The second day of First Round action is here, beginning with...
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sugar v. Salmo. The purple cue gets first dibs with a 9-ball series. Tysini's Sugar made an impressive start in game 1, sinking the 3 at the top side and the 9 at the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead before Diamond's Salmo ever got a shot. The Hummingbirds' Sugar scratched on the game 2 break and looked much less confident. The Gems' Salmo managed a four-ball run, but he butchered a shot on the 7. Sugar struck with a deflection off the 7 to drive the 9 to the top left for the win that sealed the series at 2-0. Sugar had another slow start in game 3, but when Salmo wasn't better, Sugar potted a seven-ball run-out to complete the 3-0 series sweep. She'll enjoy the comforts of home again in the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Jake. The purple cue remains in action for Accuracy. Pacific's Twinkie I couldn't hang onto the perfect standard set by Royal's Jake in game 1, fading toward the end. Jake closed out a 0-3 win to go up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 remained close up to the end, but the Volcanoes' Twinkie I once again started to fade. The Crowns' Jake escaped some early danger and was rewarded with the 1-4 win, clinching the series at 2-0. In game 3, both players kept the score close to the finish. Jake would set up Twinkie I for the last shot to avoid a tie, allowing Twinkie I to salvage a 2-3 win. Jake's 2-1 series win got him into the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Avril v. Luigi. The green cue draws in for 15-ball between Celebrity club-mates. Southridge's Luigi had a larger chunk of the offense, with a mid-game four-ball run and a late three-ball run, but he missed his bank on the 15. Pronger's Avril tapped it to the bottom left for the game 1 win and 1-0 series lead. The 15 got pushed out toward the bottom right early in game 2, making a combination nearly inevitable at some point. The Defenders' Luigi delivered on a 4-6-15 combination for the win to beat the Tridents' Avril and tie the series at 1. Game 3 was as balanced as any in the series, with Luigi leaning a little more into his offense. Avril would strike late after Luigi missed contact, as Avril converted the 8 and then added the 9-15 combination to the top left. Avril won the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sarah v. Nibbles. From the Southwest, we have 9-ball with the green cue. Tysini's Sarah had a rough time in game 1, as Web City's Nibbles worked a three-ball run and seemed to be in charge late. Sarah did manage to clean up the 9 to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead despite her overall poorer play. The Spiders' Nibbles quickly got revenge after the Hummingbirds' Sarah scratched on the game 2 break. Nibbles sank the 1 to the bottom side, then made a 2-9 combination to the top left with the 4 going to the top side as a double-pot. Nibbles' win tied the series at 1. Nibbles could have been a threat if he managed a run in game 3, as Sarah started off with a number of scratches. Sarah righted her play with a four-ball run-out for the win and 2-1 series win to get into the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Salmo v. Wings. The host gets his second series today, using the silver cue for 8-ball. Diamond's Salmo scratched on the game 1 break, and then both players had a five-ball run. Pearl's Wings came close to sinking the 8, but Salmo battled back with a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Wings didn't change his strategy, again starting with a five-ball run in game 2. He ended up with the same result as the Gems' Salmo balanced his offense to finish on a three-ball run-out again. Salmo sealed the series at 2-0. Salmo struck first in game 3 on a four-ball run, then weathered a two-pronged counterattack from Wings before converting a three-ball run-out. Salmo swept the series 3-0, cruising into the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Rocky v. Fuchsia. After the lunch break, there's 7-ball with the purple cue. Oceanside's Rocky found a four-ball run in the middle of game 1, but it didn't sustain him. Infinity's Fuchsia finished the effort with a pair of shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Fuchsia had the only possession in game 2, sinking a pair on the break and closing her five-ball run-out with a 4-7 kick combination to the top left. This sealed the series in her favor at 2-0 without a chance to reply for the Waves' Rocky. A messy game 3 performance ultimately ended up in Rocky's favor after Fuchsia botched a simple shot on the 7 at the end. Fuchsia still won the series 2-1 to get into the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Citrus v. Sugar. Southwestern rivals tangle in another 7-ball series, this time using the silver cue. Tysini's Sugar made the first pair and last three shots in game 1, a dominant showing on offense for the win and 1-0 series lead over Lighton's Citrus. The Prestige's Citrus was a little better in game 2, bouncing a three-ball run-out after a long battle on the 5 that saw the Hummingbirds' Sugar lose her touch. Citrus' win tied the series at 1. Sugar got back on track in game 3, jumping in a shot on the 1 at the bottom side. Citrus played well, but Sugar was better with a deflection off the 3 to drain the 7 at the bottom right for the win and 2-1 series win. Sugar is headed to the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Leonardo. The silver cue goes again in 12-ball. Diamond's Leonardo found a three-ball run early, but a lack of positioning gave Oceanside's Snuggle plenty of time to push ahead for the win. Snuggle leads the series 1-0. The Waves' Snuggle dealt with the top rail quickly, but had no positioning after that in game 2. A thorough defense from the Gems' Leonardo turned into an effective five-ball run-out as he surged for the win to tie the series at 1. Snuggle had some moments in game 3, including a three-ball run, but Leonardo was ultimately not punished for one of the worst breaks of the young season. Leonardo made his final pair for the win, the 2-1 series win, and the trip