We're set to begin the Bracket Semifinals, also known as the fifth round. With just under half of the players left, it's crunch time for those remaining. The round opens with...
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Jason N. The red cue opens the day with 9-ball. Archtown's Sally won a back-and-forth game 1 with a shot on the 9 to the top right after Atlantic's Jason N. couldn't pot it. Sally's win puts her ahead 1-0 in the series, but without much confidence. The Arrows' Sally couldn't back it up in game 2, playing too little on offense. The Pirates' Jason N. capitalized on his best chances, winning with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Sally will regret her miss on the 8 to end a six-ball run in game 3, as she had controlled the game but allowed Jason N. to pick off the last two shots. Jason N. pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Sally wasn't done yet in game 4, as she split the 8 and 9 to drive the latter to the bottom right for the win after Jason N. couldn't gain control of the offense. Sally's late push tied the series at 2. Sally stood her ground and made seven of the eight potted balls in game 5, including an 8-9 combination for the win at the top right. She beat Jason N. 3-2 in the series to get to the bracket finals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dani v. Jason N. The visitor completed a road doubleheader in 10-ball with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Dani won a cagey game 1 over Atlantic's Jason N., as the latter had too many scratches and misses to be effective. Dani leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Dani had an awful break in game 2, which led to slow offense. It didn't stop her though, as the Pirates' Jason N. came up short with a four-ball run and Dani took the last pair for the win to move up to 2-0 in the series. Jason N. missed contact on the 2 in game 3, and it proved costly. Dani made the 2-4 combination to the top right and the 2-10 combination to the bottom right for the win to seal the series at 3-0. Jason N. missed on the 9 in game 4, continuing a run of bad luck as Dani picked up the last two balls to overcome her earlier errors. Dani's at 4-0 in the series. Jason N. avoided the sweep in another slow-moving game 5 battle, which he took with a pair of shots. Dani settled for the 4-1 series win to punch her ticket to the bracket finals. Jason N. is the 99th player out of the Tournament, and the third to fall to Dani.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Strut. The silver cue is on for 13-ball here. Golden's Strut got down to his final ball in game 1, but he couldn't finish the effort. Lighton's Shiny rallied with a four-ball run-out, including a bank on the 8 to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Shiny struck on the break in game 2, but she couldn't keep pace even after exchanging gift turns with the Pilots' Strut. Shiny just missed a bank on the 8 at the top left, which Strut mopped up for the win to tie the series at 1. The Pilots' Strut started hot in game 3, taking the sides quickly and pushing through Shiny's defense at the bottom left. Shiny never had good positioning, allowing Strut to win unchallenged for a 2-1 series lead. A fast start to game 4 left Strut in an attempt to better position himself at the bottom side. He missed contact, and Shiny tried to bank the 9 to the top side but missed. Strut then put the 6 in the bottom side from a crazy angle, and he added the 8 at the top right to clinch the series at 3-1. Strut pulled off a comeback win in game 5 after Shiny got out of position on her last ball. Strut finished with a 4-1 series win, and he's confirmed to host his appearance in the bracket finals.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Citrus v. Easter. The silver cue remains in action to finish the venue doubleheader with 15-ball. A pacey game 1 saw both players flex their shooting skills with relative ease. Lighton's Citrus emerged with the win after Todavía's Easter couldn't finish off the 15, which gave Citrus a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter picked up the pace in game 2, working a four-ball run near the end after a tight start. Easter missed the 15 on a cut toward the top left, and the Prestige's Citrus knocked it down for the win and 2-0 series lead. Citrus pressed with a five-ball run late in game 3 after another sloppy battle early on. She missed on the 13, and Easter fired off a pair at the end for the win to stay alive in the now 2-1 series. Citrus found a way to end game 4 early, double-deflecting a shot off the 5 and 9 to bump the 15 to the top left for the win on a highlight-reel-worthy play. Easter could only applaud as Citrus secured the series at 3-1. Easter took the win in a close game 5 as well, picking up the 15 at the bottom side after Citrus couldn't down it. Citrus won the series 3-2 and will head on the road for the bracket finals. Easter is the 100th play to exit the Tournament, and Citrus earned her second kill, which was also a team kill on the Stills.