Tournament 2019 - Bracket Quarterfinals Day 7

We move back to nine-series days for the rest of the Bracket Quarterfinals. First up today...

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Katharine. The blue cue opens the day in Rotation. Whitewater's Katharine got the jump in game 1, but Boston's Puff II evened it in the middle. Katharine then converted a 7-11-8 combination to the bottom side and double-potted the 7 deflected to the bottom side with the 11 going to the bottom left en route to an 8-4 win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Katharine had an early five-ball run in game 2, but she couldn't do anything after that. The Swifts' Puff II made a four-ball run to get close and added a later pair to win the game 8-6, which tied the series at 1. Puff II stormed ahead with a three-ball run in game 3, and she ended it the same way after a double-pot in between her runs. Puff II won 8-0 and took a 2-1 series lead, stunning Katharine. In game 4, offense went back and forth. Puff II had a chance to get the win near the end, but Katharine bounced back with a three-ball run-out for the 8-6 win to tie the series at 2 games apiece. Katharine made the 15 on the break in game 5, and she rode that wave of energy through another back-and-forth battle. Puff II used a four-ball run to tie the game, but Katharine's three-ball run-out secured an 8-5 win and 3-2 series win. Katharine will visit the Southern Monarchs' Pounce in the bracket semifinals. Katharine took her second kill of the year to make Puff II the 73rd eliminated player this year.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Wario. More Rotation awaits, this time with the red cue. Southridge's Wario started with a four-ball run and ended with a three-ball run-out, but North Modernistic's Lionel had enough offense in the middle to make game 1 interesting. Wario won 8-5 and is ahead 1-0 in the series. A grittier game 2 saw the Nighthawks' Lionel briefly shake loose from the Defenders' Wario, who then eventually countered with a three-ball run to retie the game. Wario left the 15 at the bottom right, and Lionel made it for an 8-7 win to tie the series at 1. The players exchanged the lead multiple times near the end of game 3, with Wario getting the 8-7 edge on a pair of shots at the end after Lionel couldn't corral the 13. Wario is up 2-1 in the series. A slower start in game 4 eventually led to Wario picking up an 8-5 win after Lionel miscued on his attempt at the 12. Wario sealed the series at 3-1 with this victory. Lionel had game 5 in his grip, but he missed a cut on the 14, and Wario made the last two balls instead to get the 8-7 comeback win. Wario took the series 4-1 and will be on the road in the bracket semifinals.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Rudolph. The blue goes again in this 12-ball series. Infinity's Fluffina made a pair of solids on the break and cruised from there despite Harrison's Rudolph trying to counter with a three-ball run late in game 1. Fluffina is up 1-0 in the series. The Torpedoes' Fluffina looked very unorganized with a scratch in game 2, but the Specters' Rudolph couldn't capitalize. Fluffina went on to make five balls over her last two turns for the win to move to a 2-0 series lead. Fluffina made two solids and a stripe on the break in game 3, and she turned it into a four-ball run on solids. Undeterred, Rudolph struck back and won with three balls over his last two turns to cut the series to 2-1. Rudolph kept himself in the series after making one of each on the break in game 4. Fluffina gave back her wild-card ball near the end but couldn't corral her last ball before Rudolph won at the bottom left to tie the series at 2. Game 5 brought a high pace and urgency to the attack on both sides. Fluffina ended up with slightly better positioning to make her last two balls for the win and 3-2 series win. Fluffina will travel to Freedom to visit the Cascades' Nikolai in the bracket semifinals. Fluffina joined the league lead in kills with three as Rudolph is the 74th player out of the Tournament.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Niki. Two strong opponents battle in Accuracy with the red cue. A close start to game 1 led to Commerce's Niki experiencing a late fade in quality. Royal's Jake stepped up as needed to get the 2-3 win to take a 1-0 series lead. Both players struggled in the middle of game 2, but the issues persisted longer for the Crowns' Jake who would suffer a 2-5 loss to the Tradewinds' Niki this time. This tied the series at 1. Jake wasn't any better in game 3, while Niki ascended to perfect status in a lopsided 0-4 win. Niki now leads the series at 2-1 and seems to have all the momentum. That momentum went to waste when Niki had an early miss in game 4. She never fully recovered her form, and Jake happily took the lead and rode his way to a 2-4 win to retie the series at 2. Niki had a little luck to keep her steady in game 3, then Jake fell apart shortly after and Niki would go on for the 2-3 win. Niki took the series 3-2 and will play on in the bracket semifinals.