We're set to begin the named rounds, which will also see the start of best-of-five series. We'll play nine series per day during the next three rounds. First up...
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Yekaterina v. Crystal. Struggling stars clash in 10-ball with the silver cue. Queens' Crystal struck quickly in game 1, deflecting off the 2 to knock the 10 in at the top left for a 1-0 series lead over Victoria's Yekaterina. The Flames' Crystal did all the work in game 2, starting with a nine-ball run. The Spurs' Yekaterina had two chances on the 10, but missed both, and Crystal mopped it up for the win and 2-0 lead in the series. Yekaterina kept her series going with a dominant effort in game 3, making a majority of the shots to cut Crystal's series lead to 2-1. In game 4, Yekaterina had less offense but still got to make the decisions twice when Crystal illegally potted shots. The second time, Yekaterina kept possession but went on to miss the 10, and Crystal tapped it to the top right to clinch the series at 3-1. Yekaterina got a little redemption with a 6-10 combination to end game 5 early, but Crystal would take the series 3-2 anyway. Crystal is the first player to reserve a spot in the bracket semifinals. Yekaterina is officially the 50th eliminated player, and the first to fall to Crystal this year in a do-or-die scenario.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Frosty v. Ms. Kitty. The red cue gets a look in 9-ball here. Viewpoint Sound's Frosty led off with a four-ball run and added a three-ball run before scratching late in game 1. Pacific's Ms. Kitty took the last pair for a win and 1-0 series lead in this Coastal derby. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty continued with a three-ball run to start game 2, but she fell off after that. The Meteors' Frosty would make a pair for the win this time, tying the series at 1. The play remained close in game 3, with Frosty doing just enough at the start and the end to take the win over Ms. Kitty. Frosty now leads the series 2-1. Frosty had a good portion of the offense again in game 4, but her late three-ball run ended in a missed bank on the 9 to the bottom side. Ms. Kitty swept it up for the win to to retie the series at 2. Game 5 came down to the wire, with Ms. Kitty missing on the 8 and Frosty taking the final pair in another close battle to get the win. Frosty advances to the bracket semifinals on a 3-2 series win. Frosty took her second kill of the year to make Ms. Kitty the 51st eliminated player.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Slinks v. Violetta. Star players meet in 12-ball with the red cue. Westside's Slinks had chaos from the break, making two solids and a stripe. She let Queens' Violetta have stripes, but Slinks couldn't stop scratching, and Violetta eventually earned the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Slinks again battled a scratching problem in game 2. The Flames' Violetta didn't outright dominate the game, but she had a three-ball run-out lined up just in time to beat Slinks for the 2-0 lead in the series. Violetta's break was lackluster in game 3, leading to a hard battle between her and Slinks for positioning. Violetta did slightly better and got Slinks to commit illegal contact before Violetta won with a three-ball run-out to seal the series at 3-0. Slinks tried everything she could defensively in game 4, but there was no stopping Violetta, who fought hard to knock down her last two balls at the sides. Violetta surged a 4-0 advantage with the win. Violetta couldn't finish the sweep with a sloppy game 5 break that led to Slinks working a five-ball run-out for the win soon after. Violetta won the series 4-1 and will head to the bracket semifinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Americus. The red cue stays in action for this 7-ball set. Infinity's Fluffina wasted no time in going up 1-0 in the series, running the table in game 1 to beat Midland's Americus. The Torpedoes' Fluffina again made a pair from the break in game 2, but this time she missed her next shot. The Predators' Americus showed no mercy with a five-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Americus went empty on the break in game 3 but did offer a later run. It wouldn't be enough, as Fluffina made the last two balls to retake the series lead at 2-1. Fluffina made a ball on the break and two more at the end to offset a back-and-forth middle section of the game that Americus couldn't quite control. Fluffina clinched the series at 3-1 with this win. Fluffina roared ahead on a five-ball run to start game 5, but she missed on the 4 and Americus took a pair at the end for the win. Fluffina took the series 3-2 to get into the bracket semifinals. Americus is the 52nd eliminated player this year, while Fluffina earned her second kill.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Sydney C. Inexperienced players collide in 8-ball with the red cue. Stonebridge's Hershey had a great start in game 1 but couldn't finish it off. Modernistic's Sydney C. kept a steadier hand at the end to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey had to play more from behind in game 2, but he still came close to a win. His last ball didn't fall, and the Union's Sydney C. shot back on a three-ball run-out for the win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Hershey's bad luck continued as he fell short again in game 3. Both players had a five-ball run on their first turns, but Sydney C. was able to close out with a three-ball run-out for the win to secure the series at 3-0. Sydney C. ran away with game 4, opening on a four-ball run and adding quick pairs on the next two turns before Hershey had a chance to strike back. Sydney C. moved up to a 4-0 series lead. Hershey came close yet again in game 3, but a miss on his last ball gave Sydney C. all the time she needed for a five-ball run-out comeback for the win. Sydney C. swept the series 5-0 and will play in the bracket semifinals. It's the first kill of the year for the rookie Sydney C., which made Hershey the 53rd eliminated player.
