We'll extend another day, with the silver cue likely to return to full action after a re-tipping on Tuesday. First up...
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Luigi v. Wings. The red cue opens today with 12-ball. North Modernistic's Luigi made a four-ball run from the break, which provided him enough buffer to hold off Central's Wings later in game 1. Luigi picked up the win at the bottom side for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi didn't start as well in game 2, but the Warriors' Wings didn't have a lot in the way of offense. Luigi eventually made a three-ball run-out, highlighted by his bank on the 5 to the top left on the second shot. Luigi owns a 2-0 series lead. Luigi had a little success early in game 3, but he gave Wings a wild-card ball later. Wings gave it back, then received another near the end. Luigi maintained better positioning and got the win to seal the series at 3-0. Luigi had a strong start in game 4 and kept it up to the end as Wings again came up short on offense. Luigi stretched his series lead to 4-0. Both players finished strong in game 5, opening with a four-ball run each. Luigi would be first to pot his final pair for the win to sweep Wings 5-0 in the series. Luigi will play in the bracket semifinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Beth. The blue cue takes a turn in 15-ball. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy seemed to have the edge in game 1 in possession, but she wasn't able to finish it off. Pearl's Beth picked up a 12-15 combination to the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Union's Ms. Puppy had a more aggressive attack in game 2, battling early with the Surfers' Beth. At the end, Ms. Puppy found a six-ball run-out for the win, which tied the series at 1. Beth brought a little extra heat to game 3, winning early with a 5-15-7 combination that saw the 15 follow into the top left for a double-pot. Ms. Puppy was shocked as Beth regained the series lead at 2-1. Beth turned up the offense in game 4 with a four-ball run and a miss on the 14 that left Ms. Puppy with only one option. Ms. Puppy tried the kick, but she followed the 14 in with a scratch, and Beth took the 15 from ball-in-hand to the top right to secure the series at 3-1. Ms. Puppy couldn't be bothered to rise to the occasion in game 5, missing late and allowing Beth to take another win for the 4-1 series win. Beth will appear in the bracket semifinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Steven v. Stealth. The red cue is back for 9-ball here. Atlantic's Steven showed remarkably bad decision-making in game 1, scratching on a bad cut attempt at the 9. Swordpoint's Stealth took a well-earned win from ball-in-hand to go up 1-0 in the series. The Blades' Stealth didn't fall off the pace much in game 2, but a cleaner performance from the Pirates' Steven was enough to flip the result. Steven's late win here tied the series at 1. Steven struck quickly in game 3, making a tough-angle 5-9 combination to the top right with a deflection to add the 7 at the top side. Stealth wasn't very good this time, and Steven now leads the series 2-1. Steven put the series away on the game 4 break, potting the 9 to the top right and giving Stealth no chance to recover. Steven's instant win has him safe at 3-1. Stealth got a little redemption in game 5, picking off the 9 after Steven's late run didn't end the game. Steven settled for a 3-2 series win that will see him visit Frosty of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket semifinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: A. Charlton v. Violetta. The silver cue's return to action comes in this Rotation series. Queens' Violetta made it look easy in game 1, picking up an 8-3 win without much drama to go up 1-0 in the series over Archtown's A. Charlton. The Flames' Violetta brought a little more speed to game 2, posting a three-ball run early on. The Arrows' Charlton got a little closer, but Violetta ran away to get another 8-3 win to stretch her series lead to 2-0. In game 3, Charlton flipped things around. Violetta couldn't get her shots calibrated, and Charlton would win 8-3 this time to cut the series to 2-1. The scoring theme held up again, as Violetta took an early three-ball run and worked her way to another 8-3 win in game 4. Violetta's victory sealed the series over Charlton at 3-1. Violetta and Charlton combined for a close battle at first, but Charlton dropped off and Violetta won 8-3 again to take the series 4-1. Violetta will be on the road once more in the bracket semifinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Pauline. In 13-ball, the silver