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Mitchell. The silver cue gets a look in 9-ball. Golden's Valencia almost made the 9 at the top right on the break, but two shots later, Victoria's Mitchell had deflected the 1 off the 2 to the top side and the cue off the 2 to take the 9 himself. Mitchell leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Mitchell potted a pair on the break and proceeded to run the table from there over the next seven shots to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Mitchell continued to dominate the offense in game 3, and while the Pilots' Valencia made her first ball of the series by putting the 9 in the top left, she couldn't find the 9. Mitchell made it to clinch the series at 3-0. Valencia finally showed her quality with a couple of three-ball runs in a dominant win over Mitchell in game 4. This cut the series to 3-1. Mitchell was back in form for game 5, making a six-ball run-out at the end for the win to defeat Valencia 4-1 in the series. Mitchell is set to visit Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle in the bracket semifinals.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Princess v. Spot. A high-level series of 7-ball goes with the red cue. Both players started a bit slow in game 1, but Pronger's Spot righted the ship with a four-ball run-out to get the 1-0 series lead over Viewpoint Sound's Princess. The Meteors' Princess looked a little more prepared in game 2, but she missed a shot late, and the Tridents' Spot won with his second consecutive turn with a pair of potted balls. Spot is up 2-0 in the series. Spot couldn't put the series to a close in game 3 despite making five of the seven balls. He scratched as he tried to kick the 7 to the bottom side, and Princess took it from ball-in-hand to cut the series to 2-1. Princess made a pair on the game 4 break, but Spot answered with a three-ball run before a narrow miss on the 5. Princess then added the last pair for the win to tie the series at 2 games each. Princess and Spot engaged in a tense game 5, with Spot breaking through on a three-ball run only to miss the 7 at the end. Princess picked up the win instead and took the series in a 3-2 comeback to earn a hosting spot in the bracket semifinals.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Stinky. The silver cue cycles in for 12-ball. Lighton's Shiny gave up a wild-card ball on the break, but she was just inches away from the right positioning to get the win anyway. Instead, Freedom's Stinky was able to make his last two shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Shiny gave away a wild-card ball early in game 2, but the Cascades' Stinky didn't capitalize on it fully. He had positioning but a lack of execution, allowing Shiny to recover from a scratch to pot her last two balls for the win. This tied the series at 1. Shiny made a stripe on the break in game 3, but Stinky fired back with a three-ball run. Shiny was more consistent after that point, getting the win with a pair of shots to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Stinky had a chance at the win in game 4, getting down to his last ball, but he couldn't defend at the top left. Shiny took the open shot after a long set-up sequence to get her win to seal the series at 3-1. Shiny picked up a pair of solids and a stripe on the game 5 break, but her positioning on solids was not good. Stinky cruised to a consolation win as Shiny settled for the 3-2 series win. Shiny will be on the road for her bracket semifinals appearance. Shiny's first kill of the year made Stinky the 75th eliminated player.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney S. v. Leonette. The red cue is back for 7-ball again. Harrison's Sydney S. thought she had pulled off the shot of the round with a two-rail kick combination on the 2-7 deflected off the 4 and into the bottom side, but a scratch wasted the effort and gifted the win and 1-0 series lead to Pacific's Leonette. Game 2 was far less exciting on both sides, with the Volcanoes' Leonette stumbling late, which allowed the Specters' Sydney S. to pot the 7 at the bottom side for a little redemption. The series is tied at 1. Sydney S. found a three-ball run early in game 3, but she ended it with a scratch. From ball-in-hand, Leonette pieced together a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-1 series lead. Leonette had a fortunate three-ball run late in game 4, but it didn't finish well as she missed on the 7. Sydney S. buried it for a counterattack win to retie the series at 2. Sydney S. had a couple of chances to finish off the series in game 5, but her lack of finish led to Leonette getting the win and 3-2 series win. Leonette will visit Princess of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in a Coastal Derby in the bracket semifinals. Leonette joined the league lead in kills with three, while Sydney S. is the 76th player to fall this year.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa v. Pedey. Younger players close the day in 7-ball with the silver cue. Terrace City's Melissa was the stronger player in game 1, and she was rewarded with the final pair of shots and the win for a 1-0 series lead over a non-memorable performance from Diamond's Pedey. The Knights' Melissa was likely the better player again in game 2, but she missed the 7 after making a pair near the end. The Gems' Pedey took the 7 to the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 1. Melissa needed two tries at the 7 in game 3, but she made it and was rewarded with a 2-1 series lead over Pedey, who kept up better but couldn't close it out when he had a chance. Melissa fell off the pace in a choppy game 4 battle, leaving the final pair for Pedey to pot for the win that tied the series again at 2. Pedey pulled off the upset, as Melissa made the first three balls in game 5, but Pedey answered with a four-ball run-out at the end. Pedey won the series 3-2 and will host Lexi of the Harrison Specters in the bracket semifinals. Melissa is the 77th player eliminated and Pedey's first kill of the year.

We'll be back tomorrow.