The 100th day of Tournament play is here, but the purple cue won't participate. Today's action begins with...
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Fuchsia. Torpedoes teammates clash in Rotation with the red cue to lead off. Fluffina had the lead for much of game 1, but she fouled by missing contact on the 13. Fuchsia took over with a three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 began with Fuchsia making three balls on the break in a massively confident start. Fluffina never covered that damage, as Fuchsia remained strong to win 8-2 for the 2-0 series lead. Fluffina rallied with a four-ball run to get the lead in game 3, but a miss on the 14 would be especially costly. Fuchsia made four balls over her last two turns to lock in an 8-7 win that sealed the series in her favor at 3-0. Fuchsia returned to dominance in game 4 with an 8-3 win over Fluffina, as the host was clearly frustrated with dropping close results. Fuchsia's series lead stretched to 4-0. Fuchsia took a backseat to Fluffina in game 5, as Fluffina ripped a six-ball run-out for the 8-2 win to avoid the sweep. Fuchsia will be on the road (possibly) in the bracket finals. Fuchsia joined the kills lead with three, while the friendly fire left Fluffina as the 73rd eliminated player.
Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Cheddar. The green cue draws into today's action for 12-ball. North Modernistic's Cheddar made a stand with defense and a comeback, but Todavía's Easter fended it off well and picked up the win with a shot to the bottom left. Easter leads the series 1-0. The Nighthawks' Cheddar upped the pace with a five-ball run early in game 2. The Stills' Easter couldn't answer it at all, and Cheddar had a relatively easy win to tie the series at 1. Cheddar took solids on the game 3 break and did well early on, but had to battle with Easter's defense later. Cheddar yielded a wild-card ball, giving Easter momentum, but Easter's run was cut short. Cheddar then made a tough pair of shots for the win and 2-1 series lead. Cheddar worked a four-ball run from the break in game 4 after giving up a wild-card ball. She would give up another freebie late, but Easter couldn't assemble a comeback run. Cheddar took the win to secure the series at 3-1. Cheddar controlled game 5 as well, again making one of each on the break. A five-ball run on stripes saw Easter counter with a three-ball run, but Cheddar easily won for the 4-1 series win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Sweetheart. The red cue is back in action for an Accuracy series. Boston's Sweetheart was too inconsistent early in game 1 to make a steady impact. Pearl's Neopolitan stayed sharper on offense and earned the 2-4 win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Sweetheart made improvements in her shooting for game 2, and that led to the Surfers' Neopolitan hitting the skids late. Sweetheart held on for a 2-5 win to tie the series at 1. Sweetheart had to contend with a better effort from Neopolitan in game 3. That proved to be no problem, as Sweetheart played perfect for the 0-2 win and pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Neopolitan finally had a bounce-back performance in game 4, nearly staying perfect until a late miss forced her to settle for a 1-3 win over Sweetheart. The series is tied at 2. Neopolitan scratched on the break in game 5, and a couple other misses put it out of reach. Sweetheart won the finale 1-3 and took the series 3-2 to get a hosting spot versus the Southridge Defenders' Bianca in the bracket finals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Charli v. Strawberry. A home-and-home set between Southwestern rivals starts with this 9-ball series using the red cue. Tysini's Charli had a four-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out with a pair of banks at the end to win game 1 easily over Victoria's Strawberry. Charli has a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Charli went empty on the game 2 break, and the Spurs' Strawberry made her pay. Strawberry put the 1 in the top side and turned the 2-9 combination to the top left for the win to tie the series at 1. Strawberry couldn't go the distance in game 3, her offense faltering multiple times. At the end, Charli took over with an aggressive and satisfying three-ball run-out for the win, regaining the series lead at 2-1. Charli controlled the pace of play in game 4, but her late three-ball run ended with a miss on the 9. Strawberry poached a victory to retie the series at 2. Charli played a little too dangerously in game 5, failing to manage much offense. Strawberry didn't take advantage of it, but Charli sank the 9 illegally to gift the series away anyway. Strawberry advances to host her bracket finals appearance with a 3-2 series win. Strawberry has her first kill this year to make Charli the 74th eliminated player.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Rosalina v. Sarah. The second half of the home-and-home uses the red cue in 7-ball. Victoria's Rosalina didn't get much offense in game 1, and Tysini's Sarah struck a 2-3 combination to the bottom left with the deflection adding the 7 at the top left. Sarah holds a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sarah failed at the start of game 2, and it didn't improve later. The Spurs' Rosalina bounced back with a six-ball run-out, earning the win to tie the series at 1. Sarah looked to retake control late in game 3 with a three-ball run, but she couldn't corral the 7. Rosalina stepped in and banked the 7 to the top right for the win and 2-1 series lead. Rosalina made five balls over her first two turns in game 4, but Sarah stopped that surge with a pair in the end. Sarah's win retied the series at 2 to set up a big finale. Rosalina looked to be in total control with a five-ball run in game 5, but she missed on the 7. Sarah tapped it to the top left for the 3-2 series that sets her up to visit fellow sophomore Kitty of the Midland Predators in the bracket finals. Sarah recorded her fourth kill of the season as Rosalina is the 75th player out.