UPCL Bowl Series - Day 4

We're back for the middle day of Bowl Week. First up today...

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Neopolitan v. Shaggy. Enterprise and Solid Core send their representatives to battle with the red cue. Pearl's Neopolitan was too inconsistent in 7-ball, giving Whitewater's Shaggy the time to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy surged in 8-ball, and it paid off as the Surfers' Neopolitan couldn't quite finish her late run. Shaggy made a pair after Neopolitan scratched, taking the win for a 2-0 lead in the series. Shaggy couldn't sustain much offense in 9-ball, an unusually weak effort for her as Neopolitan plucked the 9 for the win at the end. Shaggy remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Shaggy finished 10-ball early after Neopolitan didn't see much go right for herself. Shaggy converted the 2 to the top side and the 3-10 combination to the bottom right to push her advantage to 3-1. Neopolitan came out blazing in 12-ball, but she couldn't get positioning for her last ball. Shaggy's rally was quick, and sharp enough to pick up the win in the end to stretch her lead to 4-1. Neopolitan thought she had 13-ball in the bag after Shaggy scratched late, but Neopolitan couldn't get onto the 8. Shaggy then rallied with a six-ball run-out to seal the Tysini Bowl at 5-1 with an impressive comeback. Shaggy stepped up with a three-ball run early in Rotation, which Neopolitan matched. Shaggy then pulled away and got the 8-4 win to keep rising to a 6-1 series lead. Neopolitan got one back in 15-ball, taking the win as Shaggy let up a little bit in a challenging event. This made it a 6-2 series heading into the final game. Neopolitan kept close in Accuracy, but she wouldn't get anything to go her way at the end as Shaggy held on tight for a 2-3 win. Shaggy won the bowl by a 7-2 margin.

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Watermelon v. Gradley. Another Enterprise star heads to the Southwest to take on a Youth Movement opponent with the blue cue. Boston's Gradley picked up the opening win with a three-ball run-out as Pearl's Watermelon was a little off with her shots. Gradley leads the series 1-0 after 7-ball. Everything was close in 8-ball until the Surfers' Watermelon had a scratch. The Swifts' Gradley made good use of that, surging to the win in the next couple of turns to give himself a 2-0 series lead. Watermelon made three balls on the break, which Gradley followed with a four-ball run. He missed the 9 on a deflection from the 6, and Watermelon kicked that combination to the bottom right for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Watermelon scratched on the break in 10-ball, and two shots later, Gradley had converted a 2-10 combination to the top right to put his series lead at 3-1. Watermelon had a great start in 12-ball, and then kept it up near the end. Gradley made it close with a three-ball run, but Watermelon had better positioning and earned the win to pull back to a 3-2 series deficit. Gradley couldn't hang onto his lead in 13-ball, as Watermelon's five-ball run and eventual finish on the 8 to the top right earned her the win to tie the series at 3. Watermelon led for much of Rotation, and she was able to cash in for an 8-6 win when Gradley didn't have enough left at the end. Watermelon now leads 4-3 in the series. Watermelon had a fair amount of early offense in 15-ball, but Gradley shined with a four-ball run late. Watermelon couldn't finish on the 15, and Gradley converted it to retie the series at 4. Accuracy was a worthy finish to the Victoria Bowl, as both were perfect late into the game. Watermelon missed the last ball on her first try, but Gradley did too, and Watermelon won 1-2 to take the series 5-4.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Sydney S. v. Wario. The two factions of the Celebrity club clash in our third Southwest bowl today, this one with the silver cue. Harrison's Sydney S. couldn't get much going in 7-ball as Southridge's Wario ended up with a three-ball run early and a pair late for the win and 1-0 series lead. Neither player looked to be in form in 8-ball, but it was the Defenders' Wario who broke the stalemate at the end with a five-ball run-out to go ahead 2-0 over the Specters' Sydney S. Wario couldn't keep his momentum in 9-ball, where Sydney S. ripped a four-ball run-out capped by a bank of the 9 to the top right for the win to pull within a game in a 2-1 series. Sydney S. had a scratching problem early in 10-ball, but she corrected it with a four-ball run-out at the end when Wario failed to capitalize. The series is tied at 2. Sydney S. took a three-ball run from the break in 12-ball, but her late positioning wasn't great. Wario had a rare moment of flexible positioning and the ability to convert, winning in a four-ball run-out to reclaim the series lead at 3-2. Wario picked through the rack again quite well in 13-ball, outpacing Sydney S. throughout the game to earn another win. Wario is up to a 4-2 series lead. Wario played extremely well in Rotation, never even letting Sydney S. have a sniff of the lead. Wario won 8-1 and secured the series in his favor at 5-2. Wario tried his best late in 15-ball with a six-ball run, but Sydney S. was able to cash in on a positive start by making the final pair to cut the series to 5-3. Wario and Sydney S. had a fiery start that petered out to a weaker finish. Wario sportingly avoided overtime by missing late, and Sydney S. converted for a 3-4 win to give Wario a 5-4 series win in the Lighton Bowl.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Dominic v. Jake. Brute Force against Forest SC, the league's newest club rivalry, is set to go with the purple cue here. Southern's Dominic missed contact on the 1 on his second shot in 7-ball, and Royal's Jake rallied for a six-ball run-out and the win. Jake leads the series 1-0. The Monarchs' Dominic had a better performance in 8-ball, picking up some solid offense. The Crowns' Jake kept it close, but Dominic got the win to tie the series at 1. Jake bounced back well in 9-ball with a three-ball run at the end to grab the win over Dominic. Jake's series lead was restored at 2-1. Dominic sank the 10 without even realizing during his big five-ball run in 10-ball. It was an intended shot so it'll count as Dominic's win to tie the series once again at 2 games each with Jake. Dominic gave away two wild-card balls in 12-ball, but his strong shooting and positional play still left Jake with no chance. Dominic easily grabbed the win and took a 3-2 series lead. Dominic had poor positioning in 13-ball, and Jake attacked with a thorough five-ball run early on. Jake would eventually add the last pair for the win to retie the series at 3. Dominic started hot in Rotation and finished the same way with a three-ball run-out capped by a deflection off the 8 to put the 10 in the top right. Dominic beat Jake 8-2 and retook the series lead at 4-3. Jake rattled off a nine-ball run in 15-ball to dominate possession. He almost lost the game, but Dominic couldn't corral the 14, and Jake made the final pair to pull even once again as the series is tied at 4. Dominic held true in Accuracy, winning the decisive game by a 1-4 margin after Jake couldn't keep up from the start. Dominic took the Stonebridge Bowl 5-4.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Americus v. Citrus. Today's action ends with the green cue between Brute Force and Solid Core players. Midland's Americus had a three-ball run from the break and a pair at the end of 7-ball to down Lighton's Citrus. Americus leads the series 1-0 after the smooth-shooting win. The Predators' Americus retained her edge in 8-ball, but she did it with a much slower pace. The Prestige's Citrus challenged for a bit before turning to strategic scratches, which backfired as Americus won anyway to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Americus had too many scratches to stay successful in 9-ball, none worse than the one she had after making the 8. Citrus took this win, cutting the deficit to 2-1 in the process. Americus had better play in 10-ball, but Citrus still got the result with a pair of shots at the end of the close game. Citrus' win tied the series at 2. Americus potted three stripes on the break and another right after, but her positioning was poor at the end. Citrus was quick to even the game and get ahead at the end for the win, which put Citrus ahead 3-2 in the series. Americus saw a similar pattern emerge as she started fairly well in 13-ball. She couldn't position her last ball after taking out Citrus' defense. Citrus then eventually found a four-ball run-out for the win and 4-2 series lead. Americus stayed alive in the series with an ugly 8-7 victory in Rotation that saw Citrus squander at least a dozen chances to tie the game, take the lead, or secure the win. Citrus remains ahead 4-3 in the series. After another poor break in 15-ball, the two players saw frustrations reach a peak near the end. Americus got the win on a cut off the 10 to deflect the 15 to the top right, but many snookered shots came before, especially against Citrus. Americus' win tied the series at 4. Americus had her chances in Accuracy, but a late miss put her behind, and Citrus didn't let up from there. Citrus won the game 3-4 and the series 5-4 to take the Freedom Bowl.

Tomorrow's the off-day in the UPCL Bowl Series. We'll resume with 5 or 6 bowls on Saturday.

UPCL Bowl Series - Day 3

We're back for the third day of bowl action. Leading off...

Ford Forum, Pronger: Panda v. Violetta. Two of the year's top performers battle in the Eastern Hills with the red cue. Southern's Panda had a three-ball run-out in 7-ball, doing enough on offense to best Queens' Violetta for the early 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda had a good look in 8-ball, but a late illegal contact turned it over to the Flames' Violetta, who made the final pair for the win. Violetta's win tied the series at 1. Panda had a strong attack in 9-ball, but the Oriental United man couldn't get the better of his Outcast opponent. Panda scratched as he made the 9, giving Violetta the win and 2-1 series lead in the process. Panda and Violetta went back and forth in 10-ball, with Panda gaining an edge in the middle only to fade at the end. Violetta made the final pair and pulled ahead 3-1 in the series. Panda gave away a wild-card ball to start 12-ball, but it didn't slow him down. Violetta tried to get into position, but she was a step slow as Panda plucked the win to get back to 3-2 in the series. Panda overfilled the top right at the start, and Violetta had wonderful positioning to work with. Panda kept it close, but Violetta took the win, boosting her lead to 4-2. Panda dominated in Rotation, blasting a three-ball run early on and scattering his offense throughout the 8-0 win to cut Violetta's series lead to 4-3. Panda and Violetta had a choppy back-and-forth near the end of 15-ball, with Violetta ultimately knocking in the winning ball to take the Pronger Bowl for Outcast. Violetta couldn't finish strong in Accuracy, a late missing giving Panda the path to a 3-4 win. Violetta still took the tense series 5-4.

