We'll have a standard nine-series day today, beginning with...
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Jennifer. The silver cue starts us off in Rotation between Urban rivals. Terrace City's Jennifer had a better start and finish to game 1, overcoming a strong push by Modernistic's Puff I in the middle. Jennifer won 8-6 and took a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer again started well in game 2, but it didn't last this time. The Union's Puff I pulled ahead and held off her opponent to earn the 8-5 win which tied the series at 1. Puff I sparked her offense forward with a few choppy runs in game 3 to get on the brink of another win. Jennifer pushed back with a pair of runs, but she fell short as Puff I locked up an 8-6 win to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Game 4 went back and forth between the two players right to the end. Puff I had a chance to get the 15 but missed it, and Jennifer knocked it down at the bottom left for an 8-7 win to retie the series at 2. Puff I appeared to have the series in her grasp after a kick on the 6 to the bottom right double-potted the 8 to the top right on a deflection. Jennifer didn't back down, rallying for the 8-7 win with a mix of offense, defense, and fortune to take the series 3-2 instead. Jennifer will be on the road again in the bracket semifinals after this top-10 series of the year. Puff I is the 55th player eliminated this year, and Jennifer took her first kill.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Lexi v. Easter. The silver cue stays in action for this 15-ball series. Harrison's Lexi controlled the pace early in game 1, but she wasn't able to finish it off. Todavía's Easter picked up the offense later and got the win on a pair of shots, which puts her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Stills' Easter remained strong in game 2, but it didn't pay off at the end after she left the 15 near the bottom right. The Specters' Lexi spun a shot off the 11 to kick the 15 down for the win, which tied the series at 1. Easter found a late five-ball run in game 2, but still needed Lexi to miss her chance on the 15 to get the win. Easter cleaned up on her second try and regained the series lead at 2-1. Lexi kept herself in the series with a four-ball run-out at the end of game 4, just holding off Easter to tie the series again at 2. Lexi gave away her chance at game 5 and the series by scratching as she shot the 14 down. Easter was able to make sure her earlier five-ball run wasn't wasted as she got the win and a 3-2 series win to move into the bracket semifinals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Salmo v. Mario. More 15-ball is on the way to start a venue doubleheader, with the red cue in action. Southern's Salmo weathered a four-ball run by Queens' Mario early in game 1. When Mario settled for contact only on the 5, Salmo was there to deflect a shot off the 5 to push the 15 to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Mario had another surge wasted in game 2, as he snookered himself behind the 15 when going for the 14. The ensuing missed contact led to the Monarchs' Salmo potting the final pair for the win to extend his series lead to 2-0. Salmo finally looked in control during game 3, but his three-ball run-out ended up not counting for him when he scratched after a 13-15 combination to the top right. Mario took the gifted win to cut the series deficit to 2-1. A reckless start on both sides in game 4 gave way to Mario's dominance in the second half. He had a six-ball run and then made the 15 on his second try after Salmo couldn't poach it at the bottom right. Mario's tied the series at 2 with this win. Salmo completed the collapse in game 5, as he wasn't able to do much on offense and missed the 15 at the end. Mario mopped it up at the bottom left for the win and 3-2 series win, a comeback that puts him on the road again in the bracket semifinals. Mario's do-or-die win gave him his second kill this year, while Salmo is the 56th player out of the Tournament.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Dominic v. Sierra. The Spanish Derby is renewed in 7-ball with the blue cue. Southern's Dominic had a three-ball run to start game 1, and then made a pair at the end after Todavía's Sierra scratched. Dominic's strong opener gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Dominic started game 2 on a three-ball run as well, and the Stills' Sierra had nothing in response. A few turns later, Dominic collected another win to go up 2-0 in the series. Sierra's only turn in game 3 ended in a scratch, while Dominic made a pair on the break and a four-ball run-out for the quick win to clinch the series at 3-0. With the series out of hand, Sierra got lazy on her chance to make the 7 at the top left. Her miss allowed Dominic to pick up the easy win after his previous four-ball run fell a little short. Dominic is cruising with a 4-0 series lead. Sierra still didn't manage much offense in game 5, falling to a four-ball run-out as Dominic completed the 5-0 series sweep. Dominic will be on the road for his series in the bracket semifinals. Sierra is officially out this time, the 57th to fall and the first kill for Dominic.