The second-to-last day of the round is here, beginning with...
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Cheddar. The silver cue starts a busy stretch in 9-ball. Boston's Ice Cream had trouble getting going on offense in game 1. North Modernistic's Cheddar took a four-ball run over the middle and won after Ice Cream scratched near the end. Cheddar leads the series 1-0. The Swifts' Ice Cream went off with a four-ball run in the middle of game 2, but she missed on the 6. The Nighthawks' Cheddar countered with a pair for the win to stretch her series lead to 2-0. Ice Cream wrangled a little more offense in game 3, finding a three-ball run to get onto the 9. Both she and Cheddar missed their first tries for the win, but Ice Cream potted the 9 on the second effort to get the win that cut the series to 2-1. Ice Cream tried a similar pace in game 4 with a three-ball run, but she missed on the 6. Cheddar made it and then deflected off the 8 and the bottom rail to bump the 9 into the bottom right for the win. Cheddar sealed the series at 3-1. Cheddar ended up with the win in a back-and-forth game 5 as well, capping off a 4-1 series win over Ice Cream. Cheddar will visit the Victoria Spurs' Mitchell in the bracket finals. Cheddar's second kill of the season made Ice Cream the 120th eliminated player, leaving just one-third of the player population active.
Intel Center, Diamond: Shadow v. Jack. Former teammates clash in 15-ball with the silver cue. Web City's Jack had plenty of offense in game 1, but it wouldn't matter as he scratched on the 13. Diamond's Shadow plucked the 15 on the final shot for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Shadow had a decent share of the offense in game 2, but the Spiders' Jack broke out a tricky 6-15 kick combination to the top left for the win that tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw a little more balance on the offense for both sides. Jack came close to kicking in the 12 at the bottom right late, but missed contact allowed Shadow to work a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win and 2-1 series lead. Game 4 continued to see little separating the players, with both Shadow and Jack showing well. At the end, Shadow looked like he wanted to bank the 15, but a last-second decision to kick it to the top side worked just as well for the win to seal the series at 3-1 over Jack. Shadow had a more casual pace in game 5, letting Jack show his skills a bit. Jack would pick up the win on a three-ball run-out, which left Shadow with a 3-2 series win. Shadow will host Citrus of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket finals. Shadow earned his first kill of the year to make Jack the 121st player to exit the competition. In addition, Shadow poetically finished off the team he captained for years, as the Spiders are the fifth team to be completely eliminated.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Cowzart v. Violetta. The silver cue stays up for Rotation. Queens' Violetta had a strong start to game 1, but she got sloppy in the middle, and Pacific's Cowzart got on the brink of a win. Violetta corrected her troubles with a three-ball run-out, winning 8-7 for the 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta used a five-ball run to overcome an early deficit in game 2, but the Volcanoes' Cowzart fired back on a five-ball run-out for the 8-6 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 played out a little tighter for both players. Cowzart grabbed the lead at mid-game, but Violetta pulled back with a four-ball run-out for the win by an 8-6 score. Violetta restored her series lead at 2-1. Cowzart again got on the brink of victory in game 4, his big run late in the game keeping Violetta on her toes. Violetta fired back with a pair of shots for the 8-7 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Violetta came up a little short in a comeback effort in game 5, as Cowzart played his way to an 8-7 win. Violetta's 3-2 series win means she'll visit Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades in the bracket finals. It'll count as Violetta's first kill of the year as Cowzart is the 122nd eliminated player.
Sony Center, Queens: Crystal v. Mams. The silver cue goes again, this time in 10-ball. Queens' Crystal had some good moments in a close game 1, but her late scratch allowed Southern's Mams to make the final pair from ball-in-hand. Mams leads 1-0 in the series thanks to Crystal's error. It was the Monarchs' Mams' turn to make mistakes in game 2, twice missing contact before the Flames' Crystal was able to push for a four-ball run-out. Crystal's late burst tied the series at 1. Crystal had a three-ball run in game 3 that ended with a missed contact and illegally potted 10. Mams took over possession from ball-in-hand and made a three-ball run-out with a bank on the 10 to the bottom side for the win and 2-1 series lead. Mams left the 9 near the top right near the start of game 4, and it became the pivotal point when it locked with the 10. Crystal deflected a shot off the 8 to pot the 9, then added another pair for the win at the end to retie the series at 2. Crystal couldn't string a second win on in the jittery battle. Mams took the 10 from ball-in-hand after Crystal's late scratch. Mams won the series 3-2 and will return to this venue to take on the Queens Flames' Briana in the bracket finals. Mams made her third kill of the year as Crystal was the 123rd player to fall.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Sydney C. The red cue draws in for 8-ball. Pearl's Watermelon scratched on the game 1 break, keying a five-ball run in response by Modernistic's Sydney C. The bold attack worked, as Sydney C. had enough of a lead to coast to the win and 1-0 series lead. The Union's Sydney C. couldn't capitalize on the momentum, instead watching the Surfers' Watermelon poke an early four-ball run. Sydney C. would answer later in game 2, but Watermelon had another four-ball run ready for the win to tie the series at 1. Sydney C. was back in control in game 3, working a steady of stream of offense while Watermelon struggled. Sydney C. went unchallenged on the 8 and regained the series lead at 2-1 in this win. Watermelon took control of game 4 early on, and held off a five-ball run from Sydney C. later on. Watermelon's late play was enough for the win to even the series again at 2. Watermelon turned up the offense in game 5, making all of her own balls and three of four that went down for Sydney C. At the end, Watermelon had a tough kick on the 8 that she dropped to the top side for the win and 3-2 series win. Watermelon will host Midland Predators captain Shawn in the bracket finals. Watermelon's second kill of the year ended Sydney C.'s rookie campaign as the 124th player to exit.