Tournament X - Bracket Quarterfinals Day 14

We're back for another day of games, but the blue cue will sit out today's action. We begin with...

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sarah v. Hoot. The red cue opens the day in 15-ball. Tysini's Sarah made seven balls over her last two turns, but the 15 evaded her shot. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot had four balls on his last two turns, and that was enough for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sarah remained strong on offense in game 2 with an eight-ball run that ended with a scratch. The Meteors' Hoot didn't get on track on his late shots, and Sarah ended up with the win to tie the series at 1. Sarah kept the pressure high in a choppy game 3 battle, rarely missing her first shot on consecutive turns. Hoot was fairly close on offense, but Sarah got the win with a pair and took a 2-1 series lead. Sarah didn't get a lot of movement on the break in game 4, and that led to a rough start. Hoot produced a surprising early finish with the 1-14-11-15 combination to the bottom left, earning him the win to retie the series at 2. Game 5 could have gone either way early on, but Sarah made sure she advanced with a 7-15 combination to the bottom left. Sarah beat Hoot 3-2 in the series and will next host Lighton Prestige rookie Angelica in a Southwestern derby in the bracket semifinals. Hoot is the 48th player out of the Tournament, and Sarah has sole possession of the kills lead with three.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa v. Oreo. The silver cue comes between two Knights in Rotation. Oreo had total control in game 1, making an early three-ball run and adding a steady stream after that to win 8-1 over Melissa. Oreo leads the series 1-0. Oreo couldn't find her way at the start of game 2, and Melissa took full advantage of that with a three-ball run. She added a four-ball run to get close to victory, and then Melissa won 9-1 by double-potting the 5 to the bottom side and the 14 to the bottom left. Melissa tied the series at 1. Game 3 was the first close battle of the series, as Oreo rallied in the middle of the game to make things close. Melissa grabbed a pair at the end for the 8-6 win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Both players relied on pairs to begin game 4, and that left them even early on. Melissa got on the edge of victory with a three-ball run, which Oreo answered with a jump-shot on the 11 at the top left. Oreo would make a three-ball run-out on her next turn for the 8-7 win, retying the series at 2. Oreo was crisp on offense in game 5, but Melissa made it interesting with a four-ball run to pull even. Oreo fired back with a pair to tie it and another pair for the 8-6 win and 3-2 series win. Oreo will play in the bracket semifinals.

McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Steven v. Cleo. The green cue activates for this Accuracy series. Atlantic's Steven appeared to have the lead initially in game 1, but Everton's Cleo was persistent at the end and picked up the 2-3 win. Cleo leads the series 1-0. The Eagles' Cleo was unable to clean up her play in game 2, making a ball on the break before a total collapse at the end. The Pirates' Steven seized his chance with a 1-4 win, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Steven made a ball on the break. He kept things close with Cleo for much of the game, but Cleo pulled ahead late and held on for a 2-3 win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Cleo had an empty break in game 4, giving Steven the last-shot advantage. Neither player missed in regulation, but Cleo went empty on the overtime break, and Steven converted the 1-4 combination to the top left for the 0-1 win to tie the series at 2. Steven made a ball on the break and kept things even with Cleo until the very end. Cleo missed late and Steven went on to win 2-3, giving him a 3-2 series win. Steven will be on the road in the bracket semifinals.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Celestia. The host's doubleheader ends at home with the green cue in hand for 15-ball. Everton's Cleo had a strong bank on the 1 to the top right, but she scratched as well. Oceanside's Celestia surprisingly cut the 2 to the top right and then made a 3-15 combination from distance at the bottom right to get the win and 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia continued to press on offense with five of the last six balls potted after a good start. The Eagles' Cleo just escaped with game 2, picking off the 15 late at the bottom left to tie the series at 1. Cleo chipped in a fair amount of offense in game 3, but she couldn't get clean looks in the middle. This led to Celestia converting the 6 and then deflecting off the 7 to push the 15 into the top left for the win and 2-1 series lead. Celestia made a two-turn surge late in game 4, following up a four-ball run with a five-ball run that ended as she scratched while sinking the 15 at the bottom side. This gifted the win to Cleo, who retied the series at 2 with the stroke of fortune. Celestia found an eight-ball run early in game 5, setting the tone on offense immediately. Cleo got some back late, but Celestia won with a three-ball run-out for the 3-2 series win. Celestia will visit Queens Flames superstar Violetta in a huge bracket semifinals matchup. Cleo is the 49th eliminated player this year, while Celestia has her second kill this year.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Hoppy. The silver cue is back for a 7-ball series. Individually in game 1, Infinity's Fluffina had plenty of good shots, but the collective effort was lackluster. A scratch on the 6 allowed Archtown's Hoppy to pick up the 7 from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Fluffina put together a three-ball run late in game 2, but she missed again on the 7 and allowed the Arrows' Hoppy to scoop up the win for a 2-0 series lead. Hoppy opened game 3 with a three-ball run, but Fluffina fired back on a four-ball run-out with a lucky double-bank on the 6 that lined her up on the 7 perfectly. Fluffina cut Hoppy's series lead to 2-1. Fluffina had a pair on a comeback effort in game 4, only to rattle the 7 out of the top left. Hoppy had made a four-ball run and added the 7 on a cut for the win to secure the series at 3-1. Hoppy couldn't tack on another one in game 5, as Fluffina pulled off a three-ball run-out for the win. Hoppy settled for a 3-2 series win, and she'll host Northeastern rival Marissa of the Maplewood Lumberjacks in the bracket semifinals.

