We're back in action for a full slate today, beginning with...
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Dominic v. Twilight. The silver cue gets the start today in 12-ball. Southern's Dominic yielded a wild-card ball on the break in game 1, and after some set-up work, Central's Twilight made a four-ball run to get close to the win. Twilight would eventually strike her last ball to the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight surrendered a wild-card ball early in game 2, but then went on a five-ball run to make things close. The Monarchs' Dominic finished just in time to grab the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw Dominic take a solid on the break, followed by Twilight pushing a five-ball run to gain a big lead. Dominic couldn't battle back, and Twilight took the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Game 4 turned into a race for positioning at the end, and Twilight was able to win it with stripes, cutting the 15 to the bottom side to beat Dominic again. Twilight secured the series at 3-1. Dominic looked like he had a good chance to grab game 5, but his late run ended with a miss at the bottom right. Twilight made a pair in response to finish a 4-1 series win that earns her a road position in the bracket semifinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Mams. Coastal rivals clash in 10-ball with the red cue. Pacific's Leonette had a stronger handle on game 1 compared to Southern's Mams. At the end, Leonette missed the 8-10 combination from a tough angle but double-potted it to the bottom side on the next turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. Things started slowly in game 2, but the Monarchs' Mams found her way at the end with a four-ball run-out. Mams finished with a double-pot of the 6 and 10 to the right corners to tie the series at 1 versus the Volcanoes' Leonette. Mams made a pair on the break in game 3, and she stayed strong through an early finish with the 6-10 combination at the top left. Mams now leads Leonette 2-1 in the series. Leonette, desperate to make a splash, tried a jump shot on the 7 in game 4. It failed, and the resulting ball-in-hand for Mams led to a three-ball run-out that gave the visitor the series at 3-1. Mams brought another early finish in game 5, burying a 5-7-10 combination to the top left to complete her 4-1 series win over Leonette. Mams will host the Royal Crowns' Katelynn in the bracket semifinals.
Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Sarah. Young stars battle in 7-ball with the red cue. Tysini's Sarah looked like the stronger player in game 1, but she missed on the 7. Queens' Violetta cashed in at the bottom side for the win in the end, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Violetta did well on her first two turns, but faded after that. Game 2 ended with the Hummingbirds' Sarah surging to victory on a five-ball run-out, which helped her tie the series at 1. Violetta got back on track in game 3 with an early pair that ended with a miss on the 3-7 combination at the top right. Sarah pushed back, but Violetta took the last pair from ball-in-hand after Sarah's missed contact. Violetta retook the series lead at 2-1. Violetta tried to attack firmly in game 4, but she had a little too much inconsistency in her game, and a scratch turned possession to Sarah, who then made a four-ball run-out. Sarah was lucky her kick on the 5 sent the 6 to the top side, but she made the last two shots easily to retie the series at 2. Game 5 came down to who could corral the 5, and Violetta missed her lone chance at it. Sarah ignited for a three-ball run-out to get the win and 3-2 series win, which sends her to the bracket semifinals.
Intel Center, Diamond: Leonardo v. Kayla. The green cue comes aboard for an Accuracy series. Diamond's Leonardo made a ball on the break in game 1 but couldn't sustain his attack at the end. A late scratch gave Royal's Kayla the lead, and she held on to win 2-3 for the 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Leonardo made the same mistake in game 2, scratching while potting his last shot. The Crowns' Kayla converted from ball-in-hand to get the 1-2 win and 2-0 series lead as she has capitalized on her host's two errors. Leonardo held the lead for part of game 3, but the ending was a little rough for him. Kayla held her ground yet again and cleaned up the last ball for a 2-3 win after Leonardo fell behind at the end. Kayla clinched the series at 3-0. Leonardo finally struck for a win in game 4 as Kayla scratched twice in the middle and couldn't pull even. Leonardo had a 1-2 win to cut Kayla's series lead to 3-1. Kayla managed to get an ugly win in game 5, beating Leonardo 5-7 after a long battle in the late game. Kayla won the series 4-1 and will visit Modernistic Union rookie Maggie in the bracket semifinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Dominic. The visitor plays his second series today in 9-ball with the blue cue. Southern's Dominic had the 9 in his sights to start game 1, and Infinity's Shelley did nothing to stop him. Shelley's missed contact error allowed Dominic to double-pot the 2-9 combination at the top right for his 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Dominic wasn't as focused in game 2, but he had the upper hand in the battle versus the Torpedoes' Shelley. Dominic did his part at the end with a three-ball run-out for the win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Dominic kept going with heavy offense in game 3, making an early three-ball run. Shelley got one back, but missed on the 6, leading to Dominic's win with a four-ball run-out. Dominic clinched the series at 3-0. Dominic kept rolling in game 4, with not even a late error to slow him down. Shelley made the 6 and 8 from ball-in-hand but left the 9 for Dominic at the bottom left to stretch his series lead to 4-0. Dominic completed the 5-0 series sweep with a 6-9 combination to the top left to end a three-ball run-out. Dominic will remain on the road when he faces the Everton Eagles' Goldy in the bracket semifinals. Dominic earned his first kill of the year to make Shelley the 42nd eliminated player.