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Delila. The venue doubleheader ends with the red cue playing 13-ball. Pearl's Neopolitan made stripes to both sides on the game 1 break, part of a four-ball run. A scratch delayed her offense, but she easily beat an out-of-position effort from Atlantic's Delila. Neopolitan leads the series 1-0. The Surfers' Neopolitan had a hot start in game 2 as well, but more positioning bought time for the Pirates' Delila to rally. Watermelon missed a critical shot on the 9 at the bottom left, and Delila tapped down a pair for the win to tie the series at 1. Delila converted a big run from the break in game 3, putting more pressure on Neopolitan. At the end, Neopolitan got onto her final ball first, but Delila responded with a three-ball run-out for the win to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Delila's explosive break in game 4 overfilled the top right and gifted a ball to Neopolitan. By the end of the game, Neopolitan had scratched, and Delila used her free turn from the kitchen to create a four-ball run-out for the win. Delila secured the series at 3-1. Delila had another big break in game 5, and Neopolitan lacked positioning or success on a late bank shot. Delila finished off the win for a 4-1 series win that sends her to visit Midland Predators captain Shawn in the bracket finals. Delila's up to two kills as Neopolitan became the 125th player eliminated from the Tournament.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Taylor S. The blue cue gets a turn between Urban rivals in 12-ball. Westside's Midnight had a four-ball run from the break in game 1, but she gave away a wild-card ball as well. Commerce's Taylor S. made good use of the advantage, winning by making five balls over two turns to pull out to a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. had a jump from the start of game 2, but it didn't work out as her late positioning was too slow to form. The Rockers' Midnight rallied back for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was a race, and Midnight was very close to winning it as she got down to her last ball at the bottom left. Taylor S. had one chance to reply and did so with a three-ball run-out, taking the 2-1 series lead for herself. Taylor S. started well in game 4. Midnight had a chance for a positional play, but it actually helped Taylor S. piece together a quick three-ball run-out for the win and 3-1 series advantage. Taylor S. looked to be in good position in game 5, but Midnight found a couple of fruitful turns, including a brilliant three-ball run-out for the win. Taylor S. settled for a 3-2 series win to put her on the road one more time versus the Freedom Cascades' Nikolai in the bracket finals. Taylor S. continues to be lethal with seven kills as Midnight is the 126th eliminated player.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Katharine. The blue cue stays on hand for Rotation. Southern's Pounce started well but couldn't find much offense later in game 1. Whitewater's Katharine rallied ahead twice and eventually won 8-6 for the 1-0 series lead in a steady attack. The Monarchs' Pounce tried to play a little slower and more methodically in game 2, and he held a lead for quite some time. He couldn't finish it off, however, as the Shores' Katharine came from behind for the 8-7 win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Pounce kept himself in the series in game 3, capitalizing on plenty of errors from Katharine this time. Pounce would take a three-ball run-out for the 8-3 win to cut the series to 2-1. Katharine got back to business with a sizable run in game 4, overcoming another good start from Pounce. It got closer near the end, but Katharine finished with an 8-4 win to secure the series at 3-1. Katharine had a big lead with a five-ball run early in game 5, but this was Pounce's turn to make a comeback, and he went on to win 8-6. Katharine advanced on a 3-2 series win that sends her to Royal to face the Crowns' Brownie in the bracket finals. Pounce is the 127th player out of the Tournament, while Katharine took her third kill.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Smudge. The red cue ends the day with 10-ball between aggressive foes. North Modernistic's Cheddar took a lazy approach on some shots, while Infinity's Smudge stepped up to make a pair at the end in a strong showing for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar had plenty of offense in game 2, but some of it was illegally potted. The Torpedoes' Smudge twice deferred possession away, and Cheddar made sure to keep things clean at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Cheddar slammed four balls down on the game 3 break, likely the first time in league history the first four numbered balls all went down immediately. Smudge challenged her later, but Cheddar won on a three-ball run-out to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Cheddar stayed hot in game 4, making a three-ball run-out capped by a 4-10 combination to the top right for the win. Smudge had little chance to ignite her attack as Cheddar secured the series at 3-1. Cheddar pulled it off again in game 5 with a nice finishing attack for the win and 4-1 series win. Cheddar's dominant series allows her to host Pronger Tridents captain Precious in a huge bracket finals series.
That's it for today's games. The Bracket Semifinals end tomorrow with the last nine series before bids to the Finals are on the line.
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