cue remains in action. Golden's Strut had a strong start in game 1 and kept it going with positioning leading to a three-ball run-out to get the win over Capital City's Pauline. Strut owns a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Pauline had a chance to capitalize on the Pilots' Strut taking the harder road in game 2. Pauline couldn't get any offense going, while Strut won on a three-ball run-out again to move up to a 2-0 series lead. Strut pulled off another pair on the break in game 3 and kept the solids this time. He made a three-ball run later and took the 8 on the next turn as Pauline again came up way short. Strut clinched the series at 3-0 with the effort. Strut made one of each to start game 4, then took a three-ball run in stripes. He had a two-rail bank to make his last ball to the bottom left, and put the 8 in bottom right after favorable positioning allowed him to best Pauline again. Strut's up 4-0 in the series. Strut finished off a brilliant series with another dominant game 5, aided by a complete lack of offense from Pauline. Strut swept the series 5-0 and will head to the bracket semifinals. Pauline is the 64th player out of the Tournament, and Strut officially earned his first kill.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Niki. Back in 12-ball, the red cue cycles in again. Tysini's Leandra had a decent start to game 1, but Commerce's Niki showed a little more tactical smarts at the end to pick up the win. Niki leads the series 1-0. The Tradewinds' Niki led for a lot of game 2, but the Hummingbirds' Leandra made a two-turn surge at the end to grab the win. Leandra's offensive push tied the series at 1. Leandra couldn't keep up the pace in game 3, taking herself out of position multiple times. Niki had a late scratch that slowed her down but couldn't stop her from getting the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Leandra again made a late surge after struggling early in game 4. Niki got close to a win but couldn't finish as Leandra made a five-ball run-out, retying the series at 2. Leandra and Niki both had four-ball runs early in game 5, leading to a tense finish. Niki had slightly better positioning, and Leandra couldn't flip that result. Niki got the win for a 3-2 series win to get into the bracket semifinals.
Intel Center, Diamond: Shadow v. Hannah. The silver cue comes back in for 15-ball. Diamond's Shadow had a productive three-ball run at the start, but Queens' Hannah won on a five-ball run-out with a double-pot of the 6 and 15 to the left corners to go ahead 1-0 after game 1. Game 2 didn't go so well for the Flames' Hannah, who couldn't quite get her offense on track. Exchanges of pairs of shots dotted the end until the Gems' Shadow made a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Shadow and Hannah battled evenly in game 3, leading to a close finish. Shadow hit a three-ball run-out at the end, just swiping the win from Hannah, who had made a fair number of shots over her last two turns. Shadow is up 2-1 in the series. Tension started to simmer a bit in game 4 as the play moved slowly. In the end, Shadow secured the series at 3-1 with a three-ball run-out when Hannah couldn't get back on track. Shadow couldn't figure out game 5, allowing Hannah to pick up a consolation win with the last six balls over the last two turns. Shadow won the series 3-2 and will host his bracket semifinals against the winner of today's last series.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Leonardo. Accuracy is the next series, played with the silver cue as well. Pronger's Spot twice failed to protect a lead against Diamond's Leonardo, but the third time was the charm. Spot got the win 2-3 to go ahead 1-0 in the series after game 1. The Gems' Leonardo pulled off a perfect performance in game 2, as the Tridents' Spot had a couple of mistakes. Leonardo's 0-3 win tied the series at 1. In game 3, Spot held the perfect line as long as he could, but he crumbled at the end. Leonardo wouldn't budge, a second straight shutout putting him ahead 2-1 in the series with the 0-4 win. Leonardo finally missed a shot late in game 4, but Spot wasn't able to capitalize on the moment. Leonardo would go on to win 1-4 to get the series at 3-1. Leonardo couldn't get a grip at the start of game 5, but Spot fell apart by the end to force overtime. Leonardo picked up the 4-5 win to make it a 4-1 series win that puts him in an Eastern Hills derby against the Stonebridge Wolves' Wild Thing in the bracket semifinals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. A. Charlton. The visitor's second series today is in 15-ball with the blue cue. Somewhat out of