The second day of the fourth round is here, kicking off with...
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Paps v. Vladimir. The blue cue gets the opening series in 7-ball today. Tysini's Paps scratched on the game 1 break and struggled throughout the game. Stonebridge's Vladimir eventually dropped the 7 to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Vladimir didn't up his game enough in game 2, allowing the Hummingbirds' Paps to make the gains instead. Paps won this one with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Paps kept up the strong play with a four-ball run in game 3. He missed his first look at the 7, but Vladimir didn't make it either, and Paps sank it on the second try to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Paps clinched his advancement with a spectacular game 3. He made a four-ball run from the break and closed with a three-ball run-out two turns later as Vladimir couldn't get started. Paps owns a 3-1 series lead. Paps somehow improved, wiping the table in only two turns this time as Vladimir's dream start continued into a brutal nightmare. Paps advanced on a 4-1 series win and will host his bracket semifinals series.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Ms. Puppy. The blue cue goes again in 12-ball between tough competitors. Freedom's Nikolai made a ball on the break, but he had no answer for a four-ball run by Modernistic's Ms. Puppy. She had good positioning for her last two shots as well and easily won game 1 for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Ms. Puppy helped her own cause with a four-ball run to start game 2. The Cascades' Nikolai had a couple of scratches, which likely derailed him from mounting a real challenge, as Ms. Puppy used the extra time to get the win for a 2-0 series lead. Ms. Puppy gave up a wild-card ball while shooting for positioning in game 3, and this proved to be a critical loss. She got down to her last ball, but Nikolai rallied with a three-ball run-out just in time to stay alive in the now 2-1 series. Game 4 raised the stakes as both players were nearly at their best. Ms. Puppy tried to set up a positional play, but Nikolai wasn't having it, knocking her out of alignment before pushing for his win. Nikolai's aggressive tactics tied the series at 2 to set up a decisive finale. Game 5 was as tense as possible. Both players surrendered wild-card balls that were eventually returned during a cagey positioning battle at the bottom left. Nikolai finally got the win when Ms. Puppy's cut on her last ball left Nikolai lined up perfectly. He completed the 3-2 comeback series win and will retain home-field advantage in the bracket semifinals.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Cheddar. The silver cue draws in for this 9-ball series. Lighton's Acorn was the stronger player throughout a shaky game 1 that saw both players miss on the 9. North Modernistic's Cheddar left it short at the bottom left, where Acorn mopped it up for the 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn found luck on his side in game 2, as his fairly unsteady offense turned into a win. He attempted and missed on the 6, but the deflection sent the 9 to the bottom left, and he went ahead 2-0 in the series over the Nighthawks' Cheddar. Acorn had a little more good fortune to ignite a five-ball run in game 3, but it didn't last long enough. Cheddar picked off the final pair of balls for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Acorn tried to tighten up his defensive play in game 4, but Cheddar put an end to that with a four-ball run-out with a little luck to get the 7 to fall at the bottom left. Cheddar's win evened the series at 2. Cheddar rode the swinging momentum in game 5, striking for the last two balls to defeat Acorn in a 3-2 comeback series win. Cheddar will be on the road in the bracket semifinals. Acorn is the 54th eliminated player and the first kill for Cheddar this year.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Bryant. More silver cue action goes in Accuracy. Maplewood's Bryant didn't play very well in game 1, falling behind on a couple of close misses. Stonebridge's Wild Thing faltered late but held on to win 2-3 to take a 1-0 series lead. It was more of the same in game 2, as the Wolves' Wild Thing kept control but slipped late before closing out another 2-3 win over the Lumberjacks' Bryant. Wild Thing moved to a 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Wild Thing made a ball on the break and didn't look back, holding a perfect standard to suppress Bryant, who scratched on his first turn. Wild Thing this time by a 0-2 score to clinch the series at 3-0. Wild Thing finally slipped up in game 4, scratching on his second turn to give away the last-shot advantage. Bryant made it count by giving Wild Thing a bad shot at the end, which allowed Bryant to win 2-3 to cut the series to 3-1. Bryant pulled off another victory in game 5, sending Wild Thing to a late collapse as Bryant earned a 2-4 win. Wild Thing still won the series 3-2 and will play in the bracket semifinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dani v. Wild Thing. The visitor completes his doubleheader on the road in Rotation with the red cue. Stonebridge's Wild Thing kicked off with a decent run, but Viewpoint Sound's Dani grabbed the lead and stayed ahead for the 8-5 win. Dani leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Dani struggled again at the start of game 2, but she rallied with a five-ball run-out to pick up the 8-5 win again for a 2-0 series lead over the Wolves' Wild Thing. Wild Thing pushed his hardest in game 3, getting on the verge of the win with a three-ball run. It backfired when Dani made her own