FedEx Arena, Eastside: Slinks v. Summer. Another Outcast player is on in a road appearance against a Brute Force member with the blue cue. Maplewood's Summer had a strong performance in 7-ball, including a four-ball run-out to finish off Westside's Slinks for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Summer couldn't capitalize on a strong start in 8-ball, allowing the Rockers' Slinks to push all the way back. Slinks grabbed the win and tied the series at 1. Summer honed in her attack in 9-ball fairly well, grabbing a six-ball run before missing a cut on the 9. Slinks cleaned it up for the win at the bottom right, taking a 2-1 series lead. Slinks made a more aggressive push in 10-ball, ripping a four-ball run-out of her own to push her lead to 3-1 over Summer. Slinks kept up the offense well in 12-ball, segmenting the table effectively and giving Summer hardly any clear looks. Slinks earned another win to stretch her series lead to 4-1. Slinks kept it going in 13-ball, attacking with one of each on the break and choosing stripes. Slinks had no issues on offense, cruising to the clinching win over Summer in the 5-1 series. Slinks had the edge late in a close Rotation game, but it wouldn't hold up against Summer's three-ball run-out for the 8-7 comeback win. Slinks' series lead shrank to 5-2. Slinks continued to surge with the last six balls over two turns in 15-ball, leaving Summer dry on offense at the end. Slinks is up to a 6-2 series lead. Slinks didn't have anything left for Accuracy, allowing Summer to convincingly earn a 0-3 win. Slinks took the Eastside Bowl 6-3.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Leonette v. Spot. The Outcast tour continues in their battle against Solid Core with the silver cue. Pronger's Spot found an edge with a late four-ball run-out in 7-ball, getting the win for a 1-0 series lead over Pacific's Leonette. The Tridents' Spot kept it up in 8-ball, attacking well over two turns. The Volcanoes' Leonette couldn't solve poor positioning, and Spot finished on a four-ball run-out to push his series lead to 2-0. Leonette pieced together a four-ball run in the middle of 9-ball, but Spot made the last three balls over two turns to get another win, stretching his advantage to 3-0. Leonette finally got on the board with a 10-ball win after Spot's three-ball run ended with a miss on the 8. Leonette converted the 8-10 combination to the bottom right to cut the deficit to 3-1. Leonette had a huge lead in 12-ball, but the veteran couldn't make it stand with a ball stuck at the top right. Spot charged back with a three-ball run-out for the win to pull ahead 4-1. Spot started quite well in 13-ball, but Leonette rattled off a three-ball run to get onto the 8 before making it on the next turn for the win. Spot remains ahead 4-2 in the series. Leonette couldn't sustain her offense into Rotation, falling badly by an 8-2 score to Spot, who burst forward with an early run. Spot sealed the Westside Bowl at 5-2 in the process of this win. Spot didn't enjoy 15-ball as much, scratching near the very end to allow Leonette a free shot on the 15. She converted to the top right for the win, cutting the series to 5-3. Leonette grabbed another win in Accuracy by a 2-5 margin as Spot never recovered from a slow start. Spot will settle for the bowl win by a 5-4 margin.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Puff I v. Dusty. A Union star goes to her biggest rival's barn as the hosting player in the Reality Championship Bowl with the purple cue. Modernistic's Puff I picked up a pair at the end after Golden's Dusty failed to complete her run. Puff I leads the series 1-0. The Union's Puff I was sluggish in 8-ball, allowing the Pilots' Dusty to dictate the pace of play. Dusty earned the win at the end, tying the series at 1. Dusty had some offense in 9-ball as well, but Puff I locked up a win with a pair of shots at the end to regain the series lead at 2-1. Puff I surged at the end of 10-ball with a six-ball run-out doing enough to fend off Dusty again as Puff I moved to a 3-1 series lead. Puff I gave up a wild-card ball on the 12-ball break, and then scratched. Dusty used the extra flexibility to her advantage and even gave away a wild-card ball at the end. Puff I had a chance to force a redo and fell short, with Dusty pulling back to a 3-2 deficit. Puff I had a good start but poor positioning late in the game after a wonky shot. Dusty rallied with a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 3 games apiece. Dusty's miss on the 8 in Rotation proved pivotal, as Puff I converted it and the 9 on her last turn for the 8-3 win that could have gone either way. Puff I is back in the lead at 4-3. Puff I turned up the heat near the end of 15-ball, using a five-ball run to get an edge. Dusty had a chance to counter it, but she missed on the 15, and Puff I knocked it down to secure the North Modernistic Bowl, much to the chagrin of the host city, at a 5-3 margin. Dusty led after a miss by Puff I in Accuracy, but Dusty had a late miss and then sportingly missed again to give away the 1-2 win. Puff I ended the series with a 6-3 win.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Shiny v. Sally. Today's action ends with the green cue between Oriental United and Forest SC opponents. Lighton's Shiny survived scratching on the break, bouncing back later after Archtown's Sally lost control. Shiny won 7-ball for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sally ripped a six-ball run early in 8-ball but failed to finish the job. The Prestige's Shiny rallied back over three turns for the win to extend her series lead to 2-0. Sally had a surge on offense to start 9-ball, but Shiny stepped up for a four-ball run-out at the end for the win, moving to a 3-0 series lead. Sally again made an effort to keep up, but Shiny was right there for a three-ball run-out in the end, earning the win and 4-0 advantage. Shiny ripped a five-ball run to start 12-ball, and while Sally pushed back, she was a shot too late to win, as Shiny ended at the bottom left to clinch the Oceanside Bowl at 5-0. Shiny had another positive start in 13-ball, but Sally finally emerged with a win with the pressure off. Sally made a five-ball run-out for the comeback to cut the series to 5-1. Shiny was back to her winning ways in Rotation, rattling off an 8-3 win over Sally to push back to a 6-1 series lead. A back-and-forth 15-ball battle ended with Sally scratching as she made the 15, a common theme on many shots. Shiny took the gift with a 7-1 series lead. Sally picked up the Accuracy win as well when Shiny faltered late. Sally's margin was a 3-6 win in the game, but Shiny's series win was 7-2.

We're done for today. We'll play again tomorrow before a one-day break.

UPCL Bowl Series - Day 2

We're ready to go with the second day of bowls, playing another five today. First up...

Sony Center, Queens: Wild Thing v. Ms. Puppy. Oriental United and Prime representatives use the red cue in this series. Stonebridge's Wild Thing worked a six-ball run from the break, but missed a cut on the 7, and Modernistic's Ms. Puppy took it to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Wild Thing made a more concerted effort in 8-ball, striking a four-ball run at one point. The Union's Ms. Puppy answered on a three-ball run but missed the 8, and Wild Thing stepped in for the win to tie the series at 1. The 9-ball game went poorly on both sides, but Ms. Puppy scratched and illegally sank the 9 all at once to gift the win to Wild Thing, who now leads the series 2-1. Wild Thing didn't get anything going on offense in 10-ball either, and this time, Ms. Puppy was able to finish off a good effort. She had a three-ball run-out capped by a 5-10 combination to the bottom right to retie the series at 2. Wild Thing made quick work of 12-ball with a pair on the break and a double-pot of the 4 and 7 to the left corners at the end, pushing himself into a 3-2 series lead over Ms. Puppy, who had virtually no offense. Wild Thing kept his edge in 13-ball, sustaining a lead throughout the series against Ms. Puppy, whose late push didn't result in any success. Wild Thing is up 4-2 in the series. Wild Thing rode the momentum from his recent wins into Rotation, scrapping with Ms. Puppy early before emerging with the lead. Wild Thing sealed it at 8-4 on an 11-15 combination to the top right, which also clinched the Queens Bowl at 5-2. Wild Thing kept it going in 15-ball, waiting to strike with the 15 near the bottom right. Ms. Puppy couldn't snag this win, and Wild Thing won with a 5-15 combination to push his advantage to 6-2. Ms. Puppy got the edge in Accuracy near the very end, hanging on for the 2-4 win to steal a win away from Wild Thing, who took the series 6-3.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Precious v. Sparkles. Another Oriental United player is up, facing an Enterprise star with the blue cue. Pronger's Precious had most of the offense in 7-ball, but it didn't translate to victory after Golden's Sparkles made the final pair of shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious scratched three times in 8-ball, but she still had the time to beat the Pilots' Sparkles in an awfully sloppy battle. Precious tied the series at 1 with this win. Precious didn't have an amazing 9-ball effort either, but she made a three-ball run-out when the 9 deflected to the top left. Sparkles is now behind 2-1 in the slow-moving series. Precious' miss on the 2 in 10-ball ended up being critical, as Sparkles then made a 2-10 combination to the bottom right for a quick win to even the series at 2 games each. In 12-ball, both players had their moments on offense. Precious made a good push, but Sparkles held on to make a final pair of shots for the win. Sparkles surged ahead 3-2 in the series. The top corners proved to be points of tension in 13-ball, with Precious and Sparkles each blocking each other to slow things down. Sparkles got the win at the end, sinking the 8 to the top side for a 4-2 advantage. Precious got the upper hand in Rotation in a back-and-forth battle with Sparkles, as neither player had a chance to take control. Precious won 8-6 at the end to shrink Sparkles' series lead to 4-3. Precious stayed alive in the series again with a choppy win in 15-ball, grabbing the final pair after Sparkles couldn't push harder at the end. Precious has tied the series at 4. Precious couldn't finish the job in Accuracy, falling apart in the end as Sparkles cruised to a 3-5 win and a 5-4 series win for the Maplewood Bowl.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Bright v. Easter. Also in the Northeast, Forest SC makes its bowl debut against Prime with the silver cue. Pearl's Bright had a good offense in 7-ball, but it wouldn't matter in the end. Todavía's Easter poached the win with the 7 at the top left for a 1-0 series lead against her Coastal rival. The Surfers' Bright started and ended well in eight-ball, overshadowing a great middle from the Stills' Easter marred only by a scratch. Bright made a four-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Bright had a little luck in 9-ball, with his 3-9 combination clipping the 8 on the way by to send the 9 to the top left for a quick win over Easter. Bright leads the series 2-1 now and appears to have momentum. Bright made quick work of 10-ball as well, potting the 1 and 3 to the sides on the break before striking a 2-10 combination to the top right for the win on his second shot. Bright surged to a 3-1 lead in the series as Easter is struggling to see the table at all. Easter made up for lost time in 12-ball, using a four-ball run to establish her lead and then finishing to the bottom left to stun Bright. For now, Bright holds a 3-2 series lead. Bright had total control in 13-ball until the end, where Easter's defense kept him from getting a good look at the 8. Bright's last chance ended with the cue following the 8 into the bottom right to gift Easter the win for a 3-3 series. Easter left no doubt with early offense, and she fended off Bright well at the end to earn an 8-2 win. Easter is ahead in the series at 4-3, just a win away from clinching. Easter couldn't quite keep it going despite some offense in 15-ball. Bright struck back at the end for the win, tying the series once more at 4. The two players battled perfectly after Bright's pair on the break, but Bright fell apart while Easter held true in the end for the 0-4 win. Easter took Harrison Bowl 5-4.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Princess v. Acorn. The biggest star series of the day is the bowl between Brute Force and Prime with the purple cue. Viewpoint Sound's Princess showed plenty of creativity in 7-ball, but Lighton's Acorn got the result with a pair at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Princess made only one ball, which was wiped out by a scratch, in 8-ball, allowing the Prestige's Acorn easy passage to the win and 2-0 lead in the series. Princess did a little better to start 9-ball, but she wasn't able to strike late, as Acorn unleashed a precise four-ball run-out to stretch his lead to 3-0 in the series. Princess again tried to make an impact, only to be stopped by a five-ball run-out from Acorn as the designated visitor holds a dominant 4-0 series lead. Princess had 12-ball in her hands but took far too long at the bottom left. Acorn was instead meticulous with positioning before finding a six-ball run-out for the win to secure the series at 5-0. Princess made a stunning five balls on the break in 13-ball, only to fall yet again as Acorn had better positioning at the end. Acorn cruises on to a 6-0 lead. Acorn never got a grip in Rotation, taking his first loss of the series as Princess got the 8-4 win to cut the series to 6-1. Princess picked up the pace late in 15-ball, firing off a four-ball run, but Acorn answered with a four-ball run-out of his own to push his series lead to 7-1. Princess and Acorn were perfect deep into Accuracy, but despite Acorn missing first, he'd pick up the 1-3 win to finish the Southern Bowl with an 8-1 series win.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Marsell v. Twinkie III. Whitewater Shores teammates use the green cue in today's finale. Enterprise's Twinkie III found her groove in 7-ball with a four-ball run-out to take down Brute Force's Marsell as the teammates begin an exciting series. Twinkie III leads 1-0. Marsell had a jump in 8-ball, while Twinkie III pushed back late with a four-ball run. Marsell finished with the 8 at the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 1. Twinkie III had the stronger play to close out 9-ball, pushing hard and capitalizing when Marsell missed on the 9. Twinkie III tapped it to the bottom right to regain the series lead at 2-1. Both players dropped in quality in 10-ball, especially as Marsell struggled all over the table. Twinkie III eventually got the win to move ahead 3-1 in the series. Marsell got back into form in 12-ball, attacking with relative ease while Twinkie III struggled. Marsell's win cut the deficit to 3-2. Marsell struck on the break in 13-ball, and he had a later 13-ball run, but he wasn't able to get anything else going. Twinkie III had the time to finish smoothly at the bottom right for the win and 4-2 lead in the series. Marsell jumped out to a nice lead in Rotation, and he sustained it for the 8-6 win over Twinkie III at the end. Marsell still trails 4-3 in the series. Marsell and Twinkie III battled evenly in 15-ball, with neither breaking out much. At the end, Marsell found his way with a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 4. Marsell couldn't finish the comeback in Accuracy, as Twinkie III was dominant in a 1-5 win to take the Swordpoint Bowl by a 5-4 margin.

