We're already approaching the midpoint of the Bracket Semifinals. The silver cue won't play today. Today's action begins with...
Ford Forum, Pronger: Avril v. Easter. The purple cue kicks things off with 9-ball. Pronger's Avril set the tone with a five-ball run during game 1, but she missed on the 7. Todavía's Easter took over and posted a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter made a pair on the break in game 2, and then closed it out with a four-ball run-out after the Tridents' Avril failed to sustain her mid-game offense. Easter is now ahead 2-0 in the series. Easter stepped things up with an unlikely five-ball run-out in game 3, working a couple of bank shots before cutting the 9 from a tough angle to the bottom side. This clinched the series in her favor at 3-0 over Avril. Easter made a pair on the break in game 4, but her miss on the 4-9 combination to the top left allowed Avril to later convert a 5-9 combination in the same spot. Avril avoided the sweep by cutting Easter's series lead to 3-1. Avril had a three-ball run in game 5 before she missed on the 7. This allowed Easter to pot a three-ball run-out for the win and 4-1 series win. Easter is through to the bracket finals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sugar v. Dominic. The red cue is next up for a 13-ball series. A close battle emerged in game 1, with Southern's Dominic striking quickly but lacking positioning on his last ball. Tysini's Sugar kept it close and got the win with a pair of shots for the 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sugar was very slow to start in game 2, but the Monarchs' Dominic couldn't strike his last pair down quickly. Sugar battled back and ultimately snagged the win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Dominic was the one making a rally in game 3, but his attempt to get positioning at the bottom right freed up the 8 for Sugar at the top right. Sugar made the shot to secure the series at 3-0 with this win. Dominic had the better offense early in game 4, but Sugar went right through his defense to set herself up for a pair of shots on the next turn. Sugar got the win, stretching her series lead to 4-0. Sugar kept control in game 5, working her offense slowly but steadily to beat Dominic one more time. Sugar swept the series 5-0 and will play in the bracket finals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Dominic v. Katharine. The host finishes his personal doubleheader with the green cue in 10-ball. Neither player had much confidence in their play, with Southern's Dominic taking the 10 to the bottom left after Whitewater's Katharine missed contact on a kick attempt. Dominic leads the series 1-0. The Shores' Katharine again had a chance to make an impact late in game 2, and she faltered with a miss on the 10. The Monarchs' Dominic mopped it up again, moving to a 2-0 series lead with the tap-in win. Dominic missed contact on the 3 in game 3, and that proved to be a big mistake. Katharine sank the 3 and then double-potted the 4 and 10 to the left corners for the win. Dominic's series lead stands at 2-1. Dominic had a little offense early in game 4, but Katharine controlled the game and picked up the win on a five-ball run-out. The series is now tied at 2. Katharine had a four-ball run in game 5, but she missed the 10 twice. Dominic made it on his second attempt for the win and 3-2 series win. Dominic will head to the bracket finals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Autumn. The host's second series today uses the green cue for Rotation. Diamond's Autumn kept it close at first, but Todavía's Easter blasted a four-ball run to take control. Easter eventually won on a three-ball run-out, double-potting the 8 and 11 to the bottom side and bottom left for the 9-1 win. Easter leads the series 1-0. A much more competitive start to game 2 led to a scrap for offense. Little was gained early on, but the Stills' Easter found a three-ball run-out at the end for the 8-5 to move ahead 2-0 over the Gems' Autumn. In game 3, Easter was slow to start. Autumn built up a modest lead, but Easter disregarded it once she got going. Easter's eight-ball run-out gave her an 8-3 win to clinch the series at 3-0. Easter took the early lead in game 4, making quite the impact early on. Autumn stayed close and then rallied with a five-ball run-out for the 8-5 win to cut Easter's series lead to 3-1. Autumn got a little more redemption in game 5 with a four-ball run to take the lead and another pair late to win 8-3. Easter still won the series 3-2 to earn her place in the bracket finals. Easter's third kill of the year ended Autumn's rookie campaign as the 83rd eliminated player.