Sony Center, Queens: Briana v. Steven. The silver cue cycles in for 10-ball in this series. Queens' Briana did it all in game 1, making a three-ball run before ceding possession to Atlantic's Steven. He missed, and Briana attacked with a seven-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana wasn't allowed to run free in game 2, having to earn more of her offense. The Pirates' Steven closed out the game on a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Steven worked a four-ball run in game 3, but he fell apart at the end, and Briana won on a three-ball run-out two turns later. Briana regained the series lead at 2-1 this time. Another close battle occurred in game 4, but Briana got the win with an 8-10 combination to the bottom right to stun Steven. Briana sealed the series at 3-1 with this win. Briana couldn't make it any better in game 5, dropping a result as Steven surged late with a four-ball run-out. Briana settled for a 3-2 series win that lines her up to host again in the bracket semifinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Nikolai. The host's second series of the day is with the silver cue in Accuracy. Infinity's Fluffina didn't have a great break in game 1, but she was good enough to pin Freedom's Nikolai back at the end. Fluffina took a 1-0 series lead on a 1-3 win. The Torpedoes' Fluffina struck a ball on the break in game 2, but a late miss on the last ball would prove costly. The Cascades' Nikolai was able to get a win with a 3-4 result, tying the series at 1 in the close battle. Nikolai blasted a threatening break in game 3, making a ball. That was enough for him to push Fluffina around for much of the game, and Nikolai stayed perfect in a 0-2 win to take the 2-1 series lead. Nikolai's march to the series win was delayed in game 4, as he chased Fluffina after an early miss. Fluffina fell into a tie briefly, but Nikolai missed again late and Fluffina would win 1-2 to tie the series at 2. Fluffina made a ball on the break in game 5, and proceeded to control the pace from there. Nikolai tried to get tricky defensively, but Fluffina read it and won 2-3 to seal the series at 3-2. Fluffina is set to appear in the bracket semifinals.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Vladimir v. Ms. Puppy. The red cue is back for 10-ball here. Neither played took control of game 1, but it was a missed contact by Stonebridge's Vladimir that allowed Modernistic' Ms. Puppy to win with a shot on the 10 from ball-in-hand. Ms. Puppy went ahead 1-0 in the series. The Wolves' Vladimir made a push at the start of game 2, but he didn't support it very well late. After some struggles, the Union's Ms. Puppy picked up a five-ball run-out for the win to move into a 2-0 series lead. Vladimir again came close in game 3, but he scratched as he potted the 10 at the bottom right. Ms. Puppy picked up the win from ball-in-hand, securing the series at 3-0 in the process. Ms. Puppy had a three-ball run early in game 4, but Vladimir finally got on the board with a three-ball run-out capped by a 5-10 combination to the top right. Ms. Puppy remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Vladimir wouldn't be denied in game 3, cashing in on Ms. Puppy's scratch with a four-ball run-out capped by a bank of the 10 to the top left. Ms. Puppy still won the series 3-2 to get into the bracket semifinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dani v. Caitlin. More 10-ball ends the day with the blue cue's lone appearance. Viewpoint Sound's Dani faced a bit of bad luck in game 1, as she made a four-ball run and a three-ball run but lost as Southridge's Caitlin banked the 10 to the bottom side. Caitlin holds a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a reduction in the pace of play. The Defenders' Caitlin had a little more offense but not enough to control the pace. The Meteors' Dani eventually won with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Game 3 saw a mix of the first two, with Dani reclaiming a majority of possession but coming up empty after missing the 10 twice. Caitlin made it on her second try for the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Caitlin had a late four-ball run in game 4, but she missed her cut on the 9 to cede possession back to Dani, who made the final pair of shots for the win. Dani tied the series again at 2. Caitlin worked a seven-ball run in game 5, but it went to waste when she couldn't corral the 10. Dani potted it to poach the win and 3-2 series win. Dani will be in the bracket semifinals.
After the week-long delay in starting the round, we're set to go again. Currently, the Tournament is expected to end late in January.
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