That's it for today, with more to come tomorrow.

UPCL Bowl Series - Day 1

For the first time in league history, we'll play a postseason bowl series. The intent is to pit club representatives against each other in neutral-site All-Around series. We'll play five Bowls a day, with six on Sunday and finish a week from today. First up...

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Briana. In Senior v. Junior 1, we'll see the red cue in action. Archtown's Charlton got off to a good start with a majority of the possession in 7-ball leading to a win for a 1-0 series lead over Queens' Briana. The Flames' Briana enjoyed her early play in 8-ball, but the effort faltered near the end as the 2 proved tough to wrangle. The Arrows' Charlton surged back for the win on a three-ball run-out that gave her a 2-0 series lead. Charlton outright dominated 9-ball after both players missed on their first shots. Charlton worked a nine-ball run-out for the win to extend her advantage to 3-0 over Briana. In 10-ball, Briana finally got on the board with a strong effort to finally defeat Charlton, who retained a 3-1 series lead. Briana made an aggressive push at the end of 12-ball that saw her yield two wild-card balls to Charlton. Briana's offensive fell short, and Charlton got the win for a 4-1 advantage. Briana had some offense in 13-ball, but she was unable to do anything after Charlton's late scratch. This proved to be a strategic move, as Charlton won with a three-ball run-out on the next turn to seal the Golden Bowl at 5-1. Charlton made a spirited push near the end of Rotation, but Briana was able to hang on for an 8-6 win to cut the series to 5-2. Charlton flexed some creativity in 15-ball, making three balls on the break and later adding a double-pot. Briana had a three-ball run at one point, but Charlton won with a three-ball run-out to extend her series lead to 6-2. Charlton came up with the win in a close Accuracy battle as well, winning by a 3-4 score after a sloppy finish ruined Briana's effort. Charlton took the first bowl by a 7-2 margin, which will send her into league retirement after five seasons, one of 16 retiring players.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Lexi v. Twinkie II. The only bowl with teammates meeting is the Humanity v. Reality bowl, featuring the blue cue. Twinkie II picked up the 7-ball win on a 5-7 combination to the bottom right after a close battle with Lexi. Twinkie II holds a 1-0 series lead. Lexi didn't get much of anything going in 8-ball, while Twinkie II ripped a five-ball run-out at the end for the 2-0 lead in the series. Lexi got on the board with a two-shot win in 9-ball, making a ball on the break and deflecting off the 1 to drive the 9 to the bottom right for the victory. Twinkie II still has a 2-1 series lead. Twinkie II did a lot of work with a six-ball run in 10-ball, but she couldn't cut the 10. Missed contact gave Lexi a free shot for the win to tie the series at 2. Twinkie II couldn't get anything going right in 12-ball, with a last-ditch effort at defense. Lexi navigated that without trouble, getting the win to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Lexi had a good performance in 13-ball, but her shot on the 8 was just short at the bottom right. Twinkie II made the final pair for the win, stopping the bleeding to tie the series at 3. Twinkie II regained the edge in the series with a convincing 8-5 win over Lexi in Rotation. It was a close battle, but Twinkie II's three-ball run-out carried her to a 4-3 series lead. Twinkie II had some good moments early in 15-ball, but Lexi came through at the end to strike the 15 to the top right for the win, evening the series once more at 4 games each. Lexi and Twinkie II were even through regulation in Accuracy, setting up an overtime rack. Twinkie II couldn't drop anything on the break, and Lexi took the win by a 2-3 margin to win the Southridge Bowl 5-4 in her final league appearance.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Niki v. Sydney C. Two of this year's breakout stars meet with the silver cue in Senior v. Junior 3. Modernistic's Sydney C. didn't have much of a chance to attack in 7-ball, with Commerce's Niki finding the win instead for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki looked convincing in 8-ball as well, but she was a little too slow. The Union's Sydney C. rallied all the way back for a five-ball run-out to win the game and tie the series at 1. Niki did better in 9-ball, starting strong, weathering Sydney C.'s counterattack in the middle, and then finishing with a three-ball run-out. Niki claimed the series lead again at 2-1. Niki wasn't able to control 10-ball at all, faltering throughout the series with missed shots. Sydney C. was hardly better until the end when she struck for a pair to get the win that retied the series at 2. Sydney C. thought she held defense well at the top side, but it didn't stop Niki at the end when she finally made a pair of shots for the win and 3-2 series lead. Niki had some offense to work with in 13-ball, and while Sydney C. made a big push-back at the end, Niki held it off for the win to pull out to a 4-2 series lead. Sydney C.'s comeback rally began in Rotation, with a crafty turn in the middle yielding a four-ball run. Niki had no answer, and Sydney C. went on to win 8-1 to pull within a game in a 4-3 series. Sydney C. charged again late in 15-ball with a five-ball run, but this would go to waste as Niki answered on a three-ball run-out. Niki's win secured the series in her favor at 5-3 as she won the Midland Bowl. Sydney C. can take some consolation in a strong performance in Accuracy, which saw her beat Niki 1-3. Niki won the series 5-4 to take the bowl.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Leandra v. Rosemary. One of the lesser bowls sees Brute Force meet Youth Movement with the purple cue. Tysini's Leandra looked strong in 7-ball, but she scratched as she made the 7, gifting the win and 1-0 series lead to Commerce's Rosemary. The Tradewinds' Rosemary did a bit more to earn the win in 8-ball, attacking with a very strong performance. The Hummingbirds' Leandra was a turn behind the entire time as Rosemary stretched her series lead to 2-0. Leandra finally took full control in 9-ball, running the table from break to a bank on the 9 to the bottom side for the win. Rosemary couldn't do anything about her series lead shrinking to 2-1. Leandra took a gamble by cutting the 8 to the top side in 10-ball, but she scratched. Rosemary made the last pair of shots for the win, boosting her lead in the series to 3-1. Leandra made one of each on the break, but it was her own bad positioning in 12-ball that led to Rosemary picking up a win in the end. Rosemary's series lead now stands at 4-1. Leandra put on a good start in 13-ball, but Rosemary sizzled a six-ball run before bad positioning on the 8. Leandra failed to respond, and Rosemary got the win to seal the Boston Bowl early at 5-1. Rosemary shook out a large lead fairly quickly in Rotation, then took her time with the finish before beating Leandra 8-3. Rosemary is cruising with a 6-1 series lead. Leandra didn't manage much in the way of offense in 15-ball, but when Rosemary scratched after the 2-15 combination dropped in the bottom right, Leandra ended up with a win anyway. Rosemary remains ahead 6-2 in the series. Rosemary kept it tight in Accuracy and ended up with a 1-2 win at the end to finish off a 7-2 series win over Leandra.

McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Dani v. Daisy. The green cue ends the day with the Humanity v. Celebrity Bowl. Modernistic's Daisy made a mid-game push in 7-ball, but Viewpoint Sound's Dani would take the last two shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Union's Daisy had a bit more stability in her attack in 8-ball, but the Meteors' Dani pulled back at the very end with a five-ball run-out. Dani's lead in the series is now 2-0. The two players did the same dance again, with Daisy coming close in 9-ball, only for Dani to swipe the win away at the end for the 3-0 series lead. Dani posted a decent attack in 10-ball, but she was unable to finish off the game after a scratch. Daisy made a three-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 3-1. Dani had to have everything go right on a late run in 12-ball, but it didn't connect just right. Daisy escaped with a win instead, getting closer but still behind 3-2 in the series. Dani halted her skid in 13-ball, although it took a big run and a push after a scratch to fend off Daisy this time. Dani's big win put her on the edge of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Daisy couldn't hang on at the very end of Rotation, taking a late lead in a close game. Dani surged back with a pair of shots for the 8-7 win to clinch the Atlantic Bowl at 5-2. Dani took her chances on a tough 8-15 cut to the bottom right, converting but also scratching to end 15-ball early and in Daisy's favor. Dani's series lead stands untouchable at 5-3. Daisy couldn't force overtime in Accuracy, slipping up late as Dani took the 2-3 win for the 6-3 series win.

We'll keep going for a week with this before switching gears to a very brief offseason.

City Cup 2019 - Day 3

Today, we crown a team as champions of the playoffs in our third and final day from Amazon Field Exhibition Hall in Golden. The quarterfinals will lead us off, beginning with...

Archtown Arrows v. North Modernistic Nighthawks. Archtown's Hoppy made a pair at the start and another pair at the end to earn the win in 7-ball over North Modernistic's Cheddar. Archtown leads the series 1-0. The Nighthawks' Luigi held a lead over the Arrows' Sleepy B. for much of 8-ball, but it didn't stand. Luigi's attempt to dig the 13 out of trouble ended with the 8 falling early, gifting the win to Sleepy B. as the Arrows pull out to a 2-0 series lead. Archtown's Hoppy had a productive 9-ball appearance with a four-ball run, but she missed the 6. Cheddar gladly made the final pair after that, putting North Modernistic on the board in a series they now trail 2-1. Cheddar couldn't get her offense going in 10-ball, as the Nighthawks star struggled badly. Hoppy ripped a three-ball run-out at the end for the win and 3-1 series lead. Archtown's Sleepy B. had an awful time in 12-ball after making a pair on the break. Both players had wild-card balls at one point, but both returned to the table in the scratch-fest that saw Luigi narrowly prevail at the end. North Modernistic's cut the series to 3-2. Luigi had trouble with positioning in 13-ball, getting chances to attack near the end but failing to get the right contact. Sleepy B. took advantage with a cut on the 8 to the top right to stretch the Arrows' series lead to 4-2. A. Charlton stepped out to a big lead for Archtown in Rotation, but she faded before she could close it out. North Modernistic's Peach rallied with a five-ball run-out for the 8-6 to shrink the deficit to 4-3 in the series. A. Charlton seemed to have 15-ball under control after a four-ball run at the start and plenty of other attacks. However, her cut off the 9 to deflect the 15 to the bottom left led to a scratch, gifting the win to Peach to tie the series at 4. Charlton had the lead late in Accuracy, but she couldn't hang on. Peach forced overtime and won it on her second shot there, a 5-6 score giving North Modernistic the 5-4 series win. The Nighthawks march on into the semifinals.

Pearl Surfers v. Viewpoint Sound Meteors. Pearl's Neopolitan dominated in 7-ball, as Viewpoint Sound's Princess missed her only shot on the 6. Neopolitan's five-ball run and pair on the next turn stood for a 1-0 Pearl series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon had a good start to 8-ball, but the Meteors' Dani didn't back down and picked up the win in the end instead. Dani's victory tied the series at 1. Viewpoint Sound's Princess attacked in force after a slow start to 9-ball. The designated visitor had a five-ball run-out for the win after Pearl's Neopolitan couldn't get anything going. Viewpoint Sound now holds a 2-1 series lead. The Meteors' Princess was a little too loose in 10-ball, missing and scratching multiple times. Neopolitan took advantage of that and made the final pair for a win to tie the series at 2 for the Surfers. In 12-ball, Watermelon gave up a wild-card ball on the break. Viewpoint Sound's Dani had a chance at the end after Watermelon illegally sank her last ball, but Dani ended up overfilling the bottom side to gift the win away. Watermelon's win put Pearl ahead 3-2 in the series. Watermelon and Dani battled in a race in 13-ball. Near the end, Watermelon put up a block on the 8 and baited Dani into a kick attempt. Dani made illegal contact, and Watermelon got the win as the Surfers moved ahead 4-2 over the Meteors. Hoot kept Viewpoint Sound alive in Rotation, staking out a lead with a four-ball run, and then pulling away for the 8-5 win after Bright made it close near the end. Pearl remains ahead 4-3 in the series. Hoot wouldn't repeat the effort in 15-ball, as Bright slammed the door with a five-ball run-out to secure the series at 5-3 for the Surfers. Bright held his ground in Accuracy too, as Hoot slipped up far more often. Bright earned a 2-4 win to finish the series with Pearl beating Viewpoint Sound 6-3.

Harrison Specters v. Atlantic Pirates. Harrison's Twinkie II didn't feel right on the 7-ball break, and Atlantic's Steven did most of the offense, including a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Isabella had a four-ball run early in 8-ball, which the Specters' Lexi answered with a six-ball run. Isabella locked it up from here with a four-ball run-out, stretching the Pirates' series lead to 2-0. Harrison's Twinkie II returned and didn't seem much better in 9-ball, but she deflected a shot after Atlantic's Steven missed contact. Twinkie II's deflection drove the 9 to the top right for the win to put her team on the board in a 2-1 series. In 10-ball, Sydney S. dominated over the Pirates' Delila. Sydney S. ripped an eight-ball run with an illegally potted 10 at the start, and then added a three-ball run-out at the end to help the Specters tie the series at 2. Lexi ripped a five-ball run early in 12-ball, but the Harrison star never found a way to get her last ball after Isabella bumped her out of position. Isabella would then make a three-ball run-out for the win, restoring Atlantic's series lead at 3-2. Lexi put everything she could into keeping the Specters afloat, but bad positioning allowed the Pirates' Delila to make a pair at the end for the win that put her team ahead 4-2 in the series. Sydney S. erased the first deficit in Rotation, but Harrison would be ousted anyway as Delila rallied on a four-ball run-out capped by double-potting the 10 and 15 to the top right for the 8-4 win at the end. Atlantic clinched the series at 5-2 in the process. Sydney S. got a consolation win in 15-ball in a convincing win over the Pirates' Steven, cutting the latter's lead to 5-3 overall. Isabella won a close battle in Accuracy for Atlantic, edging Twinkie II by a 1-2 score. Isabella's wonderful play in the series produced a 6-3 series win to put the Pirates into the semifinals.

Golden Pilots v. Modernistic Union. Golden's Dusty made one ball early and fell apart from there, with Modernistic's Puff I going on a five-ball run. Dusty scratched on her chance at the 7, and Puff I made it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty looked like a completely different player in 8-ball, striking a six-ball run early on and making easy work of the win over the Union's Sydney C. This tied the series at 1. Dusty had her moments for Golden in 9-ball, but Modernistic's Puff I had the majority of the offense and earned the win with a shot on the 9 to the top side. Modernistic retook the series lead at 2-1. Valencia stepped in for the Pilots and did so admirably, beating the Union's Puff I with a five-ball run-out to retie the series at 2. Golden took their first lead on the strength of Strut in 12-ball, as his three-ball run-out put his team ahead 3-2 over Modernistic's Sydney C., who struggled to keep up. The Union's Sydney C. did better in 13-ball, but she was unable to beat the Pilots' Strut again, as he brought the crowd to their feet with a mid-game attack. Strut secured the win to put his team ahead 4-2 in the series. Modernistic wouldn't fall in Rotation, as Daisy dominated the game 8-1 to prevent Golden's Strut from sweeping his set. Golden remains ahead 4-3 in the series. Daisy struck again in 15-ball, winning the back-and-forth battle with a bank on the 15 to the top side to take down Valencia this time. The Union have tied the series at 4, causing the home crowd to turn tense. Valencia locked up the series for the Pilots, taking a risky shot on the last ball that worked out for a 3-4 win and 5-4 series win over Daisy and Modernistic. Golden advances to the semifinals.

Atlantic Pirates v. North Modernistic Nighthawks. Atlantic's Steven had all the early offense in 7-ball, but he wasn't able to control play late. North Modernistic's Cheddar pulled off a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Isabella controlled offense with a five-ball run in 8-ball. Her attack didn't hold up completely as the Nighthawks' Luigi pushed back, but Isabella was able to finish the game victorious to tie the series at 1. North Modernistic's Cheddar didn't dominate in 9-ball, but she made a pair at the end to beat Atlantic's Steven again, restoring a 2-1 series lead for North Modernistic. The Pirates' Delila stepped up in 10-ball but failed to make a mark on the game. Cheddar stood tall and won on a five-ball run-out after a slow start, putting the Nighthawks up 3-1 in the series. Atlantic got one back thanks to Isabella in 12-ball. She gave up a wild-card ball, but Luigi was unable to make anything of his advantage as North Modernistic's lead shrunk to 3-2. Luigi's struggles persisted in 13-ball, as the Nighthawks man couldn't outplay Delila, who used a five-ball run and steady positioning to get the win as the Pirates tied the series at 3. Delila stayed on for Atlantic in Rotation, and she ran circles around Peach with a three-ball run en route to an 8-4 lead. Atlantic leads North Modernistic 4-3 in the series. Steven completed the effort for the Pirates, capitalizing on Peach's fade after her eight-ball run over the middle of the 15-ball game. Steven made the last three balls on two turns to seal the series at 5-3 for the Pirates. Isabella stayed perfect in Accuracy, winning a close 0-1 battle with the Nighthawks' Peach. Atlantic stepped up when they needed to for the 6-3 series win, sending them to the visitors' spot in the Finals.