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Sweetheart. The blue cue is ready to return with 15-ball. Stonebridge's Wild Thing had an awful break in game 1, but neither player was able to take control. Boston's Sweetheart eventually took the ugly win for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Wolves' Wild Thing struck back for a win after the Swifts' Sweetheart scratched on the 5. Wild Thing put down the 5-15 combination at the bottom right to tie the series at 1. Wild Thing was back out of a rhythm in game 3, struggling for most of the game again. Sweetheart wasn't much better, but she had enough for a three-ball run-out at the end to regain the series lead at 2-1. Sweetheart won game 4 in two shots, getting the 1 to knock the 12 down at the bottom side on the break before converting a 1-9-15 deflection combination to the top right. Sweetheart sealed the series at 3-1 with the quick win. Wild Thing gave a good effort in game 5, outplaying Sweetheart at the end with a five-ball run and his poke on the 15 to get the win. Sweetheart still won the series 3-2 to earn the road spot in the bracket finals.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Nicole v. Shawn. Another set from the Southwest uses the red cue for 13-ball. Lighton's Nicole made one of each on the break, but Midland's Shawn had the better start to game 1. Nicole later scratched, and that sparked a six-ball run-out from her on the next turn for the win, which gave her a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Nicole had plenty of offense in game 2, but her miss on the 8 at the bottom right would cost her the game. The Predators' Shawn had a pair of shots for the win on the next turn, tying the series at 1. Game 3 was a lengthy battle for positioning featuring more strategy than offense. It came down to the bottom side, and here was where Shawn made his last ball and the 8 to finally beat Nicole for the 2-1 series lead. Nicole fired back with an early three-ball run and a quick offense in game 4, which ended with her banking the 8 into the top right to retie the series at 2 after Shawn didn't do much on offense. Nicole had a hot start with a three-ball run in game 5, but Shawn wouldn't be denied as he unraveled a tough five-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 series win. Shawn will advance to the bracket finals. Shawn rejoined the league lead in kills with four, while Nicole is the 101st player to exit in her regular-season finale.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Fluffina. The silver cue cycles in for Accuracy. A blazing start on both sides proved unsustainable for Infinity's Fluffina, who ended up taking a 0-3 loss as Harrison's Twinkie II stayed perfect for the win. Twinkie II leads the series 1-0. The strong play didn't last long into game 2 as both players turned a bit defensive. The Torpedoes' Fluffina led at first, but she took the last four misses as the Specters' Twinkie II notched a 3-5 win to go up 2-0 in the series. Twinkie II had a lead for most of game 3 before taking a second miss to drop into a tie near the end. Fluffina tried to pressure from that, but Twinkie II held on for the 2-3 win to seal the series at 3-0. Fluffina finally got a win in game 4, which saw Twinkie II come up short in regulation to force overtime. Both players missed twice early in the extra rack, and Fluffina eventually won 6-7 to cut the series to 3-1. Twinkie II didn't push the issue much in game 5, allowing Fluffina to have her fun in a 1-4 win that was just a miss on the last ball shy of perfect. Twinkie II won the series 3-2 and will play in the bracket finals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Shiny. The visitor gets a second series today, using the silver cue for 12-ball. Pronger's Precious had a four-ball run from the break in game 1, but Lighton's Shiny stood tall defensively. Precious took too long at the bottom right and never got a good look on her last ball as Shiny used a wild-card ball and quick offense to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious showed just how dangerous she could be in game 2 after the Prestige's Shiny scratched on the first turn. Precious made a pair to the sides at first, and then a four-ball run-out through traffic around the corners on her second turn for the win to tie the series at 1. Precious had one of each on the game 3 break, giving Shiny a little added flexibility with a wild-card ball. Shiny used it to great effect as she positioned well and earned the win to restore a series lead at 2-1. Game 4 saw Precious return to a dominant form. Shiny had her successful turns in places, but Precious was simply faster and picked up the win to even the series again at 2 games apiece. Precious again gave up a wild-card ball in game 5, a common theme in Shiny's wins as she pushed from there and capitalized on a late missed contact by Precious. Shiny walked away with a 3-2 series win and will host a bracket finals series.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal v. Lorde. A Celebrity standoff finishes the day in Accuracy with the blue cue. Capital City's Lorde held the perfect standard long enough in game 1 to make it hopeless for North Modernistic's Gal. Lorde ended up with a 2-3 win to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw rapid-fire offense throughout the early shots. Near the end, the Nighthawks' Gal stumbled and the Sharpshooters' Lorde gladly maintained her level for a 0-2 win to move up to a 2-0 series lead. Lorde scratched twice in game 3, including a late one that would ultimately force overtime. Lorde couldn't get anything from the overtime break and Gal earned a 2-3 win to get on the board in a 2-1 series. A slow start on both sides kept things even early in game 4, but Gal unraveled in the middle and Lorde didn't let her back in. Lorde closed out a 2-4 win and clinched the series at 3-1 in the process. Lorde added another solid performance in game 5, again playing very well early before a late fade that didn't impact the result. She won 2-3 and took the series 4-1. Lorde is set to host in the bracket finals.
We'll go again tomorrow with a similar schedule.
No comments:
Post a Comment