The Specters' Sydney S. battled back and grabbed the win, securing the series at 2-0 in the process. Game 3 was fairly chaotic, with Sydney S. overcoming a wild-card ball to get the better of Peach at the end by making four balls on her last two turns. Sydney S. swept the series 3-0 and will visit the Web City Spiders' Avril in a Celebrity only Halloween Derby in the third round.

We'll wrap up the second round with a full day on Monday. Both Sunday and Tuesday will be non-game days.

Tournament 2019 - Round 2 Day 25

We're ready for another full day of games, the last before the schedule gets a bit fluid. First up...

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Hoot. The blue cue opens things today in 10-ball. Freedom's Jasmine had a three-ball run in game 1, but her miss on the 4 left a 4-10 combination available for Viewpoint Sound's Hoot. The visitor converted the shot to the top right for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the roles reversed, with the Meteors' Hoot finding a lot of early success on offense, only for the Cascades' Jasmine to poke a 6-10 combination down at the bottom side for the win. Jasmine's smart play tied the series at 1. Both players looked sharp in game 3, but Jasmine would regret her miss on the 8 at the top left. Hoot used it to get perfect positioning on the 10 at the top right, which he made for the win and 2-1 series win. Hoot heads home for a third-round meeting with the Southridge Defenders' Caitlin.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Frosty v. Dani. Meteors teammates battle in 9-ball with the red cue. Frosty was rewarded for playing aggressively in game 1, sinking a six-ball run-out capped by the 9 dropping in the bottom left for a 1-0 series lead over Dani. Frosty had three balls on the break and another three-ball run later in game 2, but the 7 didn't drop at the top side on a kick attempt. Dani responded with the final pair for the win, tying the series at 1 despite seeing little possession. Frosty's late four-ball run in game 3 almost looked like it would go to waste, but Dani put too much on her shot on the 9 and scratched on the play. Frosty accepted the gift for a 2-1 series win, which sends her to the third round hosting Leonardo of the Diamond Gems.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Snuggle. Talented opponents clash in 8-ball with the silver cue. Game 1 was fast and even between the players. Only Oceanside's Snuggle had a scratch, which set him back just enough for Southridge's Bianca to pull off the win with the final pair of shots. Bianca leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Bianca had a quick five-ball run in game 2, answered by a four-ball run from the Waves' Snuggle. The offense slowed down from there until Bianca made a three-ball run-out to secure the series at 2-0. Bianca had a good start again in game 3, but she faded well before the game was over. Snuggle scratched but recovered with a three-ball run-out for his lone win. Bianca took the series 2-1 and will host Taylor S. of the Commerce Tradewinds in round three.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Luigi. The red cue is back for this 10-ball set. North Modernistic's Luigi tried to bank the 1 to the top right, but instead left the 1-10 combination for Oceanside's Jason V. to easily convert at the same spot. Jason V. completed it, winning the game quickly for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Jason V. came out hot with an early four-ball run and another pair before a scratch in game 2. Fearing he wouldn't get another chance, the Nighthawks' Luigi converted the 7-10 combination as a double-pot to the top right for the win, tying the series at 1. Jason V. had some good offense in game 3, but his attempts to combine on the 10 didn't fall. Luigi needed just one look, deflecting off the 8 to tap the 10 in at the top right for the win and 2-1 series win. Luigi will host Snowball of the Swordpoint Blades in the third round in a battle of Cinderella runs.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Avril v. Jason N. In 12-ball, the blue cue gets another look. Web City's Avril had a three-ball run from the break in game 1, but nearly fell apart trying to make her last ball at the bottom left. Atlantic's Jason N. got within a ball before missed contact allowed Avril to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Avril gave away a wild-card ball to start game 2, but she later got one back when the Pirates' Jason N. put too much spin on a shot. Avril then worked a three-ball run-out for the win, sealing the series at 2-0 in the process. Avril was merciless in a race-style game 3. She had a scratch, but Jason N. couldn't make anything of seemingly advantageous positioning, and Avril picked up the win for a 3-0 series sweep. Avril will host again in the third round.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Ice Cream. Veterans meet in 10-ball with the red cue, its last turn in the event this round. Boston's Ice Cream was a little too shaky on offense in game 1, leaving the final pair of shots open for Stonebridge's Wild Thing, who capped a majority-offense effort with a win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Wild Thing attacked brilliantly in game 2, except for his scratch as he banked the 9 to the top left. The Swifts' Ice Cream took the ball-in-hand on the 10 for the win, tying the series at 1. Ice Cream had a four-ball run in game 3, but she had to weather a three-ball run from Wild Thing that ended with the host missing the 10 at the bottom right. Ice Cream scooped it up for the win to take the series 2-1. Ice Cream will host Maplewood Lumberjacks captain Diddley in round three.

Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Katharine. Out west, the blue cue is back for Rotation. Whitewater's Katharine set the tone when her shot on the 2 sank the 7 at the bottom right, the 13 to the bottom side and the 15 at the top side. Pacific's Leonette had little chance for offense as Katharine won 8-1 to take the 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette fired back in game 2 with a pair of three-ball runs, but she got loose on the 7. She missed it twice, once with a scratch, and the Shores' Katharine found her shot. Katharine rattled off a pair of four-ball runs to get the 8-6 win, clinching the series at 2-0. Leonette again stepped out to a nice lead in game 3, and while Katharine tied it early on, Leonette surged ahead again to win 8-3. Katharine settled for a 2-1 series win that puts her on the road against the Victoria Spurs' Sage in the third round.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Bryant. The silver cue draws in for this 13-ball series. Maplewood's Bryant quickly got down to his last ball in game 1, but it wasn't easy to make. He eventually did but also struggled on the 8. This gave Lighton's Shiny time for a four-ball run to get onto the 8, which she just missed on a bank to the bottom left. Bryant tapped it in and grabbed a close 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant remained a strong foe in game 2, but the Prestige's Shiny was a bit more organized this time, winning on a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Shiny started great in game 3, but quickly faltered trying to get on the 8. She had two scratches, but she did enough to prevent Bryant from finding good positioning. Shiny would ultimately make a pair at the end for the win and 2-1 series win, which will allow her to host Blizzard of the Harrison Specters in the third round.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Solaris. A mother hosts her son in 7-ball with the red cue. Golden's Valencia began with a four-ball run from the break in game 1, but a contact play on the 4 set up Commerce's Solaris for a three-ball run-out. Solaris took a 1-0 series lead with the quick game. The Tradewinds' Solaris began with a pair on the break in game 2, and he made most of the rest as the Pilots' Valencia succumbed to nervous shooting. Solaris picked up the win with the 7 at the bottom right eventually, sealing the series at 2-0. Solaris didn't ease up at all in game 3, making a four-ball run-out at the end after Valencia continued to struggle. Solaris swept the series 3-0 and will visit the Queens Flames' Violetta in the third round in an even tougher series.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Bear. More 7-ball is up next, using the silver cue, which marks its last series in the event in this round. Everton's Bear was first to bounce back from a slow start in game 1, making the 2-4 combination to the bottom side and the 3-7 combination to the bottom right two shots later as he took a 1-0 series lead over Pearl's Bright. The Surfers' Bright found a little more offense in game 2, but his miss on the 6 spelled the end of his run in the event. The Eagles' Bear made the final pair to secure the series at 2-0 with his win. Bright struck back in a close game 3 battle, making the 6-7 combination on an angle to the top side for his lone win. Bear's 2-1 series win lines him up to visit this venue again in the third round to face the Surfers' Beth.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Potter. The host's second series of the day is in 9-ball with the silver cue. Boston's Ice Cream had control in game 1 while Pronger's Potter mostly flailed shots around. Ice Cream made a three-ball run-out capped by a 6-9 combination to the bottom right to take her 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Ice Cream wasted no time in game 2, making the 3 to the bottom side, the 5 to the top left, and the 9 to the top right on the break for the win and 2-0 series lead. The Tridents' Potter came closer in game 3, with a late three-ball run ending as the 9 lingered on the edge of the top left. Ice Cream potted it for a cheap win to sweep the series 3-0. Ice Cream will visit Oreo of the Terrace City Knights in round three.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Gabe. Another host plays a second series today, using the red cue for 13-ball. Southridge's Bianca kept a high pace against Maplewood's Gabe in game 1. Bianca also showed situational awareness by strategically scratching, which turned into a three-ball run-out on her next turn after Gabe missed contact. Bianca leads the series 1-0. The Lumberjacks' Gabe was the more consistent player in game 2, but his late missed contact at tap-in range on the 8 would cost him. The Defenders' Bianca struck the 13 to the top left from distance and added the 8 at the bottom right for the win and 2-0 advantage in the series. Bianca attacked with a three-ball run at the start in game 3, and then added pairs on her next two turns to completely dominate Gabe for the 3-0 series sweep. Bianca heads to the third round, where she'll visit Diamond Gems star Shadow.

McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Patches. Feisty foes collide in Accuracy with the blue cue, its last turn in the event in the second round. Neither player was at their best in game 1, but Atlantic's Isabella was just a little less bad than Boston's Patches. Isabella won 5-7 to take the 1-0 lead in the series. The Pirates' Isabella held the lead for much of game 2, but she faltered with a pair of misses and the Swifts' Patches wouldn't budge. Patches won this game 1-2, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Patches had a lead in game 3 as well after potting a pair on the break, but she couldn't hold onto it. Isabella clamped down at the end to take the 2-3 win and 2-1 series win. Isabella will host Victoria Spurs captain Spice in the third round.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Solaris v. Jason N. Both players are on their second series today in this 10-ball series with the blue cue. Commerce's Solaris began game 1 on a three-ball run, but he faltered on his second turn. Atlantic's Jason N. took advantage, tapping in a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. Outside the course of play, the Tradewinds' Solaris jammed his thumb on a pocket, altering his shooting stance for the remainder of game 2. The Pirates' Jason N. showed no mercy, mopping up the 10 for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Solaris seemed fine in game 3, but his late scratch after sinking the 8 assured him of a loss as Jason N. made the last two balls. Jason N. won the series 3-0 and will host Taylor M. of the Eastside Sharks in the third round.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Quincy. The red cue cycles in for 8-ball here. A balanced battle in game 1 saw Terrace City's Quincy make a late three-ball run but miss on the 8. Southern's Pounce swooped in on a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce looked a bit more comfortable, answering a three-ball run from the Knights' Quincy with his own six-ball run-out. Pounce's big burst of offense secured the series in his favor at 2-0. Quincy tried to get creative with a lead in game 3, bouncing the 13-8 combination straight to the bottom right for the loss instead of getting positioning. Pounce will accept the gift as he sweeps the series 3-0 to get into round three.

Sony Center, Queens: Mario v. Precious. The day ends with the red cue playing 7-ball. Queens' Mario began with a fiery five-ball run from the break, but it wouldn't stand up in the end. Pronger's Precious made the last two shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a few more mistakes made on both sides, but it didn't change the result. The Flames' Mario couldn't find his groove and the Tridents' Precious took advantage of it to get the win to seal the series at 2-0. Precious ran the table in game 3, a dominant finish to her 3-0 series sweep over Mario. Precious is set to host the Westside Rockers' Slinks in the third round.

That's all for today. Tomorrow's playing status is still uncertain. We will play Saturday and have Sunday off regardless.

Tournament 2019 - Round 2 Day 24

A new day of games is here, beginning with...

