We're on the 20th day of Tournament play this year, and we'll begin with...
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Solaris v. Bear. The green cue opens the day in 13-ball. Commerce's Solaris started with a five-ball run in game 1, which Everton's Bear impressively matched. Solaris then struck to the bottom right and made the 8 on his second try for the win to go up 1-0 in the series. The Tradewinds' Solaris had good offense in game 2 as well, but he couldn't corral his last ball. The Eagles' Bear took advantage with positioning and then a three-ball run-out for the win, which tied the series at 1. Solaris and Bear both played fast in game 3, and they defended against each other at the bottom side. Solaris eventually broke through for the win and 2-1 series win to earn his spot in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Molly v. Pedey. The green cue remains in action for 8-ball. Southern's Molly got blocked on her last ball, leaving Todavía's Pedey to push his way to a three-ball run-out with good positioning. Pedey converted and took a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Molly did a little better in game 2, working a shot on the 8 but missing wide of the top left. The Stills' Pedey again used a three-ball run-out of easy shots to win, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 was much the same, with Molly getting to the edge of success only to be denied by another miss on the 8. Pedey finished off the win to complete his 3-0 series sweep, sending him to the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Hoot. Established veterans battle in Accuracy with the green cue. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot didn't have much on offense in game 1, staying behind after the middle. Everton's Puff III finished off a 3-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot missed out on perfection in game 2, but he still had a convincing win by a 1-4 score to defeat the Eagles' Puff III. This tied the series at 1. Hoot had no trouble taking game 3 as well, with Puff III collapsing early. Hoot's 1-5 win gave him a 2-1 series win and will allow his passage to the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Roxy v. Sunshine. The silver cue draws in for 15-ball. Royal's Sunshine had a bit of a scratching problem early in game 1, but Freedom's Roxy was hardly better in that regard. Sunshine unleashed a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Sunshine had a four-ball run from the break in game 2, but he wouldn't get back to the table. The Cascades' Roxy used a four-ball run-out that ended on a 6-15 kick combination to the bottom side for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw a return of scratching early on, before Sunshine had a four-ball run. Roxy then fired a three-ball run before her scratch allowed Sunshine to take the 15 from ball-in-hand. Sunshine won the series 2-1 and will play in the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Bear v. Lize. Another 15-ball series uses the purple cue. Southridge's Lize made a threatening seven-ball run in game 1, but it wasn't quite enough as she missed on the 15. Everton's Bear poached the victory at the top left, going ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 came to an early end, with the Defenders' Lize missing contact on the 2 giving the Eagles' Bear ball-in-hand. Bear skimmed a shot off the 2 that bumped the 15 to the edge of the top left. The play potted the 6 at the bottom right, with the vibration causing the 15 to drop for the game-winning double-pot. Bear sealed the series at 2-0. Bear couldn't quite get away with the sweep, his game 3 effort tailing off at the end. Lize was able to close down a win and make it a 2-1 series win for Bear, who will host again in the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Salmo. The blue cue takes a turn in 10-ball. A cagey start to game 1 fell apart when Swordpoint's Dreamy poked a 3-10 combination to the top left to get the win and 1-0 series lead over Diamond's Salmo. The Blades' Dreamy had a solid performance in game 2 with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out, while the Gems' Salmo scuffled throughout. Dreamy clinched the series at 2-0 with her strong attack. Dreamy didn't have any big play in game 3, simply making a 9-10 combination to the top left that Salmo couldn't convert on his own. Dreamy swept the series 3-0 and will play in the second round.
