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.