Trips to the Finals are now on the line as the bracket finals begin today. We'll play three days in a row before the schedule gets a little shifty. First up...
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Dani. The blue cue's battle for 10-ball superiority leads the day. North Modernistic's Lionel started a little slow in game 1, as he couldn't get much offense going. Viewpoint Sound's Dani stepped up with a four-ball run-out capped by a deflection off the 7 to put the 10 in the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dani illegally potted the 3 in game 2, shifting possession to the Nighthawks' Lionel, who made a pair of shots. Dani then couldn't get contact on the 5, and Lionel made another pair for the win with a 6-10 combination to the top right serving to tie the series at 1. Dani bounced back just fine in a close game 3. Both players missed the 10 once this time, but Dani cut it to the bottom right to pull ahead 2-1 in the series over Lionel. Game 4 saw a few more interesting choices by the players. Dani elected to play respectfully with a chance at the 8-10 combination, electing to play the cue as it was. Lionel responded with a three-ball run-out immediately after for the win to tie the series again at 2. Both players started game 5 on a three-ball run. Dani's miss on the 6 would be pivotal, as Lionel made the 6-10 combination to the top right on his second turn for the win and 3-2 series win. Lionel heads to the Finals after going 15-6 on the bracket.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Violetta. Sparky opponents go in Rotation with the silver cue. Queens' Violetta surged ahead with a double-pot early in game 1, but Swordpoint's Dreamy refused to go quietly. Dreamy tied it on a three-ball run and won 8-7 on her final turn to take the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 started out similarly close between the two players. The Flames' Violetta twice scratched while trying to take the 8, and eventually the Blades' Dreamy emerged on a four-ball run-out for the win to pull ahead 2-0 in the series. Violetta kept herself in the series in game 3, taking a rather dominant win as Dreamy couldn't get any traction on offense. Violetta won 8-2, cutting Dreamy's advantage to 2-1. Violetta wasn't done in game 4 either, smashing a creative run early on to take a firm grasp on the lead. Dreamy again struggled to attack, and Violetta won 8-3 to tie the series at 2 games apiece. Violetta tried to keep up in game 5, but Dreamy made the final six balls over two turns for a 9-3 win, an exclamation finish to her 3-2 series win. Dreamy is headed to the Finals with a 16-8 record on the bracket.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Brownie v. Katharine. The blue cue is back for Rotation in this appearance. Whitewater's Katharine tore through the rack in game 1, with a five-ball run on her second turn highlighting the 8-0 win over Royal's Brownie. Katharine holds a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Brownie didn't stay down for long in game 2, taking a large portion of the early offense and adding a three-ball run to strengthen her lead. The Shores' Katharine couldn't catch up, and Brownie won 8-3 to tie the series at 1. A chaotic start to game 3 saw the players on even terms, but a five-ball run staked Brownie to a big lead after that. Katharine had no response as Brownie sealed the win at 8-2 to move ahead 2-1 in the series. Katharine pulled far ahead in game 4 after a fairly smooth start. Brownie challenged with a late three-ball run, but Katharine made the 14 to the top side for the 8-6 win to retie the series at 2. Brownie surged at the start, but Katharine dominated the middle of game 5 and held a lead. Brownie then found a three-ball run-out for the 8-6 win and 3-2 series win. Brownie heads to the Finals after posting an 18-6 record on the bracket. Brownie earned her third kill of the season to make Katharine the 138th eliminated player.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Stephanie. The red cue's first title battle is in 15-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot came out hot in game 1 and didn't cool much. Southridge's Stephanie gave a good challenge, but Hoot sealed the win with a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot had a decent share of offense, but less command hurt him in game 2. The Defenders' Stephanie also slipped in quality, but a little luck on her miss on the 12 led to the 15 draining at the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Stephanie had some frustrations on some of her game 3 shots, particularly when the 15 didn't drop at the bottom right. Hoot used that to his advantage, deflecting off the 7 to get the win and 2-1 series lead with the early finish. Hoot dropped the hammer early in game 4, smashing a four-ball run-out capped by an 8-15 combination to the top right to clinch the series at 3-1 over Stephanie. Hoot had a lot of the offense in game 5, but Stephanie got a little fortunate as her miss on the 15 landed in the top side on a two-rail bank. Hoot still won the series 3-2 to get to the Finals with a 17-7 record from the bracket. Hoot's fourth kill of the season left Stephanie as the 139th player out of the Tournament, as well as a team-kill on the Defenders, who are ninth out.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: A. Charlton v. Sweetheart. More 15-ball follows with the blue cue. Boston's Sweetheart erred three times early in game 1, eventually allowing Archtown's A. Charlton to pot the 5-15 combination from ball-in-hand to the top right. Charlton is up 1-0 in the series. The Arrows' Charlton needed only three shots in game 2 to get the win, making a ball on the break and deflecting off the 2 to push the 15 to the bottom right. The quick results put her ahead of the Swifts' Sweetheart by a 2-0 margin. Game 3 went the distance as both players had choppy offense this time. Sweetheart came close to a win but the 14 refused to fall at the top right. Charlton then made the final pair to secure the series at 3-0. Game 4 was a little reversed with a slow start and a quick up-turn in offense. Charlton made a five-ball run but missed on the 11, then Sweetheart had a four-ball run but scratched on a follow-through as the 15 fell. This gifted Charlton the win and 4-0 series lead. Charlton faded a bit late in game 5, but she still got the win as Sweetheart missed contact on her cut attempt on the 15. Charlton swept the series 5-0 and takes possible league-record 22-2 record from the bracket with her to the Finals. Charlton has three kills this season as Sweetheart is the 140th player to exit the competition.
