The final day of the Bracket Semifinals is here. We begin with...
Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Lexi. The silver cue starts the festivities in 7-ball. Diamond's Pedey kicked off the day perfectly, sinking the 7 to the bottom left on the game 1 break after a couple of nice deflections got it on track. He leads Harrison's Lexi by a 1-0 margin in the series. Game 2 took a little more effort on both sides. The Gems' Pedey had a little offense, but the Specters' Lexi got the win on a decoy cut on the 5 that ended up with the cue bumping the 7 to the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. The ever-evolving styles in game 3 turned into a big run for Pedey, as he ripped a six-ball run-out for the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Lexi stayed in it with a massive seven-ball run on her second turn of game 4 after a slow start from Pedey. Lexi's win retied the series at 2 to set up a decisive finale. Lexi made only mistake in game 5, scratching on the break, but it was enough to set up Pedey for an incredible six-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 series win. Pedey heads out on the road to visit Commerce Tradewinds star Taylor S. in the bracket finals. Lexi is the 128th eliminated player and the second to fall to Pedey.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Oreo. Longtime veterans clash in 8-ball with the blue cue. Royal's Nightfur couldn't get anything going at the start of game 1, but Terrace City's Oreo gave away collateral damage on her first turn. Nightfur then rallied for a seven-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Nightfur didn't have a dominant stretch in game 2, allowing the Knights' Oreo to be much more competitive. Oreo made good on that with a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Oreo was good again in game 3, striking on the break at first. Nightfur responded with a four-ball run, but Oreo managed a six-ball run-out at the end for the win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Nightfur got a little closer to victory in game 4, but she couldn't make her last ball. Oreo rallied from behind on a three-ball run-out for the win and 3-1 series lead. Oreo stormed ahead on a four-ball run in game 5, and Nightfur never covered that damage before Oreo won again to finish the series at 4-1. Oreo will play in the bracket finals. Oreo got her first kill of the season to make Nightfur the 129th player out of the Tournament.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Jake. The silver cue is back for 13-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot was out of position and not playing all that well in game 1, but Royal's Jake scratched as he made the 8 on a three-ball run, and Hoot ended up with the win. Hoot leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Jake again surged only to take an ill-timed scratch in game 2. This one wasn't an instant loss, but it paved the way for the Meteors' Hoot to pick up four shots over two turns for the win and 2-0 series lead. Hoot made a pair of solids on the game 3 break. Jake had to address the defense of the 8 at the top right at some point, but his bank on the 15 was too heavy-handed and dropped the 8 illegally to give away the win and the series. Hoot clinched at 3-0. Jake finally got a win for himself in game 4, as both he and Hoot surrendered possession a little too easily at times. Jake finally won with a pair of late shots, while Hoot continues to lead at 3-1. Jake rallied again for the win in game 5, picking off a five-ball run-out as Hoot struggled to convert on good positioning. Hoot still won the series 3-2, and he'll travel to Golden to face the Pilots' Strut in the bracket finals. Hoot's third kill of the year made Jake the 130th player to exit the Tournament.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Princess v. Leonette. The venue doubleheader ends with the red cue playing 7-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Princess made a pair on the break and three-ball run at the end for a strong win and 1-0 series lead over Pacific's Leonette. The Meteors' Princess had another good break to start game 2, but she needed the Volcanoes' Leonette to miss contact on the 3 later on. Princess then took a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. In game 3, a pair of three-ball runs wasn't quite enough for Princess when she missed on the 7. Leonette poached the win at the top right to cut the series to 2-1. Leonette never let Princess get to the table in game 4, as Leonette ran the table from the break for the win. This tied the series at 2. Princess rallied on a six-ball run in game 5, but the 7 proved elusive until she made it three turns later after Leonette missed it. Princess barely won the series 3-2 and will host Fluffina of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket finals. Leonette is the 131st eliminated player, while Princess earned her third kill. The Volcanoes are the sixth eliminated team as well.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Stephanie. The red cue stays in action for 15-ball. Infinity's Smudge tried to stay aggressive throughout game 1, but a softer, creative touch from Southridge's Stephanie fared better at the end to earn her the win and 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Stephanie tallied thirteen balls over the first three turns of game 2, but the dominant effort would go to waste. The Torpedoes' Smudge the last two balls on separate turns for the win to tie the series at 1 against all odds. Smudge had a much more balanced game 3 in her grip with a three-ball run-out, but she scratched at the end, gifting the win away to Stephanie, who now holds a 2-1 series lead. A back-and-forth battle ensued in game 4, but it was Smudge who came out ahead with a clean three-ball run-out this time as she retied the series at 2 against Stephanie. Game 5 started with a similar choppy cadence, but Stephanie brought it to a stunning end with a 5-15 combination double-pot. The 5 dropped at the bottom side, and the 15 deflected off the 10 and 13 en route to the top right for the win and 3-2 series win to finish off Smudge. Stephanie will visit Viewpoint Sound Meteors leader Hoot in the bracket finals. Stephanie's first kill made Smudge the 132nd player to exit the competition.