UPCL Bowl Series - Day 1

For the first time in league history, we'll play a postseason bowl series. The intent is to pit club representatives against each other in neutral-site All-Around series. We'll play five Bowls a day, with six on Sunday and finish a week from today. First up...

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Briana. In Senior v. Junior 1, we'll see the red cue in action. Archtown's Charlton got off to a good start with a majority of the possession in 7-ball leading to a win for a 1-0 series lead over Queens' Briana. The Flames' Briana enjoyed her early play in 8-ball, but the effort faltered near the end as the 2 proved tough to wrangle. The Arrows' Charlton surged back for the win on a three-ball run-out that gave her a 2-0 series lead. Charlton outright dominated 9-ball after both players missed on their first shots. Charlton worked a nine-ball run-out for the win to extend her advantage to 3-0 over Briana. In 10-ball, Briana finally got on the board with a strong effort to finally defeat Charlton, who retained a 3-1 series lead. Briana made an aggressive push at the end of 12-ball that saw her yield two wild-card balls to Charlton. Briana's offensive fell short, and Charlton got the win for a 4-1 advantage. Briana had some offense in 13-ball, but she was unable to do anything after Charlton's late scratch. This proved to be a strategic move, as Charlton won with a three-ball run-out on the next turn to seal the Golden Bowl at 5-1. Charlton made a spirited push near the end of Rotation, but Briana was able to hang on for an 8-6 win to cut the series to 5-2. Charlton flexed some creativity in 15-ball, making three balls on the break and later adding a double-pot. Briana had a three-ball run at one point, but Charlton won with a three-ball run-out to extend her series lead to 6-2. Charlton came up with the win in a close Accuracy battle as well, winning by a 3-4 score after a sloppy finish ruined Briana's effort. Charlton took the first bowl by a 7-2 margin, which will send her into league retirement after five seasons, one of 16 retiring players.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Lexi v. Twinkie II. The only bowl with teammates meeting is the Humanity v. Reality bowl, featuring the blue cue. Twinkie II picked up the 7-ball win on a 5-7 combination to the bottom right after a close battle with Lexi. Twinkie II holds a 1-0 series lead. Lexi didn't get much of anything going in 8-ball, while Twinkie II ripped a five-ball run-out at the end for the 2-0 lead in the series. Lexi got on the board with a two-shot win in 9-ball, making a ball on the break and deflecting off the 1 to drive the 9 to the bottom right for the victory. Twinkie II still has a 2-1 series lead. Twinkie II did a lot of work with a six-ball run in 10-ball, but she couldn't cut the 10. Missed contact gave Lexi a free shot for the win to tie the series at 2. Twinkie II couldn't get anything going right in 12-ball, with a last-ditch effort at defense. Lexi navigated that without trouble, getting the win to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Lexi had a good performance in 13-ball, but her shot on the 8 was just short at the bottom right. Twinkie II made the final pair for the win, stopping the bleeding to tie the series at 3. Twinkie II regained the edge in the series with a convincing 8-5 win over Lexi in Rotation. It was a close battle, but Twinkie II's three-ball run-out carried her to a 4-3 series lead. Twinkie II had some good moments early in 15-ball, but Lexi came through at the end to strike the 15 to the top right for the win, evening the series once more at 4 games each. Lexi and Twinkie II were even through regulation in Accuracy, setting up an overtime rack. Twinkie II couldn't drop anything on the break, and Lexi took the win by a 2-3 margin to win the Southridge Bowl 5-4 in her final league appearance.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Niki v. Sydney C. Two of this year's breakout stars meet with the silver cue in Senior v. Junior 3. Modernistic's Sydney C. didn't have much of a chance to attack in 7-ball, with Commerce's Niki finding the win instead for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki looked convincing in 8-ball as well, but she was a little too slow. The Union's Sydney C. rallied all the way back for a five-ball run-out to win the game and tie the series at 1. Niki did better in 9-ball, starting strong, weathering Sydney C.'s counterattack in the middle, and then finishing with a three-ball run-out. Niki claimed the series lead again at 2-1. Niki wasn't able to control 10-ball at all, faltering throughout the series with missed shots. Sydney C. was hardly better until the end when she struck for a pair to get the win that retied the series at 2. Sydney C. thought she held defense well at the top side, but it didn't stop Niki at the end when she finally made a pair of shots for the win and 3-2 series lead. Niki had some offense to work with in 13-ball, and while Sydney C. made a big push-back at the end, Niki held it off for the win to pull out to a 4-2 series lead. Sydney C.'s comeback rally began in Rotation, with a crafty turn in the middle yielding a four-ball run. Niki had no answer, and Sydney C. went on to win 8-1 to pull within a game in a 4-3 series. Sydney C. charged again late in 15-ball with a five-ball run, but this would go to waste as Niki answered on a three-ball run-out. Niki's win secured the series in her favor at 5-3 as she won the Midland Bowl. Sydney C. can take some consolation in a strong performance in Accuracy, which saw her beat Niki 1-3. Niki won the series 5-4 to take the bowl.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Leandra v. Rosemary. One of the lesser bowls sees Brute Force meet Youth Movement with the purple cue. Tysini's Leandra looked strong in 7-ball, but she scratched as she made the 7, gifting the win and 1-0 series lead to Commerce's Rosemary. The Tradewinds' Rosemary did a bit more to earn the win in 8-ball, attacking with a very strong performance. The Hummingbirds' Leandra was a turn behind the entire time as Rosemary stretched her series lead to 2-0. Leandra finally took full control in 9-ball, running the table from break to a bank on the 9 to the bottom side for the win. Rosemary couldn't do anything about her series lead shrinking to 2-1. Leandra took a gamble by cutting the 8 to the top side in 10-ball, but she scratched. Rosemary made the last pair of shots for the win, boosting her lead in the series to 3-1. Leandra made one of each on the break, but it was her own bad positioning in 12-ball that led to Rosemary picking up a win in the end. Rosemary's series lead now stands at 4-1. Leandra put on a good start in 13-ball, but Rosemary sizzled a six-ball run before bad positioning on the 8. Leandra failed to respond, and Rosemary got the win to seal the Boston Bowl early at 5-1. Rosemary shook out a large lead fairly quickly in Rotation, then took her time with the finish before beating Leandra 8-3. Rosemary is cruising with a 6-1 series lead. Leandra didn't manage much in the way of offense in 15-ball, but when Rosemary scratched after the 2-15 combination dropped in the bottom right, Leandra ended up with a win anyway. Rosemary remains ahead 6-2 in the series. Rosemary kept it tight in Accuracy and ended up with a 1-2 win at the end to finish off a 7-2 series win over Leandra.

McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Dani v. Daisy. The green cue ends the day with the Humanity v. Celebrity Bowl. Modernistic's Daisy made a mid-game push in 7-ball, but Viewpoint Sound's Dani would take the last two shots for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Union's Daisy had a bit more stability in her attack in 8-ball, but the Meteors' Dani pulled back at the very end with a five-ball run-out. Dani's lead in the series is now 2-0. The two players did the same dance again, with Daisy coming close in 9-ball, only for Dani to swipe the win away at the end for the 3-0 series lead. Dani posted a decent attack in 10-ball, but she was unable to finish off the game after a scratch. Daisy made a three-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 3-1. Dani had to have everything go right on a late run in 12-ball, but it didn't connect just right. Daisy escaped with a win instead, getting closer but still behind 3-2 in the series. Dani halted her skid in 13-ball, although it took a big run and a push after a scratch to fend off Daisy this time. Dani's big win put her on the edge of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Daisy couldn't hang on at the very end of Rotation, taking a late lead in a close game. Dani surged back with a pair of shots for the 8-7 win to clinch the Atlantic Bowl at 5-2. Dani took her chances on a tough 8-15 cut to the bottom right, converting but also scratching to end 15-ball early and in Daisy's favor. Dani's series lead stands untouchable at 5-3. Daisy couldn't force overtime in Accuracy, slipping up late as Dani took the 2-3 win for the 6-3 series win.

We'll keep going for a week with this before switching gears to a very brief offseason.