Tournament play resumes after a three-day break with the beginning of the First Round. This is expected to be a 45-day journey with every player still active. Series remain in a best-of-three format. We begin with...
Intel Center, Diamond: Shadow v. Hoot. The blue cue gets the first series today, playing in 9-ball. Both players had their troubles in game 1, with Viewpoint Sound's Hoot sinking the 9 on his third try to take a 1-0 series lead over Diamond's Shadow. The Meteors' Hoot saw his game 2 unravel with one bad shot, which was an illegal contact scratch to end his three-ball run. The Gems' Shadow took the last two balls from ball-in-hand for the win to tie the series at 1. Shadow took over to close out game 3, ripping a seven-ball run-out as he completed the series comeback. Shadow is the first of many players to punch a ticket to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Rudolph v. Americus. Brute Force club-mates meet in 13-ball with the blue cue. Harrison's Rudolph was already behind when he committed an overfill at the bottom right. This gave Midland's Americus plenty of room to finish off game 1 victorious for the 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Americus established herself with a four-ball run in game 2, but her offense was slow after that. The Specters' Rudolph had a three-ball run-out for the win after an overfill and a scratch, the big comeback serving to tie the series at 1. Rudolph had a lot of early offense in game 3, but he nearly committed another overfill. That misplay allowed Americus to slowly rally back, and she finished with the 8 in the bottom right for the win and 2-1 series win to get into the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Sunshine v. Missy. The green cue gets a turn in 13-ball now. Game 1 was close, but Royal's Sunshine can thank his defense at the top left for throwing Capital City's Missy out of a rhythm. Missy still had a chance to win, but she missed on the 8, and Sunshine converted for the 1-0 lead in the series. The Crowns' Sunshine had five balls down in his first two turns, pressuring Missy into a scratch and an overfill over her next two turns. Sunshine was sharp at the end, getting the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Sunshine didn't have a great distribution on stripes in game 3, but he held his defense at the top left and baited Missy into giving him a freebie. Sunshine missed on the 8, and Missy would clean it up for the win, but Sunshine still took the series 2-1 as he advanced to the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Hoppy v. Stripes. Leading into the break, there's 15-ball with the purple cue. All the early offense Archtown's Hoppy had in game 1 went to waste when she left the 15 short at the top right. Freedom's Stripes tapped it down, her late surge cashed in for a win and 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Stripes peaked with a six-ball run in the middle of game 2, but it was all offense for the Arrows' Hoppy after that. Hoppy made the last five balls over two turns, earning the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw Hoppy strike in surprising fashion, a 5-15 combination rattling into a cluster and then dropping to the bottom left for the win and 2-1 series win to send her into the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Wario v. Autumn. After the break, the red cue steps in for Accuracy. Diamond's Autumn had a solid performance in game 1, maintaining her lead to a 2-3 win over Southridge's Wario. Autumn leads the series 1-0. The Gems' Autumn followed up with an even better game 2, keeping her play perfect to take the 0-2 win over the Defenders' Wario this time. Autumn's victory sealed the series in her favor at 2-0. Wario didn't get any better in game 3, fading late as Autumn ran away with a 2-5 win to take the series in 3-0 sweep. Autumn's early bid for a Cinderella run is into the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Crystal. The blue cue returns to action in this 15-ball series. Terrace City's Quincy had a decent start in game 1, but it faded after Queens' Crystal had a five-ball run. Crystal managed to close it out after a sloppy finish, going up 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Crystal tried to play bold in game 2, but too many errors weighed her down. The Knights' Quincy found a four-ball run and later struck the 15 to the bottom side for the win to tie the series at 1. Crystal had a four-ball run at one point, but her offense evaporated near the end. Quincy sealed the win with a four-ball run-out, and that gave him the 2-1 series win to send him to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Kodiak v. Stinky. The silver cue makes its first round debut in Accuracy. Modernistic's Kodiak held steady despite some tough mid-game shots in game 1. Freedom's Stinky unraveled near the end, allowing Kodiak to claim the 2-5 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Kodiak had three balls on the break and a later double-pot in game 2, but his misses would define the performance. The Cascades' Stinky got the win with near-perfection in a 1-3 game that tied the series at 1. Kodiak had an iffy start to game 3, but he held his ground as Stinky again fell apart completely. Kodiak's 3-7 win earned him a 2-1 series to win get him into round two.