to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Steven v. Sierra. A top-ranked player gets a 10-ball series with the silver cue. Atlantic's Steven dominated game 1 with a trio of three-ball runs, suffocating the offense of Todavía's Sierra. Steven easily took a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Steven broke the chalk before game 2, but he defied the bad omens as it was the Stills' Sierra who suffered misfortune. Sierra left the 10 at the bottom left after a tough battle, and Steven tapped it down for the win to secure the series at 2-0. Steven completed the sweep in game 3, finding a four-ball run-out after a slowdown on the 6 that Sierra couldn't solve. Steven's 3-0 series win puts him at home again in the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Autumn v. Spot. The Eastern Hills Derby is back on with 7-ball and the silver cue. Diamond's Autumn had all the early offense in game 1, but Pronger's Spot picked up the win with a late pair of shots. Spot holds a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Spot tried to be a little too creative in game 2. He almost got away with it, but the Gems' Autumn got on track with a four-ball run-out for the win, which tied the series at 1. Autumn began game 3 on a four-ball run, but couldn't sink the 4. Spot rallied with a three-ball run-out, blasting his shots down for the win to take the series 2-1. Spot will play in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Peach. Tough Urban rivals meet in 15-ball with the green cue. North Modernistic's Peach had more offense early on in game 1, while Westside's Midnight made a later surge. Midnight missed the 15, and Peach tapped it to the top left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Peach didn't have as much offense in game 2, which coupled with a four-ball run-out from the Rockers' Midnight to even the series at 1. Midnight's strong offense for the win marked a momentum change in the series. Peach made quick work of game 3, working a three-ball run-out with a 3-15 combination to the bottom left on her only turn. Peach won the series 2-1 and will host Queens Flames newcomer Pauline in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Snowball. The red cue gets a look now in 15-ball. Nothing elegant came from game 1, as both players struggled on offense. Maplewood's Whiskers likely had the best stretch in the middle, but Swordpoint's Snowball won with a pair at the end for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball had virtually all of the offense in game 2, including an early five-ball run, but she couldn't bring it home. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers plucked a pair of shots at the end for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 returned to a low-event, back-and-forth pace. Whiskers was the lucky recipient of the final shot, taking the 15 to the bottom right after Snowball couldn't finish the effort. Whiskers won the series 2-1 and heads to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Dusky. The silver cue returns for this Rotation match. Boston's Ice Cream established a lead early in game 1 and never looked back, with Atlantic's Dusky struggling to even get on the board for awhile. Ice Cream won 8-3 and moved ahead 1-0 in the series. Roles reversed in game 2 after the Swifts' Ice Cream scratched on the break. The Pirates' Dusky had a confident run and finished with an 8-2 win, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Game 3 finally brought both players at their best. A back-and-forth battle, Ice Cream led early on and again later, but couldn't hold off a late run from Dusky that saw her make four balls over two turns for an 8-6 win. Dusky took the series 2-1 to move into the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Toki v. Strawberry. The host's competitive career debut comes in Rotation with the purple cue. Eastside's Toki struggled at first in game 1, allowing Victoria's Strawberry to build her lead. Toki then had a couple errors, and Strawberry ended by double-potting the 9 to the bottom side and the 12 to the bottom left for the 8-3 win and 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Toki did better in game 2, keeping things even at first. The Spurs' Strawberry got a bit of a lead, which Toki matched on a three-ball run, but Strawberry would end up with an 8-5 win anyway. Strawberry secured the series for herself at 2-0. Toki wouldn't leave the series empty-handed, putting in a strong effort to score an 8-3 win over Strawberry in game 3. Strawberry still won the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Omari v. Lorde. The silver cue gets one more series today in 13-ball. Web City's Omari began game 1 on a three-ball run, but Capital City's Lorde had a four-ball run in response. Lorde maintained that narrow edge right to the finish, taking the win for a 1-0 series lead. Both players had a high pace in game 2, with the Sharpshooters' Lorde striking first, only for the Spiders' Omari to be a step ahead for most of the game. Omari would take a pair at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Omari had Lorde on the ropes for most of game 3, but Omari's scratches slowed him down. Lorde then ripped a six-ball run-out for the game and the 2-1 series win. Lorde will advance to round two.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Summer v. Puff I. The day ends with 13-ball as well, except with the red cue in this series. Modernistic's Puff I had good positioning but poorer execution in game 1, her sloppy play allowing Maplewood's Summer to slowly work her way to the win. Summer didn't mess around with a late three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 remained close, with the Lumberjacks' Summer losing her way on a mid-game scratch. The Union's Puff I put in the work to make the comeback, sinking the 8 to the bottom side to tie the series at 1. Game 3 could have gone either way, as Puff I got onto the 8 quickly and took her time. Summer also got onto the 8 but missed her only chance, and Puff I put it down to the top side for the 2-1 series win.
That'll do it for today. We roll on again tomorrow.
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