We're ready for Thursday pool. The purple cue will be out of action for today's games. First up...
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Leonette. Veterans clash in 12-ball with the silver cue. Golden's Sparkles twice overfilled at the top left in game 1, failing to get aligned properly at the end. Pacific's Leonette had to be patient, but she was able to grab the win and a 1-0 series lead when she sank her final pair. The Volcanoes' Leonette struck quickly on solids in game 2, winning in three turns with a bank of the 2 to the top side to close it out. Leonette leads the Pilots' Sparkles 2-0 in the series. Leonette was a little slower at the start in game 3, but Sparkles didn't put up much of a resistance at the end. Leonette had good positioning and cashed in a three-ball run-out for the win, sealing the series at 3-0. Leonette had most of the offense early in game 4 and quickly got onto the last ball at the top side. Sparkles had a wild-card ball in tow and made a four-ball run, but missed her last shot to the top right. Leonette then converted for the win, stretching her lead to 4-0. Leonette struggled from the start of game 5, allowing Sparkles to pick up a result in the finale. Leonette won the series 4-1 and will host the Atlantic Pirates' Isabella in the bracket semifinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Dani. The blue cue returns to action with an 8-ball series. Everton's Puff III found a four-ball run early in game 1 to take the initial lead. Viewpoint Sound's Dani pushed back late but missed on her last ball, and Puff III shut the door with the 8 at the top left. Puff III leads the series 1-0. The Eagles' Puff III failed to get anything going on the game 2 break. The Meteors' Dani had three-ball runs on both of her first two turns. She would add a pair at the end for a big win to tie the series at 1. Dani had a four-ball run to open game 3, but Puff III kept it close with her own three-ball run. Dani still had a chance late in the game, but missed contact on a jump attempt. Puff III made the last pair of shots from ball-in-hand for the win to go up 2-1 in the series. Dani struck first in game 4, but she had virtually no answer for Puff III's six-ball run on the next turn. Puff III took control and attacked well to close out the win, securing the series at 3-1. Both players worked five-ball runs during game 5, but it was Puff III who took the momentum from hers to get the win. Puff III won the series 4-1 and will host again in the bracket semifinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Kayla. Captains collide in 10-ball with the silver cue. Pacific's Starlight made the 10 on the break, which doesn't count for a win. Her play after that was inconsistent, and Royal's Kayla was able to snag the win with a late pair for the 1-0 series lead. Kayla ripped a five-ball run from the start of game 2, and added a little more on her next turn. The Volcanoes' Starlight refused to go down, fighting back with a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Kayla couldn't quite convert a run at the end of game 3, missing on the 9 to tank her chances. Starlight sank the final pair for the win, pulling ahead 2-1 in the series. Starlight didn't have her best performance in game 4, with Kayla making six of the last seven balls thanks to a four-ball run and a game-winning pair. Kayla's victory retied the series at 2. Starlight made the last five balls over two turns, aided by Kayla missing contact on a cut attempt on the 9. Starlight got the win for a 3-2 series win, and she'll head on the road to Stonebridge to face Wolves captain Juno in the bracket semifinals.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Noelle. The blue cue cycles in again for 12-ball. Central's Noelle had a quick surge in game 1 but needed time on her last ball. Swordpoint's Snowball added pressure with a three-ball run but missed her last ball twice, and Noelle was able to sneak in for the win and 1-0 series lead at the end. The Blades' Snowball was sharp on stripes to the side pockets, but lining up her last ball took far too long. The Warriors' Noelle was a tap-in away from victory, but Snowball sank it for her, gifting Noelle the 2-0 series lead. Snowball played strong in game 3, working well from the start and dancing around Noelle to easily grab the win and cut the series to 2-1 after Noelle's awkward break. Snowball kept it going by making a pair to start game 4, and then adding a three-ball run-out at the end as Noelle's comeback effort fell short. Snowball has tied the series at 2. Snowball had a chance to strike late in game 5 as Noelle looked out of sorts, but Snowball committed an illegal contact foul. Noelle made a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win and 3-2 series win. Noelle is set to visit Queens Flames hotshot Briana in the bracket semifinals. Snowball is the 30th eliminated player this year after facing her 100th unique opponent, and Noelle has her first kill.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sarah v. Lorde. A Southwestern derby in 13-ball uses the silver cue in its last appearance today. Tysini's Sarah made a four-ball run with stripes on the game 1 break while also sinking a solid. Capital City's Lorde immediately turned defensive, frustrating Sarah for many turns. Lorde then struck a five-ball run-out for the big comeback win to go up 1-0 in the series. The Sharpshooters' Lorde overfilled solids at the top left on the break in game 2, and she never really recovered for positioning after that. The Hummingbirds' Sarah gave her plenty of chances before making a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Sarah's break in game 3 benefited Lorde a bit more, as the visitor was able to stake out a lead. Sarah pushed back to get onto the 8, but she missed it at the top left, and Lorde tapped it down to regain the series lead at 2-1. Lorde made a three-ball run from the break in game 4, and added more later. Sarah had a three-ball run as well, but she was a bit more persistent near the end, working around Lorde's defense to grab the win. The series is tied at 2. Lorde had the lead for most of game 5, but one of her shots sank Sarah's ball at the top right and left the 8 blocking the pocket. This paved the way for Sarah to take over and earn the win, which she did to win the series 3-2. Sarah is set to go on the board in the bracket semifinals. Sarah joined the kills lead at two as Lorde became the 31st eliminated player.