FedEx Arena, Eastside: Lily v. Easter. Another 7-ball series uses the purple cue. Eastside's Lily missed on her game 1 break, and Todavía's Easter showed no mercy, running the table from there for the win. Easter leads the series confidently at 1-0. The Stills' Easter had a four-ball run in game 2 and still looked menacing, but she missed on the 7. The Sharks' Lily gladly cleaned it up at the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Easter again dominated in game 3, making five of the seven balls including a textbook semi-masse on the 3 at the bottom left. Unfortunately, she under-hit the 7, and Lily tapped it in to poach the win for a 2-1 series lead. Lily scratched on the break, allowing Easter to make a five-ball run before scratching herself. Lily then took the 6 but missed the 7 on a bank toward the bottom right. Easter knocked it in for the win to retie the series at 2. Lily had some good plays in game 5, but she faltered on the 6 at the end. Easter made the final pair for the win and 3-2 series win, and it'll be Easter hosting Atlantic Pirates rookie Buddy in the bracket semifinals. Lily is the 50th eliminated player, and Easter has her second kill this season.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Waluigi v. Chimpy. Enigmatic plays collide in 9-ball with the silver cue. Westside's Chimpy had a strong effort in game 1, finishing on a five-ball run-out after Web City's Waluigi couldn't muster much offense. Chimpy leads the series 1-0. The Rockers' Chimpy was still active in game 2, but his three-ball run near the end came up just short with his miss on the 9. The Spiders' Waluigi poached this win to tie the series at 1. Chimpy took a swipe at a 2-9 combination toward the bottom left in game 3, but it rattled out. Waluigi responded with deflecting off the 2 to put the 6 in the top left before making that 2-9 combination that Chimpy failed on. Waluigi's win put him ahead 2-1 in the series. Waluigi turned up the heat in game 4, finding his form with a seven-ball run-out after Chimpy failed to take control. Waluigi's massive run sealed the series in his favor at 3-1. Waluigi added another favorable result in game 5, banking the 9 to the top left in response to Chimpy's three-ball run. Waluigi won the series 4-1 and earned the right to host Northeastern rival Noelle of the Central Warriors in the bracket semifinals.

Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Twinkie I. The host's second series today is a Coastal derby in 9-ball that features the purple cue's last series today. Todavía's Easter controlled the offense with ease, using a four-ball run early and late to run circles around Pacific's Twinkie I. The later run gave Easter the win and 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I made a five-ball run after the Stills' Easter scratched on an explosive break. Twinkie I missed on the 8, and Easter potted the last pair for the win to go up 2-0 in the series. Easter made an early pair in game 3, but Twinkie I fired back with a four-ball run-out capped by a deflection off the 4 to sink the 9 in the top left. Twinkie I cut Easter's series lead to 2-1. Twinkie I had a three-ball run over the middle of a close game 4 battle, but her miss on the 7 would be costly. Easter struck back with her own three-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series at 3-1. Game 5 was pretty balanced on both sides, but Twinkie I couldn't bring it home as she missed on the 9. Easter tapped it into the bottom right for the win, completing a 4-1 series win to get into the bracket semifinals.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dani v. Dusty. In 12-ball, the red cue makes its exit today. Golden's Dusty kept things clean in game 1, and that made the difference against Viewpoint Sound's Dani, who scratched on a bad break and yielded a wild-card ball near the end. Dusty picked up the close win for a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dani roared back in game 2, as the Pilots' Dusty made one on the break but couldn't find any positioning. Dani had a five-ball run and positioned her last ball at the bottom right to win on her second turn. Dani has tied the series at 1. Dani gave away a wild-card ball on the game 3 break, but that came with making two stripes. She took a few turns for positioning, aided by Dusty's relative lack of offense. Dani then struck a four-ball run-out for the win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Dani again gave away a wild-card ball in game 4, a dangerous play against Dusty, but Dani was able to hold her line well. Dusty got within a ball of the win before Dani put away her last ball at the bottom left to secure the series at 3-1. Dani went back to the well in game 5, giving away a wild-card ball and again pulling off the win despite the disadvantage. Dani won the series 4-1 over Dusty, and that earns Dani the right to stay home but act as the visitor versus Meteors teammate Princess in the bracket semifinals.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Jane v. Rosalina. Today's finale uses the silver cue in 8-ball. Stonebridge's Jane faltered in game 1 with a scratch and some shaky late shooting. Victoria's Rosalina locked in late and picked up the win with strong play, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Wolves' Jane had a productive five-ball run in game 2, which ended in a scratch. The Spurs' Rosalina made a three-ball run but couldn't get the 8 at the top left, and Jane made a pair for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw Jane have a decent start before getting jammed up at the bottom side with a cluster. Rosalina had already taken the lead at that point, and she finished with a three-ball run-out to regain the series lead at 2-1. Rosalina slipped back into mediocre shooting for game 4, leaving far too much open territory for Jane to exploit. Jane did very well in that role, winning on a three-ball run-out to retie the series at 2. Rosalina appeared to have the edge at the start of game 5, but it didn't hold up, as Jane stormed back with a seven-ball run-out for the win to grab a 3-2 series win. Jane will host Pacific Volcanoes captain Starlight in the bracket semifinals. 

That's it for today's action. We've got just four days left in the round.