The league is back today, beginning with a big series. First up...
Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Niki. A top-rated host plays 15-ball with the green cue to kick off the action. Game 1 was the typically choppy style associated with the green cue. Queens' Violetta had some moments, but Commerce's Niki picked up momentum at the end to earn the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki struck on the break in game 2, but scratched on the next shot. The Flames' Violetta took the 2-15 combination to the top left on the ball-in-hand, tying the series at 1 with the quick win. Violetta felt confident in game 3, a dangerous situation for Niki to face. Violetta found a five-ball run and won with an 11-13-15 combination to the top left on the next turn to secure a 2-1 series win with the comeback. Violetta will enjoy the comforts of home in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Boots. The red cue is next up for an Accuracy series. Westside's Midnight had the lead early on as Pearl's Boots stumbled out of the gate in game 1. Midnight couldn't hang on, falling behind at the end as Boots held on for a 3-4 win to take the 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Midnight didn't get any better in game 2, falling behind early and never recovering as the Surfers' Boots went on to win 1-4. Boots clinched the series at 2-0. Game 3 was much closer at the end, but Midnight would fall once more. Boots was denied a perfect game, settling for a 1-2 win that made it a 3-0 series sweep to send her to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Rocky. A rough captain meets a rookie for 10-ball with the silver cue. Mistakes plagued the middle of game 1, as Stonebridge's Juno illegally potted a ball, only for Oceanside's Rocky to botch his free shot. Juno then made a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead after Rocky's mistake. The Waves' Rocky provided a good answer to a three-ball run by the Wolves' Juno in game 2, but Rocky left the 10 standing at the top side. Juno made the tap-in, earning the win and securing the series at 2-0. Juno didn't get many chances in game 3 after leaving the 10 next to the top left. Rocky had a dominant attack despite no defining run in his lone win. Juno took the series 2-1 to get into the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Toki v. Sage. A venue doubleheader begins with the purple cue in 8-ball here. Eastside's Toki made one of each on the game 1 break and worked a four-ball run with stripes. Victoria's Sage answered back with five balls over two turns to take the lead, but Toki made a three-ball run-out to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Toki was less fortunate in game 2, as the Spurs' Sage upped the pressure and managed to work her way to victory. Sage was patient but solid in the win, tying the series at 1. Toki had a four-ball run in an attempt to catch up, but Sage was far enough ahead to weather that attack late in game 3. Sage picked up the win and took the series 2-1 to earn her spot in the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Nightfur v. Lily. Sharks teammates, a captain and a rookie, clash in 8-ball with the green cue to end the doubleheader. A close game 1 finally tipped to Lily at the end, her surge coming on a four-ball run-out to stun Nightfur. Lily leads the series 1-0. Nightfur made a good push on a six-ball run in game 2, but she struggled to get onto the 8. During that struggle, Lily found her shot again and knocked in a four-ball run-out to steal the win away. Lily clinched the series at 2-0 in the process. Game 3 saw a slower start on both sides, but Nightfur hardly got better with a tough attempt at finishing. Lily had a five-ball run to get onto the 8, and plenty of time allowed her to convert it cleanly for the 3-0 series sweep. Lily will play in the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Gizmo. After the break, the blue cue is up for 7-ball. Golden's Valencia had a good start to game 1, but she couldn't make it stand. North Modernistic's Gizmo made a pair at the end for the win, pulling ahead 1-0 in the series. The Pilots' Valencia had a much stronger grip on game 2, using a four-ball run in the middle to assert herself. The Nighthawks' Gizmo missed twice on the 7 and Valencia knocked it down to tie the series at 1. Valencia had a decent start, but Gizmo worked a four-ball run that ended with a deflection taking the 7 to the bottom side. Gizmo won the series 2-1 to earn his advancement to round two.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Patches. Captains battle in a marquee series with the green cue in 12-ball. Boston's Patches had some questionable misses in game 1, and a couple of scratches, but her defense prevented Pearl's Watermelon from lining up at the end. Patches made a pair and took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon couldn't find any positioning in game 3, and the Swifts' Patches applied pressure with five balls over the first two turns. Patches took her time to finish at the top side, easily winning to secure the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Watermelon get a better start, but a couple of scratches held her back, and Patches' defense did the rest. Patches swept the series 3-0 to get into the second round.