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Pounce. The blue cue stays in action for Rotation. Infinity's Shelley started well in game 1, but the middle went to Southern's Pounce. At the end, Shelley surged again for the 8-5 win and 1-0 series lead to start things off right for the host. The Monarchs' Pounce took things seriously in game 2, falling behind at first but posting a four-ball run-out with confidence to defeat the Torpedoes' Shelley 8-2. Pounce's win tied the series at 1. Pounce didn't outright dominate in a tougher game 3, but Shelley's offense failed to materialize. Pounce eventually pulled away and got the 8-3 win to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Pounce continued to impress on offense in game 4, staking out a quick lead and then surging with a four-ball run sparked by consecutive kick plays to the top side. He beat Shelley 8-2 in this one, and Pounce sealed the series at 3-1 in the process. Shelley didn't bother to make much of an impact in game 5, as Pounce walked away with another 8-3 win to finish the series ahead 4-1. Pounce will advance to the bracket semifinals. Pounce took his second kill of the year as Shelley became the 58th player out of the Tournament.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Shaggy. More Rotation features the red cue. A contested start to game 1 turned into a late surge by Whitewater's Shaggy, whose four-ball run-out gave her an 8-4 win and 1-0 series lead over Southridge's Bianca. The Defenders' Bianca stayed in the fight a little longer in game 2, but she couldn't pick off one of the last two balls. The Shores' Shaggy made both to earn an 8-7 win that moved her to a 2-0 series lead. Bianca didn't mess around to start game 3, taking a massive lead before scratching on her attempt at the 8. Shaggy rallied with a six-ball run from ball-in-hand to tie it, then won two turns later after Bianca scratched again. Shaggy's 8-7 win secured the series in her favor at 3-0. Bianca again held a lead in game 4 that should have been enough. Instead, Shaggy rallied for five balls over two turns and ultimately got the win by an 8-5 score to push her advantage to 4-0 in the series. Bianca again wasted a large lead in game 5, unable to close out on the last ball. Shaggy won 8-7 this time and swept the series 5-0 en route to visiting the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Dani in the bracket semifinals. Shaggy stepped up for her first kill in a do-or-die scenario that left Bianca as this year's 59th eliminated player.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Charli. The red cue stays in action for this 9-ball set. Archtown's Sally found a large chunk of offense in game 1, winning on a six-ball run-out. This gave her a 1-0 series lead over Tysini's Charli, who wasn't able to do much. The Arrows' Sally opened game 2 on a four-ball run, keeping her momentum from the last game. The Hummingbirds' Charli came close to nabbing this win, but she missed the 9 at the top right, and Sally converted to go up 2-0 in the series. Sally went empty on the game 3 break, and Charli compensated wisely this time. She tapped the 1 to the top side before sending the 2-9 combination to the bottom right for the win. Charli now trails 2-1 in the series. Charli couldn't replicate the effort in game 4, struggling after making a ball on the break. Sally chose to end the game early, deflecting off the 6 to tap the 9 to the bottom right for a four-ball run-out that secure the series at 3-1. Sally had a five-ball run to start game 5 and added two more later, but Charli grabbed the 9 as a little consolation in Sally's 3-2 series win. Sally is set to host her bracket semifinals appearance. Charli is the 60th player to be eliminated, and Sally's second kill as well.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chimpy v. Jake. The blue cue cycles in for 8-ball here. Westside's Chimpy started a little slow, but a steady pace on offense after that was enough to get by Royal's Jake, who had one burst and not much else in game 1. Chimpy owns a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy picked up a quick six-ball run in game 2, and the Crowns' Jake never really recovered from it. Chimpy finished off the win over the next two turns to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Chimpy made a defensive play early in game 3, which Jake managed to avoid fairly well. Chimpy then illegally potted the 8 to give the game away, shrinking his own series lead to 2-1. Chimpy bounced back well in game 4, taking a commanding lead early on. Jake replied fairly well later on, but he couldn't stop Chimpy from earning the win to clinch the series at 3-1. Jake put in a very good effort in game 5, but a late foul turned things around as Chimpy pushed to get the win for a 4-1 series win. Chimpy is set to appear in the bracket semifinals.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal v. Sugar. The day ends with the blue cue in Accuracy. North Modernistic's Gal beat herself in game 1 with a pair of scratches. Swordpoint's Sugar refused to budge an inch as well, winning the game 0-3 for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gal looked to be plagued by scratches early in game 2, but she finally settled in just as the Blades' Sugar saw her performance unravel. Gal took this won by a 2-4 score, tying the series at 1. Gal didn't have a great break in game 3, but both players were affected evenly early on. Sugar never really recovered from it, falling apart at the end as Gal took a sloppy 4-6 win for the 2-1 series lead. Both players stepped up in game 4, leading to a tight game. As each of them missed on the last ball, it was Sugar's early miss that proved decisive when Gal converted at the end for a 1-2 win to seal the series at 3-1. Gal had the lead for much of game 5 as well, but two late misses turned it into a 2-3 win for Sugar. Gal was fine with that, taking a 3-2 series win to earn the right to host Lorde of the Capital City Sharpshooters in the bracket semifinals. Gal earned her first kill of the year to make Sugar the 61st eliminated player.
That's it for today's action. We'll definitely have a standard day tomorrow, but the option is there to do a little more as well.
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