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Sparkles. Sisters meet in 10-ball with the blue cue, with the visitor playing her second series of the day. After a jittery start on offense, Lighton's Shiny was able to sink the 1 and then the 2-10 combination to the bottom left for the win as Golden's Sparkles was still settling in. Shiny leads the series 1-0. The Prestige's Shiny wasn't as quick or accurate in game 2. The Pilots' Sparkles instead worked a four-ball run over the middle, which Shiny answered with a pair. Sparkles then made the 10 to the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 1. Shiny faltered after a contested start to game 3, failing to get any traction on the 3. Sparkles rallied from there with a seven-ball run-out for the win, going ahead 2-1 in the series. Shiny intentionally sank the 10 on illegal contact to get it out of danger in the middle of game 4. That set her up for a late chance to win the game, but she missed the 10 to the bottom left, and Sparkles tapped it in to seal the series at 3-1. Sparkles had a five-ball run in the middle of game 3 before letting Shiny get a chance to finish it. Shiny made a pair and missed on the 10, and Sparkles showed no mercy to collect the win for a 4-1 series win. Sparkles is set to be on the road in the bracket semifinals. Sparkles has her first kill of the year as Shiny is the 32nd eliminated player of the year.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Kitty v. Sally. The red cue's lone outing today is in 7-ball. Archtown's Sally had more of the offense in game 1, but she scratched in her attempt at the 7. Midland's Kitty sank it from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Kitty couldn't get her offense going in game 2. The Arrows' Sally struggled a bit as well, but she rattled the 2 out of the bottom side and sent it on the right path to bump the 7 down at the top left for a lucky win. The series is tied at 1. The bounces went back in favor of Kitty in game 3, as her shot on the 6 rattled away from the bottom right but fell in the top right, much to the disappoint of Sally. Kitty then buried the 7 at the top left for the win and 2-1 series lead. Sally salvaged a result in game 4 despite a late mistake after a four-ball run. Kitty could only put away the 6, leaving the 7 for Sally at the bottom right, which allowed Sally to tie the series again at 2. It took a couple of turns to get going, but Kitty made a seven-ball run-out in game 5 to secure a 3-2 series win over Sally in a hard-fought battle. Kitty is set to host her bracket semifinals appearance.
Sony Center, Queens: Briana v. Boots. The blue cue is done after this 8-ball series. Pearl's Boots put a solid in a bad position in the middle of game 1, and when she tried to fix it, she illegally sank the 8 to gift the win and 1-0 series lead to Queens' Briana. The Flames' Briana did more to earn her victory in game 2, keeping a fairly steady pace on offense. The Surfers' Boots sparked to life a little too late to make an impact, and Briana potted a pair to get the win for the 2-0 series lead. Briana didn't command the ball quite as well in game 3, allowing Boots to make a strong comeback attempt near the end. Boots just came up short on the 8 at the bottom left, where Briana made a tap-in to clinch the series at 3-0. Briana rolled on in game 4 with another sturdy offensive effort. Boots couldn't keep up with the high pace, and Briana got the win on a three-ball run-out capped by banking the 8 to the top left. Briana is soaring with a 4-0 lead in the series. Briana backed off the pace a bit in game 5, and Boots snatched up the win to avoid the sweep. Briana won the series 4-1 and will visit the Everton Eagles' Puff III in the bracket semifinals.
Intel Center, Diamond: Autumn v. Stinky. Eastern Hills rivals battle in Rotation with the green cue. Diamond's Autumn had most of the early offense in game 1, but Freedom's Stinky played well in the middle to keep it close. Autumn surged later, closing out the win at 8-6 for the 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Autumn opened the scoring with a four-ball run in the game 2. She later added a three-ball run before besting the Cascades' Stinky by an 8-3 score in the end. Autumn leads the series 2-0. Autumn made a statement in a slow and steady attack in game 3. Stinky couldn't get anything going, and Autumn finished with a double-pot of the 5 and 8 to the left corners for the 9-0 win and 3-0 series lead. Autumn had a solid performance in game 4, but it took her a bit longer to get to the finish. Stinky tried to launch a late counterattack, but Autumn snuffed it out with an 8-3 win for the 4-0 lead in the series. Stinky finally picked up a win in a close game 5 battle. Autumn's offense failed her this time, and Stinky won 8-5, while Autumn took the series 4-1. Autumn will visit Todavía Stills captain Easter in the bracket semifinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Avril v. Toki. Another Eastern Hills derby ends the day with the green cue in 15-ball. Pronger's Avril was clearly stronger in game 1, controlling the pace of play versus Eastside's Toki. Avril got the win with a four-ball run-out that ended on a decoy shot on the 7 while the cue bumped the 15 to the top left. Avril leads the series 1-0. The Tridents' Avril had an unimpressive game 2 break, but the Sharks' Toki couldn't hit the 1. His foul shot put the 15 near the bottom left, and Avril won two shots later with a 2-5-15 combination there. Avril is up 2-0 in the series. Avril lost control of possession early in game 3, and she suffered a lot of errors under Toki's style of play. Avril's last scratch allowed Toki to get the win with a 5-15 combination to the top left, cutting the series deficit to 2-1. Toki didn't keep control into game 4, leading to a contentious battle at the start. Avril wrangled her way to the top to make a three-ball run-out with an early finish, sinking the 7-15 combination to the bottom left. Avril secured the series at 3-1 in the process. True to form, the 15 got near a pocket early in game 5. Toki benefited this time with an 8-11-15 combination to grab the win. Avril won the series 3-2 and will host another Eastern Hills rival as the Stonebridge Wolves' Hershey pays a visit in the bracket semifinals.
That's it for today's pool. We'll play two more days before a scheduled day off Sunday.
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