We're keeping the fifth round rolling here, beginning with...
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Paps v. Marsell. The blue cue will start us off today in 7-ball. Tysini's Paps had a three-ball run early in game 1 and added another pair, but Whitewater's Marsell picked off the final pair for a somewhat cheap win. Marsell leads the series 1-0. The Shores' Marsell scratched on the break in game 2, allowing the Hummingbirds' Paps to pick up a fair amount of offense. Paps again failed to finish off the game, with Marsell taking the final pair again for a 2-0 series lead. Marsell was more involved in the offense in game 3, attacking with regular consistency. At the end, Paps couldn't corral the 6 at the top right, and Marsell drained a familiar pair of shots to seal the series at 3-0 with this win. Marsell stretched out his finishing run in game 4, defeating Paps this time with a three-ball run-out to move ahead 4-0 in the series. Marsell turned in straight dominance in game 5 with a five-ball run, but Paps was able to get the 6 before leaving the 7 at the top right. Marsell tapped it down for the 5-0 series sweep that puts him in the bracket finals. Paps is the 102nd player out of the Tournament, while Marsell earned his first kill of the year. It was also a team-kill on the Hummingbirds, the third team to fall in totality.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Mitchell. The silver cue takes a turn in 9-ball. After Oceanside's Snuggle struck for a three-ball run from the break, game 1 slowed to a crawl. Victoria's Mitchell scratched in his attempt on the 9 and Snuggle took it from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Mitchell made more of an impact late in game 2, taking the last three balls over two turns as the Waves' Snuggle couldn't pot the 8. Mitchell's win tied the shaky series at 1. Mitchell dominated the offense in game 3 with a three-ball run, a four-ball run and the 9 from ball-in-hand after Snuggle's positioning play after making the 8 ran into a scratch. Mitchell pulled ahead 2-1 in the series with the strong outing. Snuggle continued to struggle to build runs in game 4, and it would cost him as he missed on the 6. Mitchell picked up the win with a two-rail bank on the 9 to the bottom side to secure the series at 3-1. Snuggle played better for most of game 5, but his late three-ball run ended with a scratch. Mitchell potted the 9 to the bottom side to wrap up a 4-1 series win that gets him to the bracket finals. Mitchell took his first kill of the season to make Snuggle the 103rd eliminated player.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Mario. Staying on the coast, the red cue draws in for 15-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot had a smooth and thorough offense in game 1, but he saved a little defense to frustrate Queens' Mario just at the end. Hoot eventually made the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot drained three balls on the break and kept up the attack for most of the game. The Flames' Mario had some crafty cut shots in the middle, but his late scratch allowed Hoot to make the 13-15 combination to the bottom left from ball-in-hand. Hoot's win gave him a 2-0 series lead. The run-and-gun style of the first two games gave way briefly to a tight start in game 3. Mario enjoyed this while it lasted, but Hoot unleashed a six-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-0 in great form. Mario got on the board in game 4, finishing up with a three-ball run after finally getting a good chunk of possession against Hoot, who remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Game 5 went incredibly slowly but ultimately favored Hoot in the end as he converted a five-ball run-out to finish off a 4-1 series win over Mario. Hoot is set to appear in the bracket finals. Hoot earned his second kill of the season and made Mario the 104th player out of action.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. A. Charlton. Another western battle goes in 15-ball with the blue cue. Pearl's Beth had two surges of offense in game 1, one early and one late, but she missed the 15 and Archtown's Charlton knocked it in the top left. Charlton leads the series 1-0. The Surfers' Beth didn't back down in game 2, but her three-ball run ended with a contact play on the 7. The Arrows' Charlton seized the chance, completing a 7-15 combination to the bottom right for the win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Charlton came into her own on offense in game 3 with a significant chunk of the offense. Beth tried to fight back a bit later on, but Charlton converted an 8-15 cut combination to the top right that double-potted the 8 on the deflection to the bottom left. Charlton sealed the series at 3-0 with this win. Game 4 started a little slower than the previous matches. At the end, it was all Charlton again as she made seven balls over three turns to push her series lead to 4-0 over Beth. In game 5, Beth made one last push with a six-ball run near the end, but the 13 hung on the top left edge. Charlton made the final pair and swept the series 5-0 to earn the right to host the Boston Swifts' Sweetheart in the bracket finals. Charlton took her second kill and sent Beth back to retirement as the 105th eliminated player.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Ms. Puppy. Two long-tenured captains clash in 10-ball with the red cue. The quality of play didn't match the hype in game 1, as both players struggled to gain traction. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy scratched late, giving Pronger's Precious a free shot on the 10 from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious found her way a bit better in game 2, taking a lot of offense including a late four-ball run that ended in a scratch. The Union's Ms. Puppy tallied the final pair for the win to even the series at 1. Precious dabbled in trickery after Ms. Puppy's game 3 scratch. Precious sank the 3 and pushed the 10 near the top right, setting up her double-pot that included the 4 at the top side for the win. Precious leads the series 2-1. Ms. Puppy refused to go down easily. Precious had a three-ball run going late in game 4 but she couldn't pot the 9, and Ms. Puppy fired back with the final pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 2. Precious showed ruthlessness in game 5, as Ms. Puppy made illegal contact to pot the 8. Precious answered on a 2-10 combination from ball-in-hand for the series-winning shot. Precious took the series 3-2 and will appear in the bracket finals. Precious now has four kills as Ms. Puppy becomes the 106th player out of action.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Kodiak v. Valencia. The blue cue cycles in again for 13-ball. Modernistic's Kodiak was shooting fire to start game 1, but his reckless ways nearly cost him. Golden's Valencia got onto the 8 but never managed to corral it, giving Kodiak time to find a three-ball run for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Union's Kodiak started and ended game 2 on three-ball runs, dominating after making one of each on the break. The Pilots' Valencia had her moments, but a scratch set her back. Kodiak's fiery pace has him up 2-0 in the series. Kodiak took a small step back on offense at the start of game 3, but it was enough for Valencia to attack. Valencia was relentless in her offense, making a pair to answer Kodiak's late three-ball run. Kodiak tried some defense, but Valencia kicked the 8 to the bottom left for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Valencia had everything she needed on a three-ball run to get down to her last ball, but an ill-fated bank and scratch led to a disaster finish. Kodiak was hardly better in shot quality, but he was more persistent with maintaining positioning and got the win to clinch the series at 3-1. Kodiak had to weather some offense from Valencia in game 5, but he stormed back with a four-ball run-out at the end to finish with a 4-1 series win. Kodiak will take to the road in the bracket finals. Valencia is the 107th player to exit the Tournament, and the second at Kodiak's hands.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Brownie v. Twilight. The blue cue stays on for this Rotation series. Royal's Brownie had a decent early attack, but Central's Twilight pulled back to cover that damage. Twilight never had a chance to answer Brownie's five-ball run-out for the 8-4 win, which gave Brownie a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Brownie drained a pair on the break and hardly slowed down after that. She made four balls over her last two turns to secure an 8-3 win over the Warriors' Twilight, which put Brownie up 2-0 in the series. Brownie and Twilight again scrapped for possession in the early parts of game 3, but Brownie broke free at the end with a four-ball run-out to win 8-4. Brownie clinched the series at 3-0 with the surge. Twilight didn't go quietly despite already having lost the series. She was aggressive and assertive in an 8-3 win over Brownie in game 4, cutting the series to 3-1. Twilight let her temper loose in game 5, causing a number of brutal misses to extend the meaningless game. Brownie wasn't better but walked away with an 8-6 win to take the series 4-1. Brownie will host her appearance in the bracket finals. Brownie's up to two kills this year, while Twilight is the 108th eliminated player. The Warriors are also the fourth team to exit, thanks to this team-kill.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Hoppy v. Taylor S. The silver cue's last appearance today is in 8-ball. Commerce's Taylor S. had a strong start in game 1, but she slacked later and let Archtown's Hoppy make it close. Taylor S. then closed her win with a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. struggled with offense in game 2, and it didn't get better as the Arrows' Hoppy found a fairly clear path to victory to tie the series at 1. Hoppy ripped a four-ball run from the break in game 3, which Taylor S. answered with a six-ball run. Hoppy ended up winning two turns later, pushing a three-ball run-out after Taylor S. couldn't make her last ball. Hoppy leads the series 2-1 now. Both players had five-ball runs in game 4 to vary the pace of their offense. Hoppy faltered at the end, unable to find a clear look at the 8. Taylor S. rode the momentum of her run straight to victory to retie the series at 2. Game 5 was as close as it could get, with Taylor S. pulling away at the end on a three-ball run-out to dispatch Hoppy in the 3-2 series. Taylor S. heads to a road appearance in the bracket finals. Taylor S. reset the league standard for kills at five, while Hoppy became the 109th eliminated player.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Luigi v. Shawn. We'll end with more 8-ball, using the red cue. Midland's Shawn shot out of a cannon with a five-ball run on his first turn in game 1. North Modernistic's Luigi didn't have his offense yet, and Shawn cruised to the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi did a little better on offense in game 2, but the Predators' Shawn made his last ball and got positioning behind Luigi's defense on the last turn. Shawn tapped the 8 down to the top right for the win and 2-0 series lead. Shawn went on another tear to start game 3, a four-ball run that Luigi answered in pieces. Luigi had a chance on his last ball but the diagonal bank to the top right wouldn't fall, and Shawn struck the 8 to the bottom left for the win. Shawn secured the series at 3-0. Luigi had his best chance to win yet in game 4, but he couldn't quite make his last ball in a contentious battle. Shawn pushed on a three-ball run and got the 8 on the next turn to make it a 4-0 series. Game 5 saw Luigi mount another offensive attack that would fall just a little short as Shawn finished the 5-0 series sweep. Shawn will take it on the road again in the bracket finals.
We'll be back tomorrow at the regular time to continue this round.
No comments:
Post a Comment