Pearl Surfers v. Golden Pilots. Pearl's Neopolitan showed little mercy in 7-ball, working a five-ball run-out for the win after Golden's Dusty failed to find her offense. Pearl leads 1-0 in the series. The Surfers' Watermelon got onto the 8 in 8-ball, but she couldn't knock it in. The Pilots' Dusty rallied for a four-ball run-out and the win, tying the series in the process. Neopolitan had all the makings of a huge run ready to go in 9-ball, but her miss on the 8 at the bottom left cut it short. Golden's Dusty surged to make the final pair, giving her team the 2-1 series lead over Pearl now. The Surfers' Neopolitan bounced back against the Pilots' Valencia. The former made a four-ball run-out when given the chance, retying the series at 2 in the process. Pearl's Watermelon made one of each on the 12-ball break, but she played excellent defense at the left corners to nullify Strut's advantage. The Golden star couldn't break that defense, and Pearl is back in the lead at 3-2. The Surfers' Watermelon did it again in 13-ball, commanding a presence at the start and beating the Pilots' Strut to the finish. Watermelon's victory puts her team up 4-2, a win away from moving on. Bright and Strut battled evenly at first in Rotation, but Golden's Strut had no chance to reply when Pearl's Bright ripped a five-ball run-out for the 8-3 win. This secured the series at 5-2 in Pearl's favor. Bright had a chance to win 15-ball as well after a hot middle section of the game. Valencia instead got the win when Bright missed, helping the Pilots cut the Surfers' series lead to 5-3. Bright was perfect for most of Accuracy as well, but the Pearl veteran fell apart at the end, and Valencia claimed this win 2-3. Pearl won the series 5-4, and will play as the designated host in the City Cup Finals.

Pearl Surfers v. Atlantic Pirates. Pearl's Neopolitan thought she had it in 7-ball, but her bank to the top side failed, and Atlantic's Steven took the 7 to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Isabella paced the offense in 8-ball, and she did well enough to hold off a late push from the Surfers' Watermelon. Isabella's successful turn pushed her team's lead to 2-0. Pearl's Neopolitan couldn't settle into a slow 9-ball battle, which went to Atlantic's Steven on a three-ball run-out. Steven's win made it a 3-0 lead for Atlantic. Neopolitan finally put the Surfers on the board with a 5-10 combination to the bottom right after Delila couldn't find her offense for the Pirates, who remain ahead 3-1 in the series. Watermelon made one of each in 12-ball, spotting a wild-card ball for the ever-dangerous Isabella, who made good use of it with Watermelon out of position. Isabella's win pushed Atlantic to the verge of the title with a 4-1 series lead. Delila took over for the Pirates in 13-ball, but she blew a lead due to bad positioning for the top side. Watermelon got ahead on a three-ball run and added the 8 when Delila's defense failed. The Surfers cut the deficit to 4-2. Pearl's hopes now rest with Bright, who will run the gamut against Atlantic. He beat the first challenge from Delila in an 8-4 win in Rotation to trim the series to 4-3. Bright kept it up in 15-ball, playing a solid game but getting the win when Steven's caution on the 15 caused him to under-hit it at the top right. Bright cut it in, tying the series at 4 and setting up a decisive single game for the trophy. Bright looked good deep into Accuracy, but a late fade allowed Isabella to drag him down into a tie. Isabella gave him an awful position for the overtime break, and Isabella made the last ball in a 2-3 win to secure the series at 5-4 for Atlantic. This gave the Pirates the City Cup championship, with Isabella as the MVP for going 9-0 in today's action.

Tomorrow, we begin the first-ever UPCL Bowl Series. Details can be found on the league schedule page.

City Cup 2019 - Day 2

We'll play the last four series of City Cup first round action today. We lead off with...

Commerce Tradewinds v. Atlantic Pirates. Commerce's Taylor S. had a four-ball run in 7-ball, but she faltered at the end, and Atlantic's Steven was able to make a pair for the win. Atlantic is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. kept it close in 8-ball as well, but some late mistakes would cost her. The Pirates' Isabella played a little stronger late and got the win to push her team to a 2-0 series lead. Commerce's Rosemary tried to keep the pace in 9-ball, but she couldn't get positioning on the 2. Steven attacked with a 2-3-9 combination to the bottom right for the win, extending Atlantic's series lead to 3-0. The Tradewinds' Rosemary finally put her team on the board with a dominant-by-default effort against the Pirates' Delila, who couldn't seem to find any control. Delila scratched on the 9 and Rosemary made the 10 to the top side from ball-in-hand for the win to cut the series to 3-1. Taylor S. gave away a wild-card ball on the 12-ball break, and the Commerce star had no time to solve her issues with bad positioning. Isabella fought back well and used the advantage to get the win, stretching Atlantic's series lead to 4-1. The Tradewinds' Niki had a scratch on the break of 13-ball, allowing the Pirates' Delila to establish herself. Delila did well, but Niki fired back on a four-ball run. Delila then made a three-ball run-out, securing the series at 5-1 for the Pirates. Delila kept up her strong play in Rotation, starting with a big run. Rosemary chipped back a bit, but Delila eventually sealed an 8-3 win to put Atlantic up 6-1 in the series. Niki made a good appearance for the Tradewinds in 15-ball, working a seven-ball run-out to stun Steven this time. The Pirates remain ahead 6-2 in the series. Niki took care of business again in Accuracy, picking up a 2-6 win with relative ease over Isabella. Atlantic ended with a 6-3 series win to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.

Golden Pilots v. Queens Flames. Golden's Dusty started a little slow in 7-ball, but Queens' Briana couldn't capitalize on it. Dusty then ripped a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty played with great pace despite her scratch to start 8-ball. She had a five-ball run and nearly potted the 8 to the top side, but that miss bought the Flames' Violetta enough time to rally with a four-ball run-out. Dusty made three balls on the 9-ball break, but also scratched. Queens' Briana made sure the Golden star never returned to the table, answering with a six-ball-out from ball-in-hand to pull Queens ahead 2-1 in the series. The Pilots' Valencia made quick work of 10-ball, going empty on the break but capitalizing with three balls after the Flames' Briana couldn't pot the 1. Valencia deflected off the 3 to drive the 10 to the top right, retying the series at 2 in the process. Golden's Strut started well in 12-ball and kept a consistent offense throughout. Hannah didn't enjoy any positional benefits in this one, and Strut took an easy win to put his team ahead 3-2 in the series. Strut and Hannah tangled again in 13-ball, with this being a closer battle. Strut made two stripes on the break but preferred solid positioning. He flubbed his third shot, and Hannah took over. The Flames star rallied at the end, left the 8 short, and made it on the next turn when Strut failed to run. The series is tied at 3. Strut held the lead for much of Rotation, but he had some weakness in his performance. Violetta briefly pulled ahead at the end on a four-ball run, but Strut made the last two balls for the 8-7 win. Golden leads Queens 4-3 in a tight battle. Valencia brought 15-ball to a surprisingly fast end, as her miss on the 1 on her second turn saw deflections take the 15 at the top right for the series-clinching win over the Flames' Violetta. The Pilots lead 5-3 with a game to go. Valencia struggled for a bit in Accuracy, but the Golden captain dragged Hannah into a tie before letting Hannah get the 4-5 win in the game. Golden won the series 5-4 to punch a ticket to the quarterfinals.

Pearl Surfers v. Pacific Volcanoes. Pearl's Neopolitan only needed the break in 7-ball, sending the 7 to the top side for a quick 1-0 series lead over Pacific's Leonette. The Surfers' Watermelon tried to build on that hot start, but a late scratch sank her 8-ball effort. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I capitalized with some solid shooting late for the win to tie the series at 1. Pearl's Neopolitan needed two turns to beat Pacific's Leonette in 9-ball. Leonette missed a kick on the 1 toward the top right, and Neopolitan's ball-in-hand deflected to double-pot the 9 at the bottom right for the win. Pearl's back in front by a 2-1 margin. The Surfers' Neopolitan had five of the last six balls on her ledger, but the Volcanoes' Cowzart potted the 10 to the top left when Neopolitan left it hanging. This tied the series again at 2. Watermelon returned for Pearl in great form, striking on the break and staying strong throughout. Twinkie I had no answer for Pacific, as Watermelon's three-ball run-out restored Pearl's series lead at 3-2. Watermelon made every effort possible in 13-ball, but Twinkie I was a little stronger with positioning, edging her way to victory to even the series again at 3. Bright stunned the arena with a four-ball run from the break. He held a large lead throughout before eventually beating Pacific's Cowzart by an 8-1 score to make it a 4-3 series lead for Pearl. Bright kept up a thorough offense with a four-ball run from the break and an eight-ball run on the next turn in 15-ball. Leonette made a pair to make it interesting, but the Surfers' Bright sealed the win and 5-3 series on the next shot, sending the Volcanoes home. Bright held the lead for much of Accuracy in this one, but he faded late and allowed Cowzart to take the 3-4 win to avoid overtime. The Surfers still won the series 5-4 to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.

Southern Monarchs v. North Modernistic Nighthawks. Southern's Pounce ripped a four-ball run-out for a quick win in 7-ball over North Modernistic's Cheddar. Southern leads the series 1-0. The Nighthawks' Luigi had some creative shots in 8-ball, and he came close to winning, but the Monarchs' Dominic pulled back on a six-ball run-out for the win instead. This made it a 2-0 advantage for the Monarchs. Panda couldn't make it three for Southern in 9-ball, as his back-and-forth battle with Cheddar ended with her taking a pair at the end for the win. North Modernistic now trails 2-1 in the series. Panda had a little more possession in 10-ball, but the Monarchs captain couldn't finish the job, and the Nighthawks' Cheddar sank the 10 at the top left to tie the series at 2. Dominic provided a strong start in 12-ball, and while Luigi tried to make moves at the end, the North Modernistic man fell as Dominic got better positioning to restore Southern's series lead at 3-2. The Monarchs' Dominic had a good start in 13-ball as well, but he faltered after a scratch. Luigi finally got a win of his own at the end, helping the Nighthawks to level the series again at 3. Southern's Pounce returned to action in Rotation, standing his ground with a massive early lead. Peach tried to catch up for North Modernistic, but Pounce won 8-5, and Southern pulled ahead 4-3 in the series. Panda put up some offense early in 15-ball, but the Monarchs' captain faded near the end, including a tough miss on the 15. Peach sent it to the bottom right, keeping the Nighthawks alive with the series tied at 4. Pounce and Peach went into overtime in Accuracy, where the latter made a ball on the break. Pounce lasted one turn, but missed his second attempt, allowing North Modernistic's Peach to win the game 2-3 and the series 5-4. The Nighthawks' upset gets them to the quarterfinals.