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Rocky v. Steven. The silver cue remains in action for 8-ball. A balanced game 1 could have gone either way, but Atlantic's Steven rattled off a three-ball run-out for the win to take a 1-0 series lead over Oceanside's Rocky. Choppy offense remained a factor in game 2, with the Pirates' Steven getting the first strike but not a lot else. The Waves' Rocky did a little better and pulled away to the win, tying the series at 1. Rocky had game 3 on the ropes, the 8 lingering at the top left, but his miss allowed Steven to rally with a four-ball run-out. Steven claimed the win, the 2-1 series win, and the trip to the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Pauline. We're back in 15-ball, using the green cue this time. Pacific's Twinkie I seemed to have a larger portion of the slow-moving offense early in game 1, but she didn't sustain it. Queens' Pauline used a three-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Pauline had a nice break in game 2, but the Volcanoes' Twinkie I needed just two shots to convert a 2-15 combination to the bottom left for the win. The sudden strike tied the series at 1 game apiece. Pauline struck right back in game 3 after Twinkie I missed contact on the 2. Pauline made the 3-15 combination to the top side for the 2-1 series win, which sends her into the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Molly. The first top-seeded player is hosting this Rotation series with the red cue. Archtown's Sally had a good run in the middle of game 1, but Southern's Molly battled back and found a way to win 8-5 for the 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Molly started well in game 2, but her offense stagnated with a mid-game scratch. That moment sparked a four-ball run-out to all corners for the Arrows' Sally, who took the 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Molly pulled ahead early in game 3, but she stalled out again in the mid-game. Sally composed herself and attacked to win 8-6, taking the series 2-1 as she advances to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Wings. Also in Rotation is this bitter series with the silver cue. Pearl's Wings was far better in game 1, while Stonebridge's Juno floundered between poor mistakes and worse errors. Wings picked up the win by an 8-3 score, going ahead 1-0 in the series. Tempers flared in game 2, although the Wolves' Juno channeled her anger into an 8-5 win over the Surfers' Wings, who seemed completely lost by the end of the game. The series is tied at 1. Game 3 went down to the wire, as neither player really had much control of their play. Wings took the final pair of shots for an 8-6 win to move onto round two with a 2-1 series win.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Sydney S. A top-seed series is up in 7-ball with the blue cue. Whitewater's Twinkie III kept it simple in game 1, cranking a hard break to send the 7 to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead over Harrison's Sydney S. The Shores' Twinkie III had to use a little more effort in game 2, but the Specters' Sydney S. committed illegal contact late. Twinkie III made the final pair of shots from ball-in-hand for the win to secure the series at 2-0. Twinkie III had a majority of the offense again in game 3, completing a thorough sweep of Sydney S. Twinkie III will have a spot in the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Lily v. Taylor M. More top-seeded action with an all-Eastside Sharks twist is on in 7-ball with the purple cue. Game 1 saw Lily work a three-ball run from the break and later added three more balls over her last two turns, a dominant showing for a win over Taylor M. Lily leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw Lily continue to make a solid attack, but it wasn't enough this time. Taylor M. provided a pair of soft touches at the end to get the win, tying the series at 1. It wasn't particularly pretty in game 3, but Taylor M.'s late miss on the 6 set up Lily for the final pair of shots. Lily converted and won the series 2-1 to get into the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Luigi v. Wario. The ultra-rare battle of players who are both teammates and club-mates commences in 9-ball with the green cue. Both players had similar efforts in game 1, but it was Luigi leaving the 9 short of the top right that allowed Wario to tap it in for the win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 followed a similar cadence, with Luigi's late miss on the 9 coming at the bottom left this time. Wario's held his own on offense, but the easy tap-ins late have assured him of a 2-0 series lead. Luigi couldn't kick the 9 to the bottom right at the end of a slow-moving game 3, and Wario cleaned it up again to sweep the series 3-0 as he heads to the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Rainmane. Tough opponents clash in Accuracy with the silver cue. Midland's Rainmane had some baffling misses, and North Modernistic's Peach made sure to take advantage of them in a 2-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Peach had an awful showing in game 2 and still nearly got away with it, as the Predators' Rainmane only had a thin 4-5 win to tie the series. Peach was plagued by scratches throughout game 3, ruining her chance to salvage a result. Rainmane was merciless, winning 1-4 and taking the series 2-1 as she advanced to the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Snuggle. The day ends in Rotation with the green cue. Pacific's Leonette had a three-ball run from the break in game 1, but that was all she'd get. Oceanside's Snuggle answered with a four-ball run and won 8-3 on a three-ball run-out to take the 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette skated on thin ice in game 2, as the Waves' Snuggle got on the brink of victory with a four-ball run. Leonette fired back a four-ball run-out for the 8-7 win, tying the series at 1. There would be no heroics for Leonette in game 3, as Snuggle closed out with an 8-3 win to move to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
We'll have plenty of pool over the next six-plus weeks as we traverse the first round.
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