nowhere, Archtown's A. Charlton took a slow-moving game 1 and ended it on a nine-ball run-out to go up 1-0 in the series over Capital City's Missy. The Arrows' Charlton didn't have a massive run in game 2, but the Sharpshooters' Missy missed her chance to get the win. Charlton mopped up a free shot on the 15 to get the win that put her ahead 2-0 in the series. Missy finally found her way late in game 3, weathering a battle from Charlton early on. Missy cranked a six-ball run-out for the win to get back into a 2-1 series. Missy had a great run in game 4 with a lot of offense, but Charlton stepped up for the last two balls to steal the win that secured the series in her favor at 3-1. Missy didn't have a bad game 5, but a late illegal contact play led to Charlton winning again on a three-ball run-out. Charlton took the series 4-1, and she'll visit the Pearl Surfers' Beth in the bracket semifinals.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Wings v. Neopolitan. The host plays again, using the red cue for 13-ball against a former teammate. Central's Wings struck first in game 1, keeping the 8 in a defensive position to block Pearl's Neopolitan and then taking it at the top left when he needed to. Wings leads the series 1-0. The Warriors' Wings didn't have as good an effort in game 2, although the Surfers' Neopolitan had a lot to do with that given her early six-ball run. Neopolitan converted the 8 after Wings failed to complete a counterattacking run. The series stands tied at 1. Game 3 saw Wings miss contact at the end of a close battle, allowing Neopolitan to pick off the 8 from ball-in-hand after her relatively strong positional play up to that point. Neopolitan pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Game 4 became a race after the two players followed each other for their first three pots. Neopolitan made a pair after that, and Wings couldn't get his positioning right, setting Neopolitan up for her final pair to get the win and clinch the series at 3-1. Neopolitan came pretty close to keeping her offense going in game 5, but Wings made a late attack to nab a win. Neopolitan settled for a 3-2 series win to put her in line to host a bracket semifinals appearance. Neopolitan's first kill of the year makes Wings the 65th eliminated player.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Briana. The blue cue steps in for 8-ball between Southeastern rivals. Royal's Nightfur had a good start partially offset by Queens' Briana making a deep run in the middle. Nightfur then made four balls over the last two turns of game 1 to get the 1-0 series lead on her win. The Crowns' Nightfur didn't get any offense going in game 2, while the Flames' Briana dismantled the stripes in three turns to pick up a win. Briana's three-ball run-out tied the series at 1. Briana fell off the pace again in game 3, and Nightfur was back on track with a fairly thorough victory. Nightfur regained the series lead at 2-1. Nightfur appeared to have game 4 in the bag until a massive five-ball run by Briana shifted the balance of power. Briana needed only two more turns for the win to retie the series at 2. Game 5 condensed the series into a single game, with both sides looking close to the win. Each missed the 8 once, but Briana also missed contact, and Nightfur took it from ball-in-hand for the win and 3-2 series win. Nightfur will host her series in the bracket semifinals.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Jack v. Bryant. The silver cue closes the day in 15-ball. Web City's Jack was clearly in control in game 1 with a seven-ball run in the middle and a three-ball run-out in the end to take a 1-0 series lead over Maplewood's Bryant. Game 2 saw both players compete pretty well within the course of the game. The Lumberjacks' Bryant got the win on a three-ball run-out, in answer to an earlier three-ball run by the Spiders' Jack. Bryant tied the series at 1. Bryant fell apart late in a tense game 3 that saw a lot of misses on both sides. Jack knocked in the final pair of shots by keeping a steady hand at the end. Jack's series lead is restored at 2-1. Bryant again tried a little too hard in game 4, falling off the pace as Jack picked up a three-ball run-out for the win to seal the series at 3-1. Jack didn't push very hard in game 5, allowing Bryant to pick off a six-ball run-out in the end for the win. Jack won the series 3-2, and he'll face his former teammate, Shadow of the Diamond Gems, in the bracket semifinals. Bryant is the 66th player out of the Tournament and the first to fall to Jack.
Starting tomorrow, we'll do a split-day to get us back on schedule for the round.
No comments:
Post a Comment