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Pauline. The blue cue gets the first look today, playing 7-ball. Royal's Jake came up with the win in game 1, potting the 7 on a bank to the top right in a choppy battle that saw Capital City's Pauline struggle. Jake leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Jake figured a little bit out on offense late in game 2, depositing a three-ball run-out for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. The Sharpshooters' Pauline still looked loss, taking a much deserved series loss. Pauline avoided a total disaster, picking up a three-ball run-out to close game 3 victorious. Jake won the series 2-1 and will host Atlantic Pirates captain Delila in the third round.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Sleepy B. Veterans meet in Rotation with the blue cue. Infinity's Shelley had a slightly better pace than Archtown's Sleepy B. throughout game 1, staying slightly ahead at all times. Shelley capped the win with a pair of shots for an 8-5 result and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Shelley loosened up on offense a bit more in game 2, while the Arrows' Sleepy B. continued to struggle to attack. Shelley closed up with an 8-4 win this time, sealing the series at 2-0. Shelley didn't have her best offense in game 3, as Sleepy B. started with a four-ball run and never looked back in the 8-3 game. Shelley won the series 2-1 and will play in round three against an opponent to be determined.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Hoppy v. Spice. Another Rotation series features the silver cue for its last appearance in this event in round two. Victoria's Spice had a strong start in game 1, but couldn't hang on as Archtown's Hoppy took the lead on a four-ball run. Spice had a chance to counter but fell short on the 14, and Hoppy won 8-6 for the 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Hoppy came out blazing in game 2 with a three-ball run, and she countered a lone ball from the Spurs' Spice with her own five-ball run-out. Hoppy's 8-1 win secured the series in her favor at 2-0. Hoppy continued to attack well early in game 3, but nearly saw Spice rally back, as the visitor made a five-ball run before missing on the 10. Hoppy buried the last shot at the bottom right for an 8-5 win to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Hoppy will remain in this venue but as a visitor when she faces her Arrows teammate A. Charlton in the third round.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Wario. The blue cue returns for a 15-ball series, its last in the event this round. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy made a decent effort early in game 1, but Southridge's Wario took over with an eight-ball run. Ms. Puppy then missed the 14, allowing Wario to make another pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Union's Ms. Puppy very narrowly avoided dropping the series in game 2, as the Defenders' Wario charged on a six-ball run near the end but missed the 15. Ms. Puppy mopped up the final shot at the top right, poaching the win to tie the series at 1. Wario wasn't able to make a big run in game 3, a guarantee for his failure as Ms. Puppy chipped in the last two shots to get the win. Ms. Puppy won the series 2-1 and will host Southern Monarchs captain Panda in the third round.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dani v. Valencia. The silver cue is used in a high-level Accuracy match. A close battle in game 1 saw Viewpoint Sound's Dani take a second miss late in the game. Golden's Valencia didn't budge this time, winning 1-2 for the 1-0 series lead. The players remained very competitive in game 2, with the Meteors' Dani missing just once. That was all the Pilots' Valencia needed, as she stayed perfect in the 0-1 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Valencia continued to show no mercy in game 3, missing once to even the score but getting Dani to drop two late shots as well. Valencia's 1-3 win gave her a 3-0 series sweep, sending her to the third round against the Eastside Sharks' Gizmo.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Katharine v. Puff I. Urban rivals meet in 13-ball with the blue cue. Modernistic's Puff I had a positive performance in game 1, weathering a four-ball run from Whitewater's Katharine on the opening turn. Puff I then made five balls over her last two turns for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Katharine had a good idea in game 2, but the execution resulted in her double-potting the 9 to the bottom side and the 8 to the bottom right. This gifted the 2-0 series lead to the Union's Puff I, who will gladly accept easy passage to the next round. Puff I struck for a pair on the break and seemingly had a strategic scratch later in game 3, but Katharine also scratched to break the plan. Katharine would win on a three-ball run-out, avoiding the sweep as Puff I took the series 2-1. Puff I will visit the Archtown Arrows' A. Charlton in the third round.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Lexi. Two determined players collide in 9-ball with the silver cue. Midland's Fuchsia found a groove late in game 1 with a four-ball run-out, claiming the win and 1-0 series lead rather easily over Harrison's Lexi. The Predators' Fuchsia picked up the win by much easier means in game 2, as the Specters' Lexi made the 1 on a cut to the bottom left, then kicked the 9 illegally to the top right to lose. Fuchsia clinched the series at 2-0 with the gift. Lexi finally put it all together in game 3, making a five-ball run over the middle and adding a three-ball run-out when Fuchsia couldn't find the 7. Fuchsia will advance on a 2-1 series win, earning the right to host a series in round three.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Lize. The silver cue goes again in this 13-ball series. Infinity's Mr. Snowman had a four-ball run to start game 1, and while Pronger's Lize made a good effort to keep it close, her scratch at the end allowed Mr. Snowman to take the 8 easily. Mr. Snowman owns a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman again employed a four-ball run to set the tone, but this time he struggled to corral the 4 at the top side. The Tridents' Lize pulled back and used Mr. Snowman's scratch as her own launchpad for the win to tie the series at 1. Lize made a three-ball run at the start of game 3, then grappled for positioning and got the upper hand over Mr. Snowman. Lize won by putting the 15 and 8 in the top side on consecutive shots, winning the series 2-1 in the process. Lize will host Boots of the Pearl Surfers in the third round.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Jennifer. Another Urban Derby is in 15-ball with the silver cue. Commerce's Niki had a fantastic effort in game 1 with a six-ball run and a four-ball run included, but she narrowly missed on the 15. Terrace City's Jennifer stole the win from ball-in-hand with the single shot, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Knights' Jennifer struck quickly in game 2, potting the 6 to the bottom right and then pulling off a triple-pot with the 1 in the top right and the 12 and 15 going to the bottom right for the win. Jennifer's big attack clinched the series at 2-0 over the Tradewinds' Niki. Jennifer again had a large chunk of offense in game 3, making six of the last eight balls and cashing in for the win when Niki cut the 15 wide at the top left. Jennifer swept the series 3-0 and will visit Citrus of the Lighton Prestige in the third round.

Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Sarah. Two of the top young players in the league battle in 8-ball with the blue cue. Queens' Violetta was not as sharp as usual in game 1, allowing Tysini's Sarah to go unchecked after a five-ball run. Sarah took her time to finish but still got the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta looked much more in form in game 2, smashing a four-ball run with one ball of collateral damage on her first turn. She later added a four-ball run-out before the Hummingbirds' Sarah could make a shot on her own. Violetta's quick win tied the series at 1. Violetta continued to play well in game 3 with a six-ball run to suppress Sarah, who never recovered. Violetta picked up the win for a 2-1 series win and will travel to face Nightfur of the Royal Crowns in a third-round Castle Derby.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney S. v. Hannah. The blue cue goes again in 10-ball. Queens' Hannah allowed Harrison's Sydney S. to keep possession after illegally potting the 10 in game 1. Sydney S. eventually tired out on offense, and Hannah made the last two shots for an easy win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Hannah had more flash than substance in game 2, potting three balls on the break but only one of the remaining seven. Instead, the Specters' Sydney S. made a pair of three-ball runs to pick up the win, tying the series at 1. Sydney S. made a pair from the break in game 3, but Hannah decided to end it quickly with a 3-10 combination on her second shot. The play succeeded at the bottom right, giving Hannah a 2-1 series win and a trip to Victoria to take on the Spurs' Mitchell in round three.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Sydney C. v. Whiskers. The beginnings of a venue tripleheader come in this 13-ball series with the silver cue. Modernistic's Sydney C. never had full control in game 1, but she was a step ahead of Maplewood's Whiskers, which was enough to help the host pick up the win. Sydney C. holds a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Sydney C. made a pair on the break, but in the same pocket. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers had a chance to really take control, but her awful positioning wasted game 2 for her, as Sydney C. slowly found her way to the win to secure the series at 2-0. Whiskers wouldn't go home empty-handed, taking the win in game 3 in a close battle that saw Sydney C. nearly find the victory before a scratch. Sydney C. won the series 2-1 and will visit Stinky of the Freedom Cascades in the third round.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Shawn. A captains' battle in 7-ball with the blue cue is the middle series of the tripleheader. Midland's Shawn capitalized on a misplay by Modernistic's Ms. Puppy, who underhit the 2 from ball-in-hand. Shawn rallied for a six-ball run-out to take the 1-0 series lead with. The Predators' Shawn poked a three-ball run from the break in game 1, but he missed contact on the 6 later in the game. The Union's Ms. Puppy had two pairs of shots at the end to get the win, tying the series at 1. Ms. Puppy started well with a five-ball run in game 3, but her miss on the 6 would spell her end in the event. Shawn made the final pair of shots and won the series 2-1, sending him to Royal to face the Crowns' Brownie in the third round.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Nikolai. The silver cue is back as the host completes the tripleheader with her second series today, playing Accuracy with the silver cue. Modernistic's Puff I showed strong control in game 1, with Freedom's Nikolai getting very little to work with. Puff I held on for a 2-4 win in the end, taking a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Cascades' Nikolai wrestled control away from the Union's Puff I. Nikolai then used positioning late in the game to push Puff I back for the 1-3 win. Nikolai tied the series at 1 with the smart play. Nikolai continued to play well early in game 3, and not even a late slide could ruin his performance. Nikolai beat Puff I 3-4 in the final game and 2-1 in the series, allowing himself to visit the Tysini Hummingbirds' Vincent in round three.

Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Bandit. The visitor begins a personal road doubleheader in 7-ball with the red cue. Queens' Violetta had a three-ball run in game 1 and later added a pair for the win, while Swordpoint's Bandit struggled to find any offense at all. Violetta leads the series 1-0. Game 2 featured a fairly slow start until the Flames' Violetta won on a four-ball run-out, deflecting off the 4 to drive the 7 to the top right. The win clinched the series for her at 2-0 over the Blades' Bandit. Violetta had a four-ball run in game 3 but still needed Bandit to miss on the 7 at the top side before she made it for the win and 3-0 series sweep. Violetta is in line to host another series in the third round.

Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Bandit. The visitor's doubleheader and the day as a whole ends with 13-ball and the red cue. Diamond's Smokey was a little too strong in game 1, using positioning and smart plays to defeat a road-weary Bandit of Swordpoint. Smokey picked up the win and 1-0 series lead a turn after Bandit scratched. The Gems' Smokey saw his play quality plummet in game 2, allowing the Blades' Bandit to get away with a slow and sloppy effort. Bandit picked up a hard-earned win to tie the series at 1, setting up a decisive finale. Game 3 was as tight and chippy as expected, especially near the end as the players fought for positioning. Smokey got the upper hand, but his excitement caused him to illegally pot the 8, gifting the win away to Bandit, who won the series 2-1. Bandit will be on the road again in the third round.

We'll play again tomorrow, but the schedule after that gets a little fluid.

Tournament 2019 - Round 2 Day 23

We're back for another day of games late in the second round. First up...

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Gradley. Veterans tangle in Accuracy with the red cue. North Modernistic's Lionel scratched on the break in game 1, but he would hold on later in the game to get the win as Boston's Gradley missed on the final ball. Lionel took a 1-0 series lead with a 2-3 win. The Swifts' Gradley actually started quite well in game 2, but he completely unraveled late in the game. The Nighthawks' Lionel was no better, missing four straight shots between regulation and overtime, allowing Gradley to hang on long enough for a 5-6 win to tie the series at 1. Gradley and Lionel stayed perfect deep into game 3. Gradley faltered first with a miscue, but Lionel's two late misses set him behind. Gradley would win 2-3 to take the series 2-1, and he'll host Chicky Phil of the Web City Spiders in the third round.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Jake. Southeastern rivals do battle in Rotation with the blue cue. Royal's Jake wrangled the early lead from Boston's Puff II, then staved off the host's counterattack at the end with his own three-ball run-out. Jake has a 9-13 combination and a bank on the 10 to the top side to win 8-4 for the 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake had a six-ball run after the Swifts' Puff II potted the 4 illegally for the second time. Jake had chances to get the win, but eventually Puff II made a four-ball run-out for the comeback 8-7 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was played at a high pace, with Puff II making a three-ball run that Jake answered with a six-ball run. Puff II then made a pair and a three-ball run-out on her second and third turns to get the 8-6 win. Puff II won the series 2-1 and will host the Southern Monarchs' Mams in the third round.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Quincy. The silver cue draws in for 9-ball. Pearl's Neopolitan kept an edge in possession in game 1, while Terrace City's Quincy looked good but not strong enough. Neopolitan won by banking the 9 to the top left, going up 1-0 in the series. The Surfers' Neopolitan again took a majority of possession, but nearly lost it with a late scratch. The Knights' Quincy made the 7 and 8 from ball-in-hand, but missed on the 9. Neopolitan mopped it up for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Quincy looked a little strong in game 3, but Neopolitan popped off with a four-ball run to quiet him. Quincy made the 8 but couldn't do anything on the 9, and Neopolitan made that as well, earning a 3-0 series sweep. Neopolitan will host Cheddar of the North Modernistic Nighthawks in the third round.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Patches. The silver cue goes again with this 7-ball series. Game 1 was a back-and-forth battle that saw Everton's Kirstin miss her one look on the 7. Boston's Patches capitalized on the mistake to get the win for a 1-0 series lead after her own solid performance. The Swifts' Patches started game 2 on a three-ball run, then cleaned up the 7 when the Eagles' Kirstin left it close to the bottom side. Patches' efficient play gave her the win and the series at 2-0. Patches wasn't as sharp in game 3, allowing Kirstin the chance to enjoy some offense. Kirstin even got the win with the final pair of shots, leaving Patches to advance on a 2-1 series win. In round three, Patches will visit the Terrace City Knights' Melissa.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Debby. Team leaders meet in 9-ball with the blue cue. Offense was a little choppy in game 1, but Viewpoint Sound's Hoot made a pair at the end to pick up the win and 1-0 series lead over Southridge's Debby. The Meteors' Hoot had a little more control in game 2, finishing strong with a five-ball run-out after the Defenders' Debby failed to get a grip. Hoot's win secured the series in his favor at 2-0. Hoot kept the offense up in game 3 while Debby struggled at the end. Hoot then popped a four-ball run-out for his 3-0 series sweep, which lets him host a third round series.