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Yekaterina v. Goatee. The green cue's last series today is in 9-ball. Westside's Goatee had a surprisingly strong game 1 with a six-ball run. Victoria's Yekaterina didn't wrangle the 9 at the end, and Goatee put it in the top left for the win to go up 1-0 in the series. The Rockers' Goatee had another overwhelming share of offense, this time making the last six balls over two turns with no danger in a response from the Spurs' Yekaterina. Goatee's exceptional showing sealed the series at 2-0. Goatee had some good looks in game 3, but her scratch set up Yekaterina for a 3-9 combination to the bottom left for her lone win in the series. Goatee advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Kirstin v. Josie. Under-the-radar players meet in 15-ball with the red cue. Stonebridge's Kirstin scratched on the break and looked shaky in game 1, but Oceanside's Josie didn't fill the void much. Kirstin would steady with a four-ball run-out at the end, going up 1-0 in the series. The Wolves' Kirstin continued to be shaky at times in game 2, while the Waves' Josie had a larger portion of the offense. Josie's shot on the 8 would prove critical, as it left Kirstin an easy 8-15 combination to the top left for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Josie had a late four-ball run as she made a push in game 3, but her miss on the 14 let Kirstin convert the final pair for the win and 3-0 series sweep. Kirstin is set to play in the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Nibbles v. Brownie. Veterans collide in 15-ball with the purple cue. Royal's Brownie had much more stability in her game, while Web City's Nibbles floated aimlessly through game 1. Brownie used a decoy on the 14 to deflect the 15 into the top left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Nibbles still didn't look very good in game 2, but he took a gifted win as the Crowns' Brownie tried a trick shot that resulted in illegal contact and the 15 being illegally potted. This tied the series at 1. Brownie again appeared to have a large chunk of the offense, but her late miss on the 15 allowed nibbles to poach the win and the 2-1 series win all at once.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Pauline. The purple cue stays up for this 7-ball series. Westside's Misty had a little more offense early in game 1, but the end-game was poor on both sides. Queens' Pauline left the 7 near the bottom right for Misty to kick in, and the host converted for the 1-0 series lead. The struggles persisted on both sides in game 2, with the Rockers' Misty faltering at the end. The Flames' Pauline was a little better and made the 7 on her second try for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw Pauline work a three-ball run from the break, answered by Misty with a three-ball run-out. Misty claimed a 2-1 series win and moved on to the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Mams v. Chimpy. Oriental United club-mates meet in Rotation with the red cue. Southern's Mams had the early lead in game 1 and mostly did well to hold off Westside's Chimpy. At the end, Mams went unchallenged to pick up an 8-4 win for the 1-0 lead in the series. The Monarchs' Mams used a four-ball run to establish her lead early in game 2. The Rockers' Chimpy chipped back and briefly pulled even before Mams ripped a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win. Mams sealed the series at 2-0. Mams didn't quite have enough offense in game 3 to complete the sweep. Chimpy kept things steady for most of the game, then broke away with an 8-4 win, leaving Mams to head to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Paps v. Mr. Snowman. The silver cue is back in action for this 13-ball set. Steadfast defense elongated game 1 dramatically, with Capital City's Paps eventually slipping up and allowing Central's Mr. Snowman zip to the finish. Mr. Snowman leads the series 1-0. The Sharpshooters' Paps held the lead for much of game 2 but couldn't line up his last shot. A missed contact play completed the collapse, as the Warriors' Mr. Snowman made a pair from the ball-in-hand for the win. Mr. Snowman clinched the series at 2-0. Mr. Snowman couldn't get lined up at the end of game 3, and Paps eventually took care of the final pair of balls for the win. Mr. Snowman settled for a 2-1 series win to get him into the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Mario. A Southeastern Derby in 10-ball with the silver cue opens a venue doubleheader. After a security breach early in game 1, Queens' Mario looked to be the more rattled player. Midland's Rainmane took advantage and easily earned the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Rainmane stayed locked in for game 2, converting a 4-10 combination to the top left for the early win over the Flames' Mario. This sealed the series at 2-0 for Rainmane. Game 3 didn't go as well for Rainmane, as her offense turned inconsistent. This opened enough space for Mario to get a win, although Rainmane heads to round two with a 2-1 series win anyway.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Chicky Phil v. Nibbles. The venue doubleheader ends in 7-ball with the blue cue. Web City's Nibbles had a productive game 1 performance with a three-ball run, but Midland's Chicky Phil matched it at the end for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Chicky Phil had a couple of good bursts in game 2, but a scratch as he made the 6 ruined his chances. The Spiders' Nibbles easily tapped in the 7 to the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was a quick one for Nibbles, who sent the 1 and 7 to the bottom right on the break, doubling the impact from Chicky Phil's error. Nibbles took the series 2-1 and will visit Stonebridge Wolves newcomer Kirstin in the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Prism v. Graham. Newcomers to their teams clash in 12-ball with the purple cue. Pronger's Prism had ups and downs in game 1, but a late scratch actually helped her get better positioning. Central's Graham wasn't ready for Prism to pick off three balls in two turns for the win at the end, and the host went up 1-0 in the series. The Tridents' Prism was millimeters away from getting solids in game 2, but they went to the Warriors' Graham instead. He made a five-ball run-out on his second turn for a dominant win to tie the series at 1. Prism and Graham defended against each other in game 3, but only Prism's held. She was forced into a shake-up shot, which resulted in her potting Graham's last ball and scratching. Graham took the free win for a 2-1 series win to stake his claim to a second round bid.
That's all for today's games. We'll be back tomorrow with another full set.
No comments:
Post a Comment