Tournament X - Bracket Finals Day 5

It's last-chance time to get into the Finals. We begin the round finale with...

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Oreo. The purple cue opens the day in 8-ball. Central's Twilight had a strong four-ball run in game 1, but Terrace City's Oreo had already done a lot on offense and added a pair at the end to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight jumped out to a lead with a five-ball run early in game 2. It didn't hold up very well, as the Knights' Oreo recovered slowly and eventually took the win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Twilight was slow to claim a suit on offense in game 3. Oreo was able to do good work on solids despite Twilight keeping things close late. Oreo then made a pair for the win, clinching the series at 3-0. Twilight salvaged a result in game 4, turning up her offense on a six-ball run-out after Oreo struggled to get her offense going. Twilight's win cut Oreo's series lead to 3-1. Twilight did a little more work in a close game 5, finishing with a four-ball run-out to leave Oreo with a 3-2 series win. Oreo went 14-7 on the bracket and will play in the Finals.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Summer. Northeastern rivals battle in Accuracy with the blue cue. Archtown's Sally couldn't hang on in a close game 1, taking a late miss. Maplewood's Summer made the next shot and secured a 3-4 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Summer put in a similar effort for game 2, but the Arrows' Sally elevated her own level of play. This led to Summer's late miss being a problem for her, while Sally used it to grab a 2-3 win that tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw Summer make a mess of her chance to reestablish a lead. She lost the lead late in regulation, then exchanged misses three times with Sally in overtime. Sally eventually won 5-6 by leaving Summer in a bad position, and that gave Sally the 2-1 series lead. Sally held the last-shot advantage in game 4, but she let it slip away by trailing late. Summer dropped back into a tie to force overtime again, and Sally then missed all three of her shots in overtime. Summer grabbed the 4-5 win to retie the series at 2. With the series on the line, Summer delivered her best game yet, holding the line at perfection. A late miss from Sally let Summer win 0-1, and Summer's 3-2 series win put her in the Finals with a 15-6 record from the bracket. Summer got her fourth kill of the year, while Sally is the 130th eliminated player.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Megan. A Coastal derby sees the silver cue's last appearance of the round coming in 13-ball. Southern's Pounce had stripes from the break, but a later scratch would flip the momentum to Oceanside's Megan. At the end, Megan put her last solid and the 8 behind Pounce's defense at the bottom right for the win. Megan leads the series 1-0. The Waves' Megan made a mess of the finish in game 2. She held a huge lead while the Monarchs' Pounce sought positioning, but Pounce was able to claw his way back well enough to easily win, tying the series at 1. Pounce had some moments in game 3, but Megan used a five-ball run to take the lead. Pounce was out of position on his last ball, and Megan converted to the top side for the win and 2-1 series lead. Pounce began to lose his cool a bit in game 4 as he had trouble setting up at the top right. A bank bailed him out, but the 8 was another battle, and Pounce just barely prevailed over Megan that time. The series is tied at 2. Pounce made a six-ball run from the break in game 5 to get himself in a good position. He scratched on the next turn, and Megan pressed hard but couldn't cover the damage. Pounce won the series 3-2 and will go to the Finals after a minimum 13-8 performance on the bracket. This was Pounce's second kill of the year, and Megan is the 131st player out.

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Strawberry v. Shawn. The red cue closes out its round in 9-ball. Victoria's Strawberry was far too inconsistent in game 1, while Midland's Shawn had a three-ball run and added the 9 on his second try for the win. Shawn leads the series 1-0. The Predators' Shawn put an emphasis on pace in game 2 with a three-ball run at the start. The Spurs' Strawberry fired back with a pair, but Shawn won with a four-ball run-out to extend his series lead to 2-0. In game 3, Shawn seemingly peaked a bit too soon with a four-ball run, which Strawberry answered with a pair at the end for the win. Shawn's series lead holds at 2-1. Shawn maintained an active presence in game 4, but Strawberry locked down another win at the end with her four-ball run-out to tie the series at 2. Strawberry completed the comeback in game 5 with a six-ball run at the start. Shawn wouldn't make a ball as Strawberry added the last three over two turns for the 3-2 series win. Strawberry went 15-6 on the bracket to reach the Finals. Shawn is the 132nd player to exit this year, and Strawberry now has two kills.

Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Avril. The green cue activates with a series of 15-ball. Queen's Violetta did alright early on in game 1, but Pronger's Avril stepped up with a lucky five-ball run-out at the end for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a little slower at the start, then saw the Flames' Violetta take six balls over two turns near the end. She missed on the 15, and the Tridents' Avril put it away at the bottom left for the win and 2-0 series lead. Violetta worked a four-ball run late in game 3, but her miss on the 13 allowed Avril to respond with a three-ball run-out. Avril continued to find clutch offense, sealing the series at 3-0. Violetta got on the scoreboard after a slow start to game 4. She delivered at the end with a four-ball run-out, cutting Avril's series lead to 3-1. Violetta took another game for the road with a 7-15 combination to the bottom left at the end of game 5. Avril had a 3-2 series win to advance to the Finals after a 14-7 record on the bracket. Violetta is the 133rd player eliminated, giving Avril a second kill.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Max v. Cheddar. A series of 12-ball also uses the green cue. Golden's Max benefited from his early offense, as North Modernistic's Cheddar pressed late in game 1 but couldn't quite connect. Max sank the 9 at the top side for a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar made a good push late in game 2, but the Pilots' Max again had a large enough lead to hold her off. Max finished on the 1 at the top right to get the win, extending his series lead to 2-0. Max had a four-ball run from the break in game 3, but suffered a scratch. Cheddar then made a four-ball run and had a wild-card ball to work with. Max pulled back, but Cheddar's two-rail bank sent the 3 to the bottom side for the win. Max remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Cheddar made a pair on the break in game 4, but Max was faster to set up around the table. Max blocked Cheddar as much as he could and eventually carved out a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-1. Max kept up the pace fairly well in a quick game 5. Cheddar had her challenges late, but Max weathered it to win the series 4-1. He's advanced to the Finals by going 15-6 on the bracket. That was Max's fifth kill this season, and Cheddar is the 134th player out.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Twilight. The visitor's second series today is in 13-ball with the purple cue. Central's Twilight put up a good fight in game 1, but Commerce's Niki made the right choice to play solids after making one of each on the break. Niki delivered a late pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki had another good start to game 2, but errors and a lack of precision later ruined her play. The Warriors' Twilight led for much of the game and earned the win to tie the series at 1. Twilight was unable to make anything big happen in game 3, and Niki weaved through the rack a little easier to win on a three-ball run-out. Niki regained the series lead at 2-1. Twilight stayed in the fight in game 4, navigating cleanly around defense from Niki near the bottom left. Twilight's persistent play got her a win to tie the series at 2. Twilight popped a good break, but Niki wouldn't let her take control. A scrap for possession occurred, and Niki got the upper hand briefly. Twilight then rallied on a three-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 series win. Twilight finished 16-5 on the bracket as she heads to the Finals. Niki is the 135th eliminated player, giving Twilight her third kill of the year. The Tradewinds are the ninth eliminated team.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Jake. The blue cue draws in for 9-ball. Everton's Goldy held much of the early offense, but Royal's Jake offered a perfect five-ball run-out on a counterattack to take game 1. Jake leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Jake looked ready to replicate that finish in game 2, but he faltered on the 9 after a four-ball run. The Eagles' Goldy made no mistake in cleaning up the scraps for a win to tie the series at 1. In game 3, the late offense turned into a power show. Goldy had a pair of good shots, but couldn't corral the 9 twice. Jake eventually took care of it on his second try for the 2-1 series lead. Goldy was shaky in game 4, and not strong enough to fend off Jake's final push. Jake rallied on a five-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 3-1. Goldy again came up short in game 5, missing the 9 wide of the top right. Jake tapped it down for the win and 4-1 series win, completing his 15-6 run on the bracket to get into the Finals. Goldy is the 136th player out, and Jake has his second kill. Oriental United is also the first club to fall.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Mario. The green cue wraps up the round with 7-ball. Queens' Mario struck quickly in game 1, kicking the 1-7 combination to the top side on his first shot after Golden's Dusty had an empty break. Mario leads the series 1-0. The Flames' Mario made a pair on the break in game 2, and he continued to pace the offense after that. The Pilots' Dusty couldn't get anything going before Mario sank a three-ball run-out to stretch his series lead to 2-0. Dusty wasn't ready to end her season quite yet, fending off Mario's hot start with a four-ball run-out on the counterattack. Dusty's smooth finish pulled the series back within reach at 2-1. Dusty put up quite the fight again in game 4, but Mario closed this one out on a three-ball run-out after a long battle on the 5. Mario sealed the series at 3-1 with the win. Dusty stayed strong in game 5, closing out the series with a four-ball run-out to leave Mario with a 3-2 series win. Mario went 16-5 on the bracket as he punches the last ticket to the Finals. Dusty is the 137th eliminated player, and Mario has his second kill. 

That's it for the Bracket Finals. When we return, either on Sunday or Monday, it'll be Finals time. The schedule and game distribution is yet to be determined, but the expectation is for all Finals to be completed prior to the end of September.