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Mitchell v. Sage. Victoria Spurs sophomores battle for team bragging rights in 12-ball with the silver cue. With a potential stalemate brewing in game 1, Mitchell elected to pave the path forward for Sage, who gladly made her last shot after Mitchell removed his defense. Sage leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw Sage take an early four-ball run, but Mitchell fired back on a three-ball run. Sage held the defensive position at the top left at the end, but her kick attempt on the 10 sank Mitchell's last ball instead, giving him the win to tie the series at 1. Mitchell took his game to another level in game 3, taking stripes and making the most of awkward positioning. He yielded a wild-card ball to Sage, but she did nothing with it as Mitchell easily won for a 2-1 series win. Mitchell will host Salmo of the Southern Monarchs in round three.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal v. Citrus. The blue cue is back for Accuracy. North Modernistic's Gal had a strong appearance in game 1, but fell apart with misses on her last two shots, allowing Lighton's Citrus to pick up a 1-3 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Citrus made an effort to gain the last-shot advantage in game 2, but her play after that made it a pointless double-pot. Citrus was erratic while the Nighthawks' Gal kept control to win 3-6, tying the series at 1 with a level-headed performance. Citrus continued to struggle in game 3, which served Gal very well, as she made many easy shots. Gal would win 1-5 to claim a 2-1 series win, setting her up to host Shelley of the Infinity Torpedoes in the third round.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Sugar v. Pounce. Another Accuracy series keeps the blue cue active. Swordpoint's Sugar kept pace quite nicely in game 1, but she had no answer for a late bank of the 10 to the bottom side from Southern's Pounce. Her subsequent miss allowed Pounce to lock down a 1-2 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Sugar led for much of game 2 until the very end, where she briefly dropped into a tie with the Monarchs' Pounce. Sugar ended up winning 4-5 when Pounce missed on the last ball as well, with her victory tying the series at 1. Sugar was cunning in game 3, twice making a double-pot and baiting Pounce into a scratch near the end with the game tied. Sugar's devious play earned her a 2-3 win and 2-1 series win. She'll host Twinkie III of the Whitewater Shores in the third round.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Lize. More Accuracy follows, this time with the red cue. Pronger's Lize controlled game 1, setting the tone with an early double-pot. Lighton's Shiny was good, but slipped too many times to catch up. Lize was just a late scratch shy of perfect in her 1-3 win for the 1-0 advantage in the series. The Tridents' Lize picked up where she left off with a ball on the game 2 break, but she fell apart after a double-pot. The Prestige's Shiny showed no mercy, pinning Lize back for the 1-4 win to tie the series at 1. Shiny stayed perfect in game 3, an unbreakable defense against a fairly good effort from Lize. The score was 0-2, which gave Shiny a 2-1 series win and a ticket to the third round, where she'll host the Commerce Tradewinds' Niki.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Sleepy B. The red cue stays in action with this 8-ball series. Stonebridge's Hershey scratched on the break and never really settled in on offense. Archtown's Sleepy B. began with a four-ball run sullied by a scratch, then added a three-ball run later before taking a pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sleepy B. lacked offense in game 2, as the Wolves' Hershey had an early four-ball run and never looked back. Hershey picked up the win with a pair of shots, tying the series at 1 to set up a decisive finale. Game 3 saw Hershey get a bit more of a jump at the start, while Sleepy B. attempted a late rally. Hershey finished just in time to get the win as Sleepy B. got down to her last ball. A 2-1 series win sends Hershey to host Ms. Kitty of the Pacific Volcanoes in the third round.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Solaris v. Whiskers. Hotshot-style players collide in 9-ball with the blue cue. Maplewood's Whiskers popped off with a five-ball run in game 1, and then capitalized on Commerce's Solaris fouling later on. Whiskers made the final pair from ball-in-hand for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers kept the Tradewinds' Solaris from the table in game 2 with a four-ball run-out, making a pair on the break and then deflecting off the 2 to kick the 9 to the bottom right for the win. Whiskers clinched the series at 2-0 with the win. Solaris finally got a little consolation in game 3, winning a choppy battle that was decided as Whiskers missed the 5 at the top left. Whiskers did win the series 2-1, and she'll visit Hoot of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in round three.