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Angelica. The blue cue's only series today is in 12-ball. Oceanside's Celestia couldn't sustain her offense from a hot start in game 1. Lighton's Angelica did better with positioning at the end and took the win smoothly for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia came within a shot of the win, but defense and missed contact thwarted the effort. The Prestige's Angelica then took her last pair of shots to the side pockets for the win that moved her up to a 2-0 series lead. Celestia fought off the danger in game 3, as Angelica made a pair on the break but went cold. Celestia surged late on a four-ball run-out, finishing with a bank of the 3 to the top right to get the win. Angelica remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Celestia didn't cool down in game 4, mixing speed with a balanced offense. Angelica tried to pick up some offense, but she never met Celestia's pace, and the host banked in her last shot to the top side to get the win. The series is tied at 2. Game 5 was weird from the start, as Celestia made a solid but elected to switch suits and give up a wild-card ball. Angelica was a little rattled as well, and she struggled throughout the game, allowing Celestia to win on a four-ball run-out. Celestia completed the comeback for a 3-2 series win to get into a hosting position in the bracket finals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Cowzart. Coastal rivals clash with the silver cue in Accuracy. Things occasionally looked dire for Pearl's Bright, but Pacific's Cowzart fell apart at the end, dropping into a tie and missing on the overtime break. Bright won 4-5 with a tap-in, putting himself ahead 1-0 in the series. The Volcanoes' Cowzart composed himself quickly, turning in a perfect effort in game 2 in a 0-3 win over the Surfers' Bright. This turn of events helped Cowzart tie the series at 1. Cowzart led for most of game 3, but he didn't have enough in the tank to finish off a win. Bright held true near the end and grabbed the 2-3 win, restoring his series lead 2-1 on a narrow victory. In game 3, Cowzart performed well initially, but completely fell off the pace at the end. Bright was strong despite a late miss, winning 2-4 to clinch the series at 3-1. Cowzart made things look a little better by returning to perfection with a 0-2 win in a close battle in game 5. Bright still won the series 3-2 and will host the Pronger Tridents captain Precious in the bracket finals. Bright took his second kill of the season as Cowzart is the 76th player to exit the competition.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal v. Blaze. The red cue returns to end its day with Rotation. North Modernistic's Gal couldn't get much going in game 1, while Infinity's Blaze got by with slightly better luck. Blaze won 8-4 to open the series ahead 1-0. The Torpedoes' Blaze opened with three balls on the break in game 2, but the Nighthawks' Gal didn't stay down long. Gal caught up in two turns and ended up with an 8-5 win after a late push. This tied the series at 1. The momentum shifted back to Blaze's favor in game 3, as he staked out a big lead and Gal didn't provide much of a challenge. Blaze ended up with an 8-2 win and that put him ahead 2-1 in the series. Gal made a pair early in game 4, but Blaze fired back with a seven-ball run to get on the brink of a win. Gal responded with a three-ball run, which Blaze eventually answered for the 8-5 win to seal the series at 3-1. Gal came pretty close to a comeback in game 5, but Blaze held on just in time at the end to grab an 8-7 win. Blaze won the series 4-1 and he'll play host to his Infinity Torpedoes teammate Fuchsia in the bracket finals. Gal is the 77th player out of action, and Blaze has his first career kill.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Greg v. Citrus. The green cue exits after this 13-ball series. Archtown's Greg failed to capitalize on an error by Lighton's Citrus in the middle of game 1. A turn later, Citrus had all the positioning she needed for a three-ball run-out and the win, which put her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Prestige's Citrus started well in game 2, but the Arrows' Greg quickly dug himself out of a bad position to stay competitive. Greg then made a three-ball run to get onto the 8, which he took on the next turn when Citrus' counterattack failed. Greg has tied the series at 1. Greg kept the momentum going early in game 3 before giving away a ball to Citrus in a poor attempt for positioning. Citrus pulled even on a four-ball run and got Greg to scratch late. Citrus then made her final pair of shots for the win and 2-1 series lead. Citrus had a good start and renewed pressure at the end of game 4, but positioning lifted Greg to the victory as he executed a four-ball run-out. The series is tied again at 2. Greg didn't let Citrus get to the table in game 5, running all seven shots as necessary to get the win on the opening turn. Greg won the series 3-2 and will play in the bracket finals. Greg's first career kill made Citrus the 78th eliminated player this year.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Ms. Kitty. Prime club-mates end the day in Rotation with the silver cue. Offense started slowly in game 1, but Terrace City's Oreo was able to take control eventually after Pacific's Ms. Kitty had a couple of errors. Oreo took the win 8-4 and leads the series 1-0. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty dominated the start of game 2, but let the Knights' Oreo get to the brink of victory before responding. Ms. Kitty escaped with an 8-7 win in the end, tying the series at 1. Ms. Kitty again built up a large lead in game 3, only to see Oreo erase most of it in a comeback effort. Ms. Kitty finished just in time for an 8-6 win, taking the series lead at 2-1. A much more balanced battle for offense came in game 4, with Ms. Kitty leading at times but not enough to fend off Oreo. A late push sent Oreo to victory by an 8-5 margin, retying the series at 2 between these never-say-die veterans. Neither player wanted to falter in game 5, but Oreo fell apart late to let Ms. Kitty grab an 8-6 win for the 3-2 series win. Ms. Kitty is in line to host the Whitewater Shores' Shaggy in the bracket finals.
Action resumes tomorrow, with the expectation of an on-time start.
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