Sony Center, Queens: Mario v. Spirit. The green cue is back for this 12-ball set. Queens' Mario had a nice start and received a wild-card ball in game 1, but his weak attempt to finish was overpowered by a three-ball run-out from Lighton's Spirit. This gave Spirit the 1-0 series lead. Once again, the Prestige's Spirit gave away a wild-card ball and then rallied with a three-ball run-out in game 2 to double down on the Flames' Mario to win the series at 2-0. Spirit and Mario got into a race in game 3, which was pretty close until Spirit blocked the bottom right to seal the 3-0 series sweep. Spirit will host Boston Swifts captain Patches in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Mams v. Sage. Onward to Accuracy, which will use the silver cue. Both players were perfect deep into game 1 before struggling. Victoria's Sage had the worst of it, and Southern's Mams scooped up a 3-5 win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. A similar pattern emerged in game 2, with the Spurs' Sage again fading first. The last ball caused problems, tarnishing the Monarchs' Mams in a 2-4 win that sealed the series at 2-0. Game 3 was a little more intense, as Mams made a triple-pot on the break, which Sage answered with a pair of double-pots. Mams missed the last ball to sportingly let Sage win 1-2. Mams took the series 2-1 and will play in the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Shawn. Captains do battle in 9-ball with the red cue. Midland's Shawn picked up his pace at the end of game 1 and snagged the win for a 1-0 series lead over Lighton's Acorn. Another close but unremarkable game in game 2 saw the Predators' Shawn pick off a pair of shots at the end to beat the Prestige's Acorn again. Shawn completed the upset as he secured the series at 2-0. Acorn worked a six-ball run in game 3, but it wasn't any good when he missed on the 8. Shawn cleaned up the last pair of shots to finish a 3-0 series sweep, which sets him up to visit the Infinity Torpedoes' Fluffina in the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Blizzard. Another 9-ball series is on with the silver cue. Midland's Rainmane made four of the last five balls in game 1, but it was the 9 that escaped her grasp. Harrison's Blizzard tapped it in the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Blizzard kept the Predators' Rainmane from the table in game 2. Blizzard made a ball on the break and finished with a 2-9 combination to the bottom left to seal the series at 2-0. Blizzard popped off early in game 3, but it was Rainmane who shut it down for her lone win in Blizzard's 2-1 series win. Blizzard will visit Web City Spiders veteran Waluigi in the second round for a Northeastern Derby series. This was Rainmane's 100th unique opponent.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Yekaterina. In 15-ball, the purple cue is on hand. Boston's Puff II had a big break in game 1, netting a pair of balls. The rest of the game was quick, with Victoria's Yekaterina picking up the win and 1-0 series lead with a three-ball run-out. The Swifts' Puff II had a three-ball run that got sandwiched by a three-ball run and an 11-14-15 combination from the Spurs' Yekaterina. The latter play gave Yekaterina a win and clinched the series at 2-0 in her favor. Yekaterina brought the series to a quick finish in game 3, turning a foul from Puff II into a 2-15 combination at the bottom right. Yekaterina's 3-0 series sweep puts her in the second round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Gradley. A pair of veterans battle it out in Accuracy with the blue cue. Boston's Gradley and Capital City's Missy had a fantastic start to game 1, but both faltered a bit late. Gradley just held on for a 2-3 win after the last ball proved troublesome for Missy. Gradley owns a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley had a relatively easy time in game 2, as the Sharpshooters' Missy fell apart mid-game. Gradley won 1-5 and secured the series at 2-0. Gradley had only one mistake in game 3, while Missy stayed perfect for a 0-1 win to avoid the sweep. Gradley won the series 2-1 to get into the second round.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Sage v. Bear. Multiple series for both players today, this one in Rotation with the purple cue. A very tight game 1 was not an easy win for Victoria's Sage, who escaped by an 8-7 margin after Everton's Bear had just a three-ball run near the end. Sage is up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 was a little more convincing for the Spurs' Sage, although it took her much longer to activate her offense. The Eagles' Bear presented a threat at the end, but Sage held on for the 8-5 win to seal the series at 2-0. Sage again came away with a narrow win in game 3, this time by an 8-6 score after a fast start turned into a tough battle against Bear. Sage swept the series to move into the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Hoppy. The blue cue's last series today is in 10-ball. A slow start turned into a quick finish, as Archtown's Hoppy saw her three-ball run matched by Royal's Jake to end the game. Jake's win gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake couldn't replicate that in game 2, his offense fading at the end. The Arrows' Hoppy was not smooth but still picked up the win, which tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw Hoppy slip up late with an error. Jake worked a three-ball run-out off of that to get the win, which also gave him the 2-1 series win. Jake is through to the second round.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Yekaterina v. Blaze. The host's second series of the day is in 10-ball with the red cue. Infinity's Blaze did alright in game 1, but he rattled the 10 out of the bottom side. Victoria's Yekaterina was there to mop it up for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Blaze found a five-ball run over the middle of game 2, but his miss on the 7 sparked a four-ball run-out on the counterattack for the Spurs' Yekaterina, who sealed the series at 2-0. Yekaterina absolutely shook the bottom right with her miss on the 3 after sinking the 10 illegally on the game 3 break. Blaze avoided the sweep with a heroic eight-ball run-out. Yekaterina's 2-1 series win has her on the road against the Southern Monarchs' Mams in the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Cheddar. The day ends in 8-ball with the purple cue. A scratch on the break didn't hold Pacific's Twinkie I back, as she would ignite for a seven-ball run-out to get the 1-0 series over North Modernistic's Cheddar. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I didn't have one big attack in game 2, but she still needed just three turns to beat the Nighthawks' Cheddar this time. Twinkie I clinched the series at 2-0. Twinkie I had a challenge on her hands in game 3, but she was strong enough to win with a three-ball run-out to beat Cheddar once more. Twinkie I's 3-0 series sweep sets her up for a second round appearance.
We'll go again tomorrow despite some lingering feelings of fatigue. A break day is not currently scheduled but may be taken in the near future.
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