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Zach. The blue cue goes again in 8-ball. Capital City's Chris didn't have much offense at first in game 1, and the delay in the start of his attack gave Pronger's Zach enough time to snag the win on a four-ball run-out. Zach leads the series 1-0 after a confident start. The Tridents' Zach was a little too confident in game 2, potting three balls for the Sharpshooters' Chris. Zach's split loyalties, along with Chris not matching the generosity, led to Chris taking the win to tie the series at 1. Chris took over in game 3 after letting Zach open the table up a bit. A seven-ball run-out decided the game in Chris' favor, giving him the series win at 2-1. He will host Oreo f the Terrace City Knights in the third round.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Bandit. The silver cue cycles in for 12-ball this time. Terrace City's Quincy had three balls on the break, and then took some time for positioning. Swordpoint's Bandit tried to catch up with a quick pair, but Quincy ultimately took game 1 on a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Quincy made a ball on the break in game 2, but struggled as he gave away a wild-card ball. The Blades' Bandit tried to be delicate in positioning, but he took too long, as Quincy capitalized on the hesitation to snag the win, securing the series at 2-0. Quincy started well in game 3, but he gave away a wild-card ball. Bandit quickly got down to his last ball, and Quincy's late three-ball run couldn't change the outcome. Quincy settled for a 2-1 series win to get him into the third round, where he'll host Mr. Snowman of the Infinity Torpedoes.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Sage. The visitor plays her second series today in Accuracy with the blue cue. Westside's Midnight and Victoria's Sage combined for a no-nonsense game 1, but it was a late miss from Midnight that tipped the 1-2 win to Sage, who will take the 1-0 series lead as well. Luck again favored the Spurs' Sage in game 2, as the Rockers' Midnight had a tough scratch early on and a late miss. Sage would win by a 1-2 score again, sealing the series at 2-0 in the process with another quick win. Sage wasn't able to keep up that level of play, trailing Midnight for most of the game. Midnight finished off the win at 3-4 to avoid the sweep in Sage's 2-1 series win. Sage will keep traveling in round three, visiting Southridge Defenders veteran Stephanie.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Kodiak v. Lexi. The silver cue's last series today comes in 7-ball. Modernistic's Kodiak began game 1 with a three-ball run, but he scratched, and Harrison's Lexi took over with a four-ball run-out for the win. Lexi leads the series 1-0 to start. The Specters' Lexi had an empty break in game 2, leading to the Union's Kodiak potting a four-ball run. Lexi replied with a pair but the 7 evaded her, and Kodiak buried it to the top left for the win, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Kodiak began with a three-ball run in game 3, but it didn't stand up at the end when Lexi banked the 7 to the bottom side for a tight win. Lexi won the series 2-1 and will host a Halloween Derby in the third round against the Web City Spiders' Avril.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Waluigi v. Brownie. The blue cue wraps up the day in Rotation. Web City's Waluigi had the early lead in game 1, but completely lost control later on, allowing Royal's Brownie to pull ahead and eventually take the 8-6 win. Brownie leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Waluigi again jumped out to a nice lead in game 2, only to stall out halfway through the game. The Crowns' Brownie again pulled back, slowly tying it and then taking the lead. Brownie won with a kick on the 12 to the top side for the 8-5 final score that gave her the series at 2-0. Waluigi had a better strategy in game 3, but it still didn't do anything for him, as Brownie staved off Waluigi's final attack before winning 8-7. Brownie swept the series 3-0 and will host Twinkie I of the Pacific Volcanoes in the third round.

That's all for today. We'll do it again tomorrow with a potentially late start.