This is it for round three, and also the best-of-three format for this Tournament. It's a half-day schedule to allow for administrative duties. First up...
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Gabe. The red cue opens the day in Rotation. Stonebridge's Wild Thing showed complete control in game 1, keeping Maplewood's Gabe limited to bad shots only. Wild Thing won 9-0 with a double-pot of the 7 to the bottom right and the 15 to the bottom side at the end, giving him a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Wild Thing had to scrap for his game 2 win, as the Lumberjacks' Gabe did better early on. Wild Thing double-potted the 5 and the 9 to pull ahead, then deflected off the 7 to take the 15 at the top right two shots later for the 8-4 win that sealed the series at 2-0. Wild Thing held the lead for much of game 3, but he had no answer for a massive response by Gabe, as the visitor made a pair of four-ball runs to win 8-7. Wild Thing took the series 2-1 and will visit the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Dani in the bracket quarterfinals. Gabe's likely final career series ends with him as the 49th player out this year, with Wild Thing taking his second kill of the season.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Panda. The blue cue gets a look in 15-ball between captains. Southern's Panda had a late surge in an otherwise sub-par game, posting a three-ball run but missing the 14 at the top right. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy made a pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda probably deserved better in game 2 after making seven balls over his last two turns, but the 15 rattled out of the top right. The Union's Ms. Puppy cut it in for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Ms. Puppy nearly lost game 3 but Panda couldn't make the 9-11-15 combination at the top left. Ms. Puppy double-potted the 9 and 15 to the left corners, but also scratched to give the win away in the end. Ms. Puppy's 2-1 series win sets her up to host Beth of the Pearl Surfers in the bracket quarterfinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Steven. Established veterans clash in Accuracy with the red cue. Todavía's Easter made a ball on the game 1 break, but she couldn't match a perfect effort from Atlantic's Steven, who would win the game 0-2. Steven leads the series 1-0 initially. The Pirates' Steven couldn't stay perfect in game 2, scratching on the break and never really recovering after that. The Stills' Easter was strong in her 1-4 win to tie the series at 1. Steven didn't start so well in game 3, as Easter's ball on the break gave her some momentum. Easter collapsed by the end, with Steven winning 2-4 to take the series 2-1. Steven will host Brownie of the Royal Crowns in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Jack. The red cue goes again in this 13-ball set. Pearl's Neopolitan struck early and held on in game 1 despite critical misses on both side. Web City's Jack never got positioning on his last ball, and Neopolitan took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Neopolitan made a pair of stripes in the same pocket on the game 2 break, but she took solids anyway. The Spiders' Jack couldn't do anything with the jump start, making just two more shots for himself. Neopolitan had a four-ball run and a patient finish on the 8 for the win to secure the series at 2-0. Neopolitan stunned with a five-ball run from the break in game 3, and Jack could only answer with a three-ball run. Neopolitan slammed the door for the 3-0 series sweep, but she'll head on the road in a titanic bracket quarterfinals series against former teammate and current Central Warrior Wings.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Bianca. The red cue's last series of the round is in Rotation. Diamond's Smokey made a pair on the break and never trailed in game 1. Southridge's Bianca pushed late with a three-ball run, but Smokey made a pair for the 8-4 win to pull ahead 1-0 in the series. The Gems' Smokey wasn't able to break free of the Defenders' Bianca in game 2. The visitor put on a good defense until she could gain the lead, and Bianca would close up an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Bianca pulled off the comeback in game 3, trailing to Smokey for most of the game before unleashing a four-ball run-out to take it 8-6. Bianca's 2-1 series win will have her hosting Whitewater Shores captain Shaggy in the bracket quarterfinals. Smokey is the 50th eliminated player this year, and the first to fall to Bianca.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Sarah. The silver cue is on for 13-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot had a four-ball run from the break in game 1, and then took his time before a three-ball run-out assured him of a 1-0 series lead over Tysini's Sarah. The Meteors' Hoot worked a four-ball run in the middle of game 2, but he never got positioning on his last ball. The Hummingbirds' Sarah was slower on attack, but she made a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Sarah brought the heat early in game 3 with a four-ball run, but Hoot fired right back with a four-ball run of his own. Hoot dipped around Sarah's defense at the end to get the win for himself. Hoot's 2-1 series win sends him to the bracket quarterfinals, where he'll host the Capital City Sharpshooters' Lorde.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Sierra. The host's second series today is in 7-ball with the blue cue. Stonebridge's Wild Thing popped off with a four-ball run in game 1, but he made illegal contact on the last shot. Todavía's Sierra replied with a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sierra continued to be a force on offense in game 2, attacking with a five-ball run-out after making the first pair before an error. The Wolves' Wild Thing missed his only shot as Sierra secured the series at 2-0. Sierra completed the 3-0 series sweep with a pair in game 3 in a tighter battle between her and Wild Thing. Sierra banked the 7 to the top side at the end for the win, and she'll renew the Spanish Derby in the bracket quarterfinals against Southern Monarchs veteran Dominic. A clerical error previously indicated Sierra was out, but since she remains in play, Strut had his kill removed.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Bear. The third round ends with 7-ball and the silver cue. Pearl's Beth took her time to ignite on offense in game 1, eventually making a four-ball run but leaving the last two for Everton's Bear to clean up. Bear leads the series 1-0. In game 2, the Eagles' Bear had a decent attack, followed by the Surfers' Beth making a three-ball run. The play got tense at the end, and Bear missed the 7, which Beth swiped for the win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Game 3 went to Beth at the end, with Bear putting up a good fight but ultimately falling short of the mark. Beth won the series 2-1 and will visit the Harrison Specters' Lexi in the bracket quarterfinals.
We're done for the third round. Tomorrow, best-of-five action begins in the bracket quarterfinals.
No comments:
Post a Comment