Tomorrow, we end the City Cup with the named rounds (Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals).

City Cup 2019 - Day 1

We're doing the City Cup over three days this season, with the first round on the first two days. The purple and green cues will split the bracket. All events are at Amazon Field Exhibition Hall in Golden. First up...

Archtown Arrows v. Pronger Tridents. Archtown's Hoppy started off in 7-ball, but she missed the 6 near the end. Pronger's Spot buried it and the 7 on consecutive shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sleepy B. got her side back on track in 8-ball, attacking for a four-ball run-out to defeat the Tridents' Lize. This tied the series at 1. Hoppy and Spot went again in 9-ball, but this one was all Hoppy. She made a six-ball run from the break and added a three-ball run-out for a thorough victory to put Archtown ahead of Pronger 2-1. Hoppy stayed on for 10-ball against the Tridents' Precious. It was a close battle on both sides for the most part, with Hoppy getting the edge at the end on a three-ball run-out sparked by her banking of the 7 to the bottom right. Hoppy's win put the Arrows up 3-1 in the series. Sleepy B. took up the charge for Archtown in 12-ball, and she made it interesting. She gave up a pair of wild-card balls to Pronger's Spot, but her positioning was better than his. Sleepy B. ended up winning anyway as Archtown pulls out to a 4-1 series lead. Sleepy B. had a good start to 13-ball, but her inability to make contact on her final ball would slow her down. The Tridents' Lize took ball-in-hand, converted from a bad position on the last solid, and picked up the win with the 8 at the top right to cut the Arrows' series lead to 4-2. Precious stepped up for Pronger in Rotation, weathering an early attack from Archtown's A. Charlton. Precious then blasted a massive run for the 8-2 win to pull her team closer in the 4-3 series. A. Charlton had a good grip on the offense in 15-ball, but she made a late mistake. The Tridents' Precious tapped the 15 to the bottom right, erasing the Arrows' series lead in a 4-4 tie with a game to go. A. Charlton refused to miss in Accuracy, overpowering Lize to give Archtown the 5-4 series win with a 0-5 win. The Arrows head to the quarterfinals.

Lighton Prestige v. Viewpoint Sound Meteors. Lighton's Nicole made a solid start in 7-ball, but Viewpoint Sound's Princess went off with a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dani stepped in for 8-ball and had a good start. The Prestige's Nicole then attacked with a six-ball run to take the lead. Nicole was just fast enough on the counterattack at the end, getting the 8 at the bottom right to tie the series at 1. The 9-ball battle was much slower on both sides, with Princess looking like she had a breakout ready before missing on the 8. Nicole struck the last two balls down for the win as Lighton now leads Viewpoint Sound 2-1 in the series. The Prestige's Shiny had a hard time stringing shots together in 10-ball, allowing a little too much room for the Meteors' Princess to operate. Princess won with a three-ball run-out to retie the series at 2. Viewpoint Sound's Dani did what she could to maintain defense in 12-ball, but her last shot was poor. Lighton's Citrus made her last ball after a hot start to get the win that restored her team's lead at 3-2. The two players rematched in 13-ball, but this time Dani was able to get the better of Citrus. The Prestige star gambled on positioning near the end, enabling the Meteors' Dani to work a three-ball run-out for the win that retied the series at 3. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot debuted quite well in the series, dominating Rotation with an 8-1 win over Lighton's Shiny. Viewpoint Sound leads the series 4-3. Shiny tried to keep the Prestige alive, but Hoot was too strong at the end of 15-ball, making six balls over his last two turns for the win. The Meteors sealed the series at 5-3 in the process. Hoot wasn't able to work any additional magic in Accuracy, as a close start gave way to Lighton's Citrus winning 2-4. Hoot settled for a 5-4 series win in Viewpoint Sound's favor, sending them to the quarterfinals.

Modernistic Union v. Midland Predators. Modernistic's Puff I came close to a win in 7-ball, but she left the 7 at the bottom right. Midland's Americus banked the 1-7 combination to that pocket for an early 1-0 series lead. In 8-ball, a back-and-forth battle occurred. The Predators' Shawn appeared to have an early surge, but the Union's Sydney C. answered strong enough at the end for the win. This tied the series at 1. Midland's Americus returned in 9-ball, but she missed the 9 at the top right near the end out of fear of scratching. Puff I tapped it down on the turn after her three-ball run, giving Modernistic a 2-1 series lead. Puff I was much less in control during 10-ball, but she still got the win for the Union after an absolutely awful showing from the Predators' Kitty. The Union lead the series 3-1. Sydney C. made one of each on the 12-ball break, ceding a wild-card ball to Midland's Shawn, who made the late push for the win. Midland still trails Modernistic 3-2 in the series. Sydney C. had some savvy plays in 13-ball as well, but her positioning play near the end turned into a scratch. Shawn took the last two shots for the win to tie the series at 3 for the Predators. Midland's Americus returned to action against Modernistic's Daisy in Rotation. It was a close game, but Americus had a pair of three-ball runs near the end for the 8-6 win to put Midland ahead 4-3 in the series. The Union's Daisy bounced back well in 15-ball, scrapping with Kitty throughout to grab the win. Daisy's victory tied the series one more time at 4 games apiece. Accuracy was as expected, a tight battle between both teams' third player. Daisy made a lucky shot on the 13, and Kitty missed her next one on the 12. Daisy won 2-3, giving Modernistic a 5-4 series win to advance to the quarterfinals.

Harrison Specters v. Royal Crowns. Harrison's Twinkie II started in 7-ball and managed a five-ball run, but she left the 7 short at the top left. Royal's Jake poached the victory for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Brownie pushed with a four-ball run in 8-ball, but a later scratch threw her off. The Specters' Lexi wasn't far behind, close enough to strike back for the win to tie the series at 1. Twinkie II had more luck in her second appearance, chipping her way to a win over Jake in 9-ball that put Harrison ahead of Royal 2-1 in the series. The Specters' Sydney S. never really got going in 10-ball, as the Crowns' Cassie commanded more of the offense. Cassie's strong play ended with an 8-10 combination to the bottom right to even the series at 2 games each. Harrison's Lexi stepped up after giving up a wild-card ball in 12-ball. Royal's Cassie was a little disorganized on offense, and Lexi beat her to the finish for the win and 3-2 series lead. Lexi showed far more control in 13-ball, making a pair of stripes from the break. After that, the Specters star had her way as Cassie failed to keep up. Lexi's win put the Specters up 4-2 over the Crowns. Sydney S. didn't stand much of a chance in Rotation for Harrison, as Brownie popped up with motivating. Brownie attacked with a four-ball run-out for the 8-2 win to cut Royal's deficit to 4-3. Sydney S. and Brownie battled again in 15-ball, but this time Sydney S. had the better play, making the last five balls over two turns for the win. The Specters clinched the series at 5-3 in the process. Accuracy didn't go in Twinkie II's favor after a pair of scratches. She ceded the result to Jake to avoid overtime, with the visitor winning 3-4. Harrison still won the series 5-4 and will head to the quarterfinals.

That's all for today's action. We'll put the first round of the City Cup in the books tomorrow.

Clan Cup 2019 - Semifinals and Finals

The last three series of the club-based Clan Cup are ready to go. The green cue will play again today. First up...

Humanity Senior v. Youth Movement. Senior elects to go with the first semifinal to get potential rest if they advance. Senior's Bryant started 7-ball on a three-ball run, and after a prolonged battle on the 6, he beat YM's Bianca with a pair of shots. Bryant staked out a 1-0 series lead for his team. YM's Bianca bounced back in 8-ball, navigating a poor break from Senior's Chris quite well. Bianca ended up with a shutout for the win, tying the series at 1. In 9-ball, Senior's Jennifer had a pair of four-ball runs, including the winning attack as YM's Solaris never really got on track. Senior has returned to the series lead at 2-1. Senior's Bryant looked good in 10-ball with a five-ball run, but his miss on the 9-10 combination to the top left allowed YM's Sierra to make the final pair of shots for the win. The series is tied again at 2. Senior's Beth gave up a wild-card ball at the start of 12-ball, but YM's Sierra later gave it back. This was pivotal, as Beth took over with positioning and made three balls over her last two turns for the win. Senior retakes the series lead at 3-2. Chris was unable to solve his shooting problems in 13-ball, leading to a lengthy and frustrating battle between him and YM's Gradley. In the end, Gradley kicked the 8 to the bottom side for the win to tie the series once again at 3. Senior's Kirstin had a four-ball run to start Rotation, but YM's Spirit wouldn't go quietly. Spirit chipped a little offense in the middle and then found a five-ball run-out highlighted by a double-tap on the 13 to the top side for the 8-6 win. YM finally has a lead at 4-3 in the series. Senior's Kirstin had a dangerous break in 15-ball, making one and leaving the 15 near the top right. She did well to defend against a kick attempt from YM's Solaris, who missed contact. Kirstin then made the 2-15 combination to the top right for the win, retying the series at 4 to set up a decisive finale. Beth and Gradley were called on for Accuracy to determine the series. Beth took a big lead, but looked ready to fade before a lucky bounce secured the 2-4 win and 5-4 series win in Senior's favor. Humanity Senior will oppose the winner of the next series in the Clan Cup Finals.