three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win to secure the series at 3-0. Wild Thing stepped up his effort in game 4, avoiding the sweep by keeping Dani pinned defensively. Wild Thing picked up an 8-2 win this time, cutting the series to 3-1. Wild Thing had game 5 in his grip but couldn't quite hang on, allowing Dani to make a three-ball run-out for an 8-7 win and 4-1 series win. Dani will host again in the bracket semifinals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Dominic. Back in Accuracy, the blue cue is back in action. Game 1 was close from the start, but Capital City's Lorde missed a pair of shots near the end. Southern's Dominic slipped a bit as well but stayed in the lead to win 2-3 for the 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Lorde had an early miss in game 2 and never got the chance to recover. The Monarchs' Dominic locked up the win with a left-handed bank on the 8 to the bottom right, and Lorde's subsequent miss made it 0-2. Dominic leads the series 2-0. Dominic took a gamble in game 3, double-potting near the end of a tied contest. Lorde would make the last ball on her next turn, and she added another ball when Dominic's overtime break went empty. Lorde won this game 2-3, making it just a 2-1 series lead for Dominic. Lorde kept it perfect long enough in game 4 to secure the win after Dominic's horrendous start. Lorde would win 2-5, tying the series at 2 in the process. Lorde completed the comeback in game 5 with a 3-4 win that saw a couple of shifts in momentum but not enough from Dominic. Lorde won the series 3-2 to punch her ticket to the bracket semifinals.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Mitchell v. Sweetheart. The blue cue stays up for 15-ball here. Victoria's Mitchell had most of the offense in game 1, but his miss on the 6 lined up a 6-15 combination for Boston's Sweetheart. She converted to the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Sweetheart capitalized again in game 2, as the Spurs' Mitchell paced play with a four-ball run and a little more scattered offense. Sweetheart potted the 10-15 combination to the bottom side to steal the win for a 2-0 series lead. Consistent offense finally paid off for Mitchell in game 3, as this one went full-term and he won on a three-ball run-out. Sweetheart was solid, but watched her series lead shrink to 2-1. Sweetheart got back to her quick-finishing ways in game 4, needing just one turn to put down a six-ball run-out composed of two simple combinations and two double-pots. Sweetheart secured the series at 3-1 with this victory. Sweetheart finished off the series with a four-ball run-out, although Mitchell had the highlight of game 5 with a triple-pot of the 1 to the bottom side, the 6 to the bottom right and the 12 to the top right on his first shot. Sweetheart's 4-1 series win assures her of another road trip in the bracket semifinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Citrus. The red cue gets a look in 12-ball. A hot start to game 1 saw both players make three-ball runs. Lighton's Citrus came close on her last ball, but illegal contact on a kick turned possession to Oceanside's Jason V., who turned in a pair of shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Jason V. turned a late-falling ball off the break into a quick four-ball run, but late shakiness made things interesting. The Prestige's Citrus picked up a pair of shots but couldn't counterattack enough before Jason V. put the 15 in the bottom side to extend his lead to 2-0 in the series. Jason V. made a pair of stripes on the break, but the rest of the game was all Citrus, as she quickly found good positioning. Citrus was patient with her finish but easily picked up the win to shrink the series deficit to 2-1. Jason V. gave away a wild-card ball in game 4, but he made sure it wouldn't matter thanks to Citrus struggling to convert near the end. Jason V. bought himself enough time to pick up the win to seal the series at 3-1. Jason V. gave away two wild-card balls in game 5, but Citrus gave one back and couldn't take advantage of the other. Jason V. marched to an easy win, and a 4-1 series win and a bracket semifinals date with the Queens Flames' Violetta at this venue. This was Citrus' 100th unique opponent.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Mitchell v. Jason N. The blue cue closes the day with the host's second series, playing 10-ball. Victoria's Mitchell lacked control in game 1, as Atlantic's Jason N. twice deferred possession back to the host. Mitchell failed to make him pay, and Jason N. cheaply potted the 10 to the bottom side for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Jason N. didn't get as many free opportunities in game 2, as the Spurs' Mitchell was a little stronger on the ball. Mitchell would pick up the 10 alone at the end for a win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 continued the slow-paced back-and-forth between these two players. Jason N. barely won at the end, cutting the 10 to the top right and just avoiding a scratch to restore his series lead at 2-1 over Mitchell. Game 4 saw both players make a pair and foul early. Mitchell had a late three-ball run, but he scratched the 10 on a follow-shot. Jason N. would take the ball-in-hand turn on the 10 for the win to clinch the series at 3-1. Mitchell wouldn't be denied at the end of game 5, smashing down a five-ball run-out for the win. Jason N. took the series 3-2 and will visit Dani of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket semifinals.
That's it for today. Christmas week action should run unabated and may even speed up the round as a whole if we're up for it.
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