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Gal. The green cue is done for today after 7-ball. Golden's Dusty sank a three-ball run from the break in game 1, but went cold after that. North Modernistic's Gal made a three-ball run of her own and sank the 7 on her second try for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty wouldn't stay down long, weathering a three-ball run from the Nighthawks' Gal before attacking over two turns to win game 2. Dusty tied the series at 1 with a bank on the 7 to the bottom side. Gal had a four-ball run fairly early in game 3, but Dusty responded on her next turn with a three-ball run-out, including another bank of the 7 to the bottom side to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Dusty couldn't get a grip on the offense in a slow-moving game 4. At the end, Gal took over to make a pair for the win, retying the series at 2. Game 5 came down to the wire, with Dusty just prevailing on a cut to the bottom side after Gal couldn't lock in on the 7. Dusty won the series 3-2 and will host Whitewater Shores captain Shaggy in the bracket semifinals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Nibbles. The red cue's exit comes after this 12-ball set. Midland's Americus made a pair early and looked strong on offense, but she couldn't get contact on her last ball. From ball-in-hand, Web City's Nibbles executed a three-ball run-out for the comeback win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 came down to a positioning battle at the top side after a rough outing on both sides. The Predators' Americus got the edge with her last ball and just beat the Spiders' Nibbles for the win, tying the series at 1. Americus played thorough, long-term defense in game 3, twice frustrating Nibbles. Eventually, Nibbles scratched, and in his recovery, he sank Americus' last ball to give her the 2-1 series lead. Americus couldn't overcome giving away a wild-card ball on the game 4 break. Nibbles wasn't particularly fast to attack his shots, but Americus was out of position for her last ball. Nibbles blocked her off and got the win to even the series at 2. Nibbles made three stripes and a solid on the game 5 break, a quick start to the decisive battle. Americus pressed late, but couldn't sink her last ball before a scratch put her behind. Nibbles then took two more shots to get the win, earning a 3-2 series win in the process. Nibbles will visit a Northeastern rival and club-mate in the Archtown Arrows' Hoppy in the bracket semifinals.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Nightfur. Captains battle in Rotation for the purple cue's only outing today. Lighton's Acorn made it look easy in game 1, dominating on offense despite not playing at a high pace. Acorn beat Eastside's Nightfur 8-1 for the 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Nightfur put up more of a fight to start game 2, but she let the Prestige's Acorn off the hook for his scratch on the break. Acorn got loose soon after that and stomped his way to an 8-3 win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Acorn was back to his previous style of unconventional but effective offense mixed with smothering defense in game 3. Nightfur had few clear looks and wasted about half of the ones she did have, allowing Acorn to get a big 8-1 win to seal the series at 3-0. Nightfur jammed her pointer finger on her base hand on her first turn of game 4. The injury just added to her troubles, as Acorn ran away with a five-ball run on the next turn and easily won 8-2 to stretch the series lead to 4-0. Nightfur saved a little face with an 8-6 win in game 5, starting with a three-ball run and just holding off Acorn this time. Acorn won the series 4-1 and will host the Pearl Surfers' Bright in the bracket semifinals. Acorn's up to two kills this season, while Nightfur is the 43rd player out of the Tournament.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Salmo. The silver cue cycles in for an 8-ball set. Diamond's Salmo made the end of game 1 far more difficult than necessary, just limping across the finish line with a bank of the 8 to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead over Archtown's Sally. The Arrows' Sally found a six-ball run early in game 2, but the Gems' Salmo fought back on a four-ball run. Sally couldn't overcome two late scratches that set her backward, and Salmo completed the comeback for the 2-0 series lead. Salmo flirted with danger again in game 3 after starting on a five-ball run. He never got to make his last ball, as Sally finally made him pay with a five-ball run-out to cut the deficit to 2-1. Sally took the big lead in game 4, and once again she failed to make it stand. Salmo wasn't sharp in his comeback, but he was good enough to win, sealing the series at 3-1. Sally finally took care of business, winning game 5 in two turns with the latter being a seven-ball run-out. Salmo still won the series 3-2, and he'll be the host in his bracket semifinals appearance.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Twinkie III. The day ends with the blue cue in 15-ball. Golden's Strut seemed to have most of the offense in game 1, but after he missed the 10 to end a four-ball run, Whitewater's Twinkie III came alive. Twinkie III made a three-ball run-out with a 13-15 combination to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut was right back on top with offense in game 2, including a luck-fueled five-ball run. The Shores' Twinkie III fired back on a three-ball run and eventually made the last pair for the win to extend her series lead to 2-0. Strut didn't have as much offense in game 3, so he attempted to turn to defense as he knocked the 15 away from the 13. Twinkie III proceeded to carve out a four-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series at 3-0 in the process. Twinkie III had nothing on the break in game 4, and Strut took an early swipe at the 15, but missed and scratched. Later on, Twinkie III wouldn't get so lucky, as she illegally contacted and sank the 15, gifting Strut his first win as Twinkie III's series lead shrunk to 3-1. Twinkie III showed a bit of offense in game 5 as well, but after her six-ball run, Strut found a three-ball run-out for the win. Twinkie III settled for a 3-2 series win, which lets her host the Central Warriors' Twilight in the bracket semifinals.
That's all for today's action, with the Bracket Quarterfinals now two-thirds complete.
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