Enterprise v. Prime. After the break, the other semifinal is set to begin. Enterprise's Twinkie III had a good start in 7-ball, but she missed on the 7 at the end. Prime's Diddley tapped it down to the bottom right and got the win for a 1-0 series lead. Enterprise's Whiskers had a good start in 8-ball, but it quickly turned sour as Prime's Easter made a strong counterattack. Easter's only flaw was a scratch, and Whiskers made a pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Enterprise's Whiskers stayed on for 9-ball and did well, converted the 4-9 combination to the top right on a double-tap. Prime's Diddley hadn't commanded much offense this time as Whiskers led Enterprise to the 2-1 series lead. Max had some rough moments in 10-ball for Enterprise, unable to take control. Prime's Ms. Puppy converted a four-ball run and later made the 10 to retie the series at 2 games each. Max kept 12-ball even until the end, when he accidentally gave Prime's Acorn a wild-card ball. Acorn made it count by picking up the win as Prime now leads Enterprise 3-2 in the series. Fluffina took a turn for Enterprise in 13-ball, but she wasted her early lead with a scratch. Sage charged back on a three-ball run-out to earn Prime the win and 4-2 advantage. Fluffina scratched on the break of Rotation, and Sage stomped her with an eight-ball run-out from there. Sage won 8-0 to clinch the series for Prime at 5-2. Enterprise's Ice Cream got a little consolation for her squad with an eight-ball run and a three-ball run-out over her last two turns to beat Prime's Ms. Puppy in 15-ball. Prime remains ahead at 5-3. Twinkie III did her part for Enterprise in Accuracy, holding off Prime's Acorn for a 2-4 win. Prime was fortunate to have the series locked up so they could win it 5-4 in the end to earn their spot in the Clan Cup Finals.

Humanity Senior v. Prime. The Clan Cup Finals comes down to these two clubs. Two Maplewood Lumberjacks battled in 7-ball, with Diddley nearly winning it for Prime before a scratch on the 7 gifted the victory to Senior's Bryant for the 1-0 series lead. Senior's Chris started slow in game 2, allowing Prime's Easter to establish herself. Chris then pushed back with a five-ball run and won a turn later on a three-ball run-out to push their series lead to 2-0. Prime's Diddley made too many mistakes in 9-ball, his faulty play allowing Senior's Jennifer to eventually make a pair of shots at the end for the win and 3-0 series lead. Senior's Bryant tried to get the win in 10-ball on a late bank, but his shot rattled out of the top left. Prime's Ms. Puppy converted instead, putting her team on the board but trailing 3-1 in the series. Senior's Beth seemed to have control early in 12-ball, but her positioning slipped and she gave a wild-card ball to Acorn, who did the rest with a three-ball run-out. Acorn's win brought Prime within a game in the 3-2 series. Sage put up a good fight for Prime in 13-ball, but a frustrating start to the game didn't get better after her late scratch. Chris eked out this win to push Senior to a 4-2 series lead, needing just one more win for the trophy. Sage had a chance to save Prime's season in Rotation, but Senior's Kirstin didn't let that happen. Kirstin's thorough offense ended with a double-pot of the 9 and 10 to the right corners for the 9-2 win that sealed the series at 5-2. Kirstin kept up the good work for Senior in 15-ball, rallying with a five-ball run-out to defeat Ms. Puppy for the 6-2 series lead. Acorn stepped up to snag his second win over the series on a 1-3 victory over Beth in Accuracy. Senior still won 6-3 overall to take the Clan Cup title, with their MVP being Kirstin for her clutch play in important games.

The Clan Cup is done, but Tournament playoffs roll on tomorrow with the first four series of the City Cup.

2019 Clan Cup Quarterfinals

The attention shifts to the clubs for two days. We'll begin with the Clan Cup Quarterfinals today, from Ford Forum in Pronger. We'll play an all-around series for each matchup. This also marks the league debut of the brand-new green cue. First up...

Oriental United hosts Youth Movement. OU's Wild Thing had a positive start with a ball on the break, but YM's Bianca answered with a three-ball run-out. She won by deflecting the cue off the 3 to pot the 7 at the bottom left for the 1-0 series lead. YM's Bianca kept up the good play in 8-ball, shooting steadily throughout the game. OU's Stealth had a hot start but couldn't sustain it at the end. Bianca won on a three-ball run-out to push YM's series lead to 2-0. OU's Chimpy tried to get cheeky in 9-ball, taking a swipe at a 2-3-9 combination toward the top right. He failed, and YM's Solaris countered by banking the 2 to the bottom side and converting the 3-9 to the top right to push their series lead to 3-0. OU finally got on the board in a fast 10-ball meeting, as YM's Sierra scratched to end a four-ball run. Wild Thing put OU on the board with a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, cutting the series to 3-1. Sierra bounced back well in 12-ball, weathering a three-ball run from OU's Chimpy at the start. Sierra made a five-ball run and later added her last ball at the bottom left to push YM's series lead to 4-1. OU's Sparkles had a strong start to 13-ball, and she was first onto the 8 as well. YM's Gradley did his best to catch up, and he won with a pair of shots at the end when Sparkles couldn't cut the 8 to the top right. Gradley's win secured the series for YM at 5-1. OU's Mams staked out a lead with a three-ball run in Rotation, but YM's Spirit pulled ahead for awhile in the middle. At the end, Spirit scratched on the 15, and Mams took it from ball-in-hand for the 8-7 win to shrink the series to 5-2. Mams kept up a strong attack in 15-ball, but the OU star missed on the 14 this time. YM's Solaris capitalized with the final pair of shots for the win, stretching their lead back to 6-2. In Accuracy, OU's Sparkles got a little revenge on YM's Gradley, as the former claimed a 1-4 win to produce the series final score of 6-3.

Solid Core v. Prime. The second quarterfinal features a partial homecoming for former club-mates. Prime's Diddley struck for a four-ball run in 7-ball, but he left the 7 standing. Solid Core's Frosty capitalized with a tap-in to the top side for the win and 1-0 series lead. In 8-ball, a cautious battle unfolded between Prime's Easter and Solid Core's Leonardo. Easter held the edge for much of the game and made it work for the win, tying the series at 1. Solid Core's Frosty fired back in 9-ball, winning a back-and-forth battle with Prime's Diddley again after Diddley missed the 8. Frosty took the final pair and put her side ahead 2-1. Solid Core's Smudge held her own in a tense 10-ball battle, but she scratched as she made the 9. Ms. Puppy made the 10 from ball-in-hand for the win, helping Prime tie the series again at 2. In 12-ball, Shaggy blasted three balls on the break, but the Solid Core star couldn't get set up at the end. Prime's Acorn rallied with a four-ball run-out for the win to put them ahead 3-2 in the series. Blizzard had the edge on Prime's Sage in 13-ball, but Solid Core's representative sank the 8 in an uncalled pocket at the end. This gave Sage the win, and Prime now holds a 4-2 series lead. The two players battled again in Rotation, and Sage staked out a big lead. Blizzard had too many errors in her game, and Sage won 8-3 to lock up the series at 5-2 in favor of Prime. Ms. Puppy took the stick up for 15-ball, and the Prime veteran had a three-ball run near the end but couldn't find her shot on the 15. Smudge fired back with a tap-in at the end to get the win, cutting the series to 5-3. Leonardo gave Solid Core a proud finish, holding off Prime's Acorn at the end for the 2-3 Accuracy win. Prime won the series 5-4 and will play in the Clan Cup semifinals.

Enterprise v. Humanity Junior. The next bid is up for grabs between these younger teams. Enterprise's Twinkie III had to watch most of the 7-ball match as Junior's Sarah made a four-ball run, but Sarah missed the 7. Twinkie III knocked it down for a 1-0 Enterprise series lead. Junior's Jason N. had a pair of three-ball runs in 8-ball, making a good impact, but he was unable to defend. Enterprise's Whiskers stormed back for a six-ball run-out, earning the win for a 2-0 lead. Whiskers stepped right back into action in 9-ball, but it was a poor game for her. She left the 9 at the top side as the final mistake, and Junior's Sarah tapped it down for the win to cut Enterprise's series lead to 2-1. Junior's Vladimir cashed in with a four-ball run-out in his only appearance, using the 4 as a decoy to bump the 10 to the top right at the end of it. He beat Enterprise's Max and tied the series at 2 with that shot. Enterprise's Max lived dangerously in 12-ball with a five-ball run from the break and two wild-card balls surrendered. Junior's Mitchell made an effort at positioning, but Max played fast enough to win, restoring a series lead at 3-2 for Enterprise. Fluffina set the bar high in 13-ball, and Mitchell matched the first volley, but couldn't keep pace after that. Fluffina stormed away for the win, helped by Mitchell's missed contact. Fluffina's win put Enterprise up 4-2 over Junior. Fluffina fell behind early in Rotation, as Jason N. attacked viciously early on. Jason N. struggled in the middle but won 8-6 at the end, keeping Junior alive as Enterprise leads 4-3 in the series. In 15-ball, neither Enterprise's Ice Cream nor Junior's Jason V. looked particularly confident in themselves. Jason V. eventually erred near the end of the game, and Ice Cream took the 15 from ball-in-hand to secure the series at 5-3 for Enterprise. Twinkie III faced no problems in Accuracy, picking up a 1-3 win to finish the series at 6-3 over Jason V. and Junior. Enterprise is in the semifinals.

Humanity Senior v. Reality. Today's last series features the top seed versus the club looking for redemption after a multi-round collapse. Senior's Bryant had a decent start in 7-ball, doing well to keep Reality's Stinky from any good angles. Bryant made a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. A pair of Sharpshooters teammates went in 8-ball, with Missy striking first for Reality, but Chris charging back to win on a five-ball run-out for Senior, who now leads 2-0 in the series. Senior's Jennifer didn't get anything on the 9-ball break, but Reality's Boots potted the 9 banked off a deflection from the 1 on her first shot. Boots' win cut Senior's lead to 2-1 in the series. Puff II had some good looks for Reality in 10-ball, but she left the 9 standing late, and Senior's Bryant grabbed a second win to push his side ahead 3-1. Beth took a gamble in 12-ball, trying to play for positioning on her last ball. She scratched at the bottom side, and Spice struck her last shot to the bottom right for the win that got Reality within a game as Senior leads 3-2. Reality's Stinky had no answer for Senior's Chris in 13-ball. Chris led off well and kept total control on the table, earning the win to put his club on the verge of advancing with a 4-2 series lead. In Rotation, Senior's Kirstin had a total grip on the game, especially after Reality's Boots scratched on the 15. Kirstin then flubbed a shot, and Boots won 8-7 to pull back to a 4-3 series. Kirstin bounced back in 15-ball, doing well on offense despite shaky command. Missy gave her some trouble, but Kirstin converted the 12-15 combination to the top left to seal the series at 5-3 in Senior's favor. Beth couldn't do much in Accuracy, as Spice knocked down a 1-3 win for the final game. Senior still beat Reality 5-4 to advance.