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Cubby v. Dominic. The blue cue takes a turn in 7-ball. Eastside's Cubby had a good share of the offense, although he spread it out over multiple turns. Southern's Dominic was a little out of sync with his plays, and Cubby grabbed the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Cubby quickly doubled up with a triple-pot on the game 2 break, putting the 5 down in the top right, the 6 in the top left, and the important 7 in the bottom left for a 2-0 advantage over the Monarchs' Dominic. Cubby sealed the series at 3-0 nearly as quickly in game 3. He made the 4 to the bottom right and 5 to the bottom side on the break, and then won with a 1-7 combination to the top right on the second shot to finish off Dominic. Cubby finally missed a shot in game 4, but Dominic was too cold to make anything himself. Cubby went on to pot a six-ball run-out for the win that stretched his series lead to 4-0 with his 19th unanswered ball. Cubby went empty on the break in game 5, and Dominic avoided the sweep with a 1-7 combination to the bottom side. Cubby's 4-1 series win sets him up to host club-mate Marsell of the Whitewater Shores in the bracket finals. Cubby earned his first kill this season, while Dominic is the 133rd player to be eliminated.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Leonardo. Eastern Hills tough guys clash in Accuracy with the silver cue. Stonebridge's Wild Thing had a pair of misses early in game 1, and it would be costly, as Diamond's Leonardo didn't miss until the final ball. Leonardo won 1-2 and took a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Leonardo wouldn't budge in game 2, and he made a strong play near the end to force the Wolves' Wild Thing into a miss. Leonardo walked with a 0-1 win to stretch his series lead to 2-0. Wild Thing, facing elimination, played desperate in game 3. It worked as he dragged Leonardo into a late tie, but Wild Thing failed to force overtime, and Leonardo won 3-4 to clinch the series at 3-0. Leonardo continued to find success, although he took a much more relaxed approach in game 4. Wild Thing, well past the point of apathy, didn't take advantage of Leonardo's sloppiness in the 5-6 game that put Leonardo up 4-0 in the series. Leonardo finished the 5-0 series sweep with another bout of perfection, knocking off Wild Thing by a 0-3 score this time. Leonardo will visit Harrison Specters captain Twinkie II in the bracket finals. Wild Thing is the 134th player out of the Tournament, and Leonardo now has his first kill, which also served as the seventh team-kill on the Gems.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Chimpy. The blue cue has the last two series today, beginning with this one in 8-ball. Oceanside's Jason V. was in the midst of a rally in game 1 when he hurt his finger. Westside's Chimpy answered on a three-ball run for the win and 1-0 series lead in what could become a lopsided battle. The Waves' Jason V. picked up a quick five-ball run in game 2, but he wasn't able to beat defense at the bottom right from the Rockers' Chimpy. In the end, Chimpy had the final pair of shots for the win and 2-0 series lead. Jason V. had the advantage through much of game 3, but a late trio of scratches delayed him too long. Chimpy pushed for a four-ball run-out, ending on a wicked cut of the 8 to the bottom right for the win that secured the series at 3-0. Jason V. only had two successful turns in game 4, but they were composed of a five-ball run and a three-ball run-out to finally get a win over Chimpy, who remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Chimpy let Jason V. hang around far too long in a slow-moving game 5. Jason V. stormed to the win on a seven-ball run-out, although Chimpy advanced to visit Oreo of the Urban rival Terrace City Knights in the bracket finals on a 3-2 series win. Jason V. is the 135th player to exit the Tournament, while Chimpy finally got his first kill. The Waves are the eighth team out of action as Chimpy picked up the team kill.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Slinks. The round ends with the blue cue playing Accuracy. Atlantic's Isabella had a rotten start to game 1, but she dragged Westside's Slinks down near the end. Isabella then locked up the win on her second try, the 4-5 result putting her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Pirates' Isabella almost kept it perfect in game 2, but a late miss would spoil that attempt. She still won 1-4 over the Rockers' Slinks, which gave Isabella a 2-0 series lead. Slinks wasted too many opportunities to get back into game 3, as a pair of scratches and misses that canceled out Isabella's mistakes led to the host taking a 2-5 win to secure the series at 3-0. Isabella started well with a pair on the break in game 4, but a miss and a scratch was all it took for her to take the loss. Slinks locked up a 0-2 win to cut the series to 3-1. Isabella wasn't up for game 5 either, falling apart in the middle as Slinks closed with a 0-3 win. Isabella's 3-2 series win gets her to a road series in the bracket finals against the Capital City Sharpshooters' Lorde. Isabella picked up her first kill this season, while Slinks is the 136th player to exit the Tournament.
That's all for the bracket semifinals. The bracket finals run from Saturday through Monday as bids for the Finals will finally be on the line.
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