Sony Center, Queens: Briana v. Mams. The silver cue draws in for 10-ball here. Queens' Briana didn't do much besides leave the 10 at the bottom right on the game 1 break. Southern's Mams played a more dangerous game and was rewarded for that risk with the win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. Play turned choppy in game 2, especially near the end. The Monarchs' Mams thought she had positioning locked up, but she scratched as she made the 9, and the Flames' Briana took the 10 from ball-in-hand to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw a complete change of pace, as Briana rocked a four-ball run before a bad miss, only for Mams to fire back with a five-ball run-out for the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Mams controlled the pace for most of game 4, but she had a loose grip on her offense. Briana pried it away with a pair of shots at the end for the win, retying the series at 2 to set up a decisive finale. In game 5, Briana had her share of offense, but Mams walked away with a four-ball run-out and 3-2 series win at the end. Mams went 16-8 on the bracket to get to the Finals. Mams is up to four kills this season, with Briana as the 141st eliminated player.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Taylor S. v. Pedey. More silver cue action is in 7-ball. Commerce's Taylor S. took a gamble in the middle of game 1, and it paid with a 5-7 combination dropping at the top left for the win to take a 1-0 series lead over Diamond's Pedey. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. had a more dynamic break in game 2, getting the 7 to drop at the bottom side for the instant win and 2-0 series lead over the Gems' Pedey. Taylor S. couldn't quite copy the result in game 3, just glancing the 7 off the bottom side's edge. Pedey tried to keep up, but Taylor S. got this win on a three-ball run-out to seal the series at 3-0. Taylor S. again proved lethal on the break, this time getting the 7 to roll into the bottom left to extend her advantage to 4-0 after game 4. Pedey had a chance to pick up game 5 at the end, but he rattled the 7 out of the top left. Taylor S. buried to the bottom left for the 5-0 series sweep, and she takes an 18-6 record to the Finals. Pedey is the 142nd player to fall, and Taylor S. has a league-leading eight kills.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Niki. The visitor begins a road doubleheader in Accuracy with the red cue. Boston's Gradley stood tall despite some early shakiness in game 1. Commerce's Niki fell apart by the end, and Gradley took the 1-0 series lead with a 2-4 win. The Swifts' Gradley scratched on the break in game 2, but the Tradewinds' Niki failed to protect her advantage. A pair of misses from Niki was all Gradley needed to wrap up a 1-2 win that pushed his series lead to 2-0. Both players stayed perfect deep into game 3, and then both missed on the same turn. Gradley continued to slip after that, allowing Niki to get her first win by a 1-3 score to cut the series to 2-1. Niki made a ball on the game 4 break and earned the last-shot advantage. It came in handy, as Gradley scratched late in the game to gift the win away to Niki by a 3-4 score. Niki tied the series at 2. Niki scratched on the break in game 5, and while Gradley briefly fell into a tie, Niki's late miss would be costly. Gradley won 1-2 and took the series 3-2, completing a bracket at the minimum 15-9 record to advance to the Finals.
Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Niki. Both players are in their second series to close out today with the red cue in 12-ball. Queens' Violetta made a pair on the break in game 1, but her positioning was not strong. Commerce's Niki worked through the rack with relative ease for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki scratched on the break and gave away a wild-card ball in game 2, but the Flames' Violetta couldn't get positioning on her last ball. Niki charged after Violetta also gave up a wild-card ball, with Niki's four-ball run-out enough for the win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Game 3 saw Niki make one of each on the break, and then turn it into a four-ball run on stripes. Violetta couldn't get anything going, and Niki won with her final pair a few turns later to clinch the series at 3-0. Violetta finally got on the board with a win in game 4, beating Niki in the race around the table. Both players needed better positioning, but Violetta made hers work for the win to cut Niki's lead to 3-1 in the series. Violetta held the lead for much of game 5, but setting up at the top side took too long, as Niki picked off her last shot to the bottom side for the win and 4-1 series win. Niki's punched her ticket to the finals with an 18-6 records. Niki also now has two kills this season as Violetta becomes the 143rd player out of action. The Flames are also out as a team, with Niki recording the league's 10th team-kill.
The middle day of the Bracket Finals will be tomorrow.
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