We're done for today, but tune in tomorrow for the Semifinals and Finals of the Clan Cup.

2019 Tournament of Champions

After 117 game days in Tournament play, eight champions were crowned across the nine disciplines. Today, those eight battle for the final individual trophy, the Champions' Cup. Making its league debut, the brand-new purple cue will be used for this competition. From Volkswagen Stadium Events Center in Viewpoint Sound, we have the Tournament of Champions, beginning with...

Precious (10) v. A. Charlton (15). The first quarterfinal will be played in 15-ball as A. Charlton won the coin toss. Pronger's Precious struck first in game 1 with a three-ball run-out after Archtown's A. Charlton missed a deflection off the 13. Precious leads the series 1-0. In game 2, neither player really did anything notable to take control of the offense. The Arrows' Charlton attacked a little more near the end, but missed on the 15, and the Tridents' Precious picked it off at the top right to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Precious had a decent attack in game 3, but Charlton stole the show at the end. Showing confidence in the new cue, Charlton made a three-ball run-out composed entirely of side pocket bank shots, earning the win to cut Precious' series lead to 2-1. Charlton struggled a bit with contact shots throughout game 4, ceding a lot of possession to Precious. In the end, Precious couldn't capitalize, and Charlton made a pair for the win to tie the series at 2. Game 5 was an absolute mess at the end, as neither player could convert simple looks at the 15. Eventually, Precious kicked it to the top right for the win and regained the 3-2 series lead over Charlton. In game 6, Charlton kicked up the pace a bit with a seven-ball run-out, avoiding the defeat this time to retie the series at 3 after Precious wasn't able to convert an 8-15 combination. Precious turned the tables in game 7, making a six-ball run in the middle and cutting the final pair to the right corners for the win and 4-3 series win. Precious heads to the Tournament of Champions semifinals.

Panda (9) v. Leonardo (A). The second quarterfinal will feature Panda's preferred 9-ball. Southern's Panda wasted no time in making an impact in game 1, draining the 9 to the bottom right on the break for a 1-0 series lead over Diamond's Leonardo. The Monarchs' Panda nearly recreated that effort in game 2, but the 9 stayed out on the break. The Gems' Leonardo had a little offense, but Panda won by double-potting the 7-9 combination to the top right to make it a 2-0 series lead for himself. Panda had a good attack with a seven-ball run in game 3, but he twice missed on the 9. This gave Leonardo the chance to steal a win, cutting the series deficit to 2-1. Panda continued to boss the offense in game 4, working a majority of the possession. Panda won with a failed bank that turned into a missed cut on the 9 at the top left, which deflected into the bottom left to move up 3-1 in the series. Panda had a strong break and a good shot in game 5, but he missed on the 9. Leonardo struck at the bottom right to grab it, shrinking the gap to 3-2 in the series. Leonardo made three balls on the break in game 6 and added more later, but Panda responded at the end to get the win, clinching the series at 4-2 in the process. Leonardo had more of the offense in game 7, but it was Panda taking the win after Leonardo couldn't deflect a shot off the 8. Panda made the 8-9 combination to the bottom right for the win and 5-2 series win to get into the semifinals.

Watermelon (8) v. Brownie (R). After the coin flip, this series will be played in Brownie's style of Rotation. Royal's Brownie made a positive start in game 1, but Pearl's Watermelon surged to an 8-2 win in the end with a four-ball run-out. Watermelon may not be in her mode, but she's up 1-0 in the series. The Surfers' Watermelon didn't enjoy the same success in game 2, as the Crowns' Brownie started with a five-ball run. Brownie kept it up at the end to win 8-3, tying the series at 1. The back-and-forth of the series continued in game 3, where a tight start eventually gave way to Watermelon surging to an 8-4 win over Brownie. Watermelon has retaken the series lead at 2-1. Brownie escaped a tough start to game 4 with a six-ball run. Watermelon countered on a four-ball run, but Brownie made the next pair to seal her win at 8-4, which also retied the series at 2. Brownie again struggled to start game 5, but she kept it close for awhile. Watermelon had the upper hand in late positioning, using that advantage to win 8-3, which pushed her ahead 3-2 in the series. Watermelon led for a little bit in game 6, but Brownie pulled off the comeback with a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win, equalizing the series once more at 3 games each. Game 7 saw Brownie get a positive start, but once again, Watermelon found a surge for the 8-5 win and 4-3 series win. Watermelon heads to the semifinals against Panda.

Taylor S. (7, 12) v. Citrus (13). The top seed lost the coin flip, so the last quarterfinal is in 13-ball. Lighton's Citrus started well until a scratch stalled her game 1 effort. Commerce's Taylor S. made five balls over two turns, and then Citrus sank the 8 early to give the win away. Taylor S. leads the series 1-0. The Prestige's Citrus got onto the 8 fairly quickly, but she tried to play soft on it in a game where that didn't work. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. stormed back with a firm four-ball run-out for the win to take a 2-0 series lead. Taylor S.'s background in 12-ball is helping her in this series, as she struck one of each down on the game 3 break and added a three-ball run-out at the end for the win and 3-0 series lead over Citrus. Taylor S. couldn't stop scratching in game 4, but Citrus nearly blew the lead anyway. It came down Taylor S. missing the 8 to the top right for Citrus to finally get her win. Taylor S. remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Citrus opened game 5 with a four-ball run, and Taylor S. couldn't break free from a cluster of solids. Citrus took a cautious approach to finishing, but she got the win to pull closer in a 3-2 series. Citrus exploded for three balls on the break, and she took stripes from there. Taylor S. again pushed closer but couldn't catch up before Citrus got the win to even the series at 3. Citrus faltered on her first shot after the break in game 7. Taylor S. controlled the offense and buried Citrus with bad positioning. Taylor S. ended up winning the game and 4-3 series to earn the last semifinals spot. She'll defer to play in the latter semifinal.

Watermelon (8) v. Panda (9). The Tournament of Champions semifinals begin with this series in 8-ball as Watermelon won the coin toss. Pearl's Watermelon couldn't get anything going in game 1, as Southern's Panda shut her out over four turns for the 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon looked better to start game 2 with a three-ball run, but she accidentally sank the 8 to end it by gifting the win to the Monarchs' Panda, who now leads the series 2-0. Watermelon had her best performance in game 3, but she couldn't seal it even after Panda scratched. Instead, Panda continued to rally and picked up the win for a 3-0 series lead. Panda had game 4 in his hands until he sank the 8 in an uncalled pocket at the end. Watermelon will stay alive for now, but Panda's series lead is 3-1. Panda had a strong advantage in game 5, but he didn't sustain it with a foul and a miss on his last two turns. Watermelon pushed all the way back for the win, cutting the series to 3-2. Game 6 saw the worst efforts for both players, leading to a lengthy stalemate near the end. Panda missed his chance on the 8, and Watermelon eventually won with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 3. Panda ripped a six-ball run in game 7 as well, but he fell short again with no luck on the 8. Watermelon battled long enough to make a three-ball run-out for the win to complete the reverse sweep for a 4-3 series win. Watermelon is one of the finalists, with the other to be determined in the next set.

Taylor S. (7, 12) v. Precious (10). The other semifinal will be in Precious' preferred 10-ball. Pronger's Precious couldn't get any control in game 1, and Commerce's Taylor S. ended early by deflecting a shot off the 3 to pot the 10 at the top left. Taylor S. is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. continued to push the pace in game 2, but she wasn't able to lock it down at the end. The Tridents' Precious made the final pair to win the game and tie the series at 1. Precious took over the offense in game 3, with a five-ball run and a four-ball run-out counting for a win and 2-1 series lead over Taylor S. Precious deferred possession back to Taylor S. after the latter made the 9 uncalled. Taylor S. couldn't do anything on the 4 from there, but she set up Precious for the 4-10 combination to the top right for the win, which stretched Precious' series lead to 3-1. Taylor S. kept the series going with a quick win in game 5, striking a four-ball run-out capped by the 3 and 10 going to the right corners. Precious holds a 3-2 series lead. Taylor S. had a good amount of the early offense in game 6, but Precious slammed the door with a three-ball run-out for the win to secure the series at 4-2. Precious capped off game 7 on a nice run as well to finish with a 5-2 series win over Taylor S. Precious heads to the Tournament of Champions Finals.

Watermelon (8) v. Precious (10). The Tournament of Champions Finals will be determined in Precious' preferred 10-ball mode. Pronger's Precious got a good start again in game 1, deflecting off the 4 to drive the 10 to the top right for the 1-0 series lead over Pearl's Watermelon. The Surfers' Watermelon didn't enjoy game 2, missing two good chances at earning the win early. Instead, the Tridents' Precious made a pair at the end for the win and 2-0 series lead. Watermelon again came up just short in game 3, missing on the 8 and allowing Precious to push her series lead to 3-0 on a three-ball run-out. Precious came half an inch away from sealing the title in game 4, but her three-ball run ended with the 10 hanging on the edge of the bottom right. Watermelon tapped it down for the win to cut the series to 3-1. In game 5, the players swapped roles at the end. Watermelon's four-ball run ended with the 10 short at the bottom right. Precious knocked it to capitalize on her hot start, and this win secured the series in her favor at 4-1. Precious didn't put in quite as much effort in game 6, allowing Watermelon to pick up some slack on offense while earning the win. Precious' lead is untouchable at 4-2 with one game left. Precious finished off game 7 as well after a back-and-forth battle with Watermelon. Precious is the 2019 Champions' Cup Winner on a 5-2 series win in the final series.

That's all for individual competitions. We've got the Clan Cup starting tomorrow with the quarterfinals before the semifinals and finals of that playoff coming on Thursday.