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Noelle. Northeastern rivals help the red cue exit the day with 15-ball. Maplewood's Whiskers held her own at first in game 1, but Central's Noelle stormed back to get the win on an eight-ball run-out. Noelle has a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers had some chances to deliver a finishing run or shot in game 2, but none of them fell. The Warriors' Noelle got by with less than her best as she buried the 15 to the top side for the 2-0 series lead. Noelle had most of the late offense in game 3, but it came in choppy bursts and tough misses. This gave Whiskers enough time to stabilize and poach the win with the 15 at the bottom right. Noelle remains ahead 2-1 in the series. The battle remained strong in game 4, with Whiskers getting denied on a few tough bounces. Noelle was able to earn the win on her second shot at the 15, sealing the series at 3-1 in the process. Game 5 saw some sloppiness in both players' games. At the end, Whiskers whiffed on the 15 close-range at the top left, and Noelle buried it to finish with a 4-1 series win. Noelle is set to be on the road again in the bracket finals. Noelle earned her second kill of the year and made Whiskers the 84th eliminated player.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sarah v. Lionel. The green cue cycles in for a 9-ball series. Tysini's Sarah made a pair on the break and continued to find reasonable success after that. North Modernistic's Lionel offered a late challenge but fell short, and Sarah got the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sarah started game 2 with a four-ball run, but she was still in danger late. The Nighthawks' Lionel had a late pair before missing the 9, which Sarah sank to the bottom right for the win and 2-0 series lead. Sarah again started well in game 3 with a three-ball run, but her late play dropped off this time. A couple of narrow misses from Sarah helped Lionel carve out enough offense and momentum to get the win, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Lionel kept himself in the series with a solid game 4, working a three-ball run-out at the end after Sarah lacked any consistency. Lionel's win tied the series at 2. Sarah made a three-ball run, then missed on the 7 late in game 5. Lionel had a chance to take over, but he only made one shot, and Sarah converted the last pair for the 3-2 series win. Sarah is set to visit the Queens Flames' Mario in the bracket finals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Luigi v. Fuchsia. The purple cue returns to action with this 7-ball set. Southridge's Luigi was alright to start game 1, but Infinity's Fuchsia took over with a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 lead in the series. The Torpedoes' Fuchsia struggled late in game 2, finding a four-ball run before falling apart on the 6. The Defenders' Luigi took over eventually and made the last pair to tie the series at 1. Luigi's spray-break in game 3 yielded three potted balls, but he also scratched, as the cue followed the 7 unfortunately into the top right. This gifted the win and 2-1 series lead back to Fuchsia. In game 4, Fuchsia made a ball on the break, then used the 1 as a wrecking ball, ending with a 1-7 combination to the top left to cap a three-ball run-out for the win. Fuchsia sealed the series at 3-1 over Luigi without letting him take a shot in the decisive game. Fuchsia eased up a bit in game 5, and Luigi gladly took the win with a kick on the 7 to the top left. Fuchsia won the series 3-2 and is set to be the visitor in the bracket finals. Fuchsia rejoined the kills lead with four, and Luigi is the 85th player out this year.
Sony Center, Queens: Briana v. Noelle. The visitor gets a second series today, playing 12-ball in the blue cue's lone outing. Central's Noelle played aggressive in game 1, yielding a wild-card ball to remove defense. Queens' Briana couldn't build off that, and Noelle made her final pair of shots for the win to go up 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Briana bounced back in game 2, making five balls over her first two turns. The Warriors' Noelle still tried to play for positioning, but Briana shut it down and earned the win to tie the series at 1. Briana had total control early in game 3, but her positioning for the bottom side wasn't good. Noelle roared back with a four-ball run to get close, then made a pair on the next turn for the win. Noelle leads the series 2-1. Noelle quickly got down to her last ball in game 4, but she had to take a couple of touches to set up at the top right. Briana used her 13 to keep Noelle out of position, and then Briana executed a three-ball run-out for the comeback win to retie the series at 2. Game 5 brought the best of both players, with Briana picking stripes on an early pair. Noelle fired back with a four-ball run, but Briana countered on a four-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 series win. Briana is set to visit her Oceanside Waves rival Celestia in the bracket finals.
Sony Center, Queens: Mario v. Slinks. The venue doubleheader closes with the green cue and 7-ball. A choppy back-and-forth defined game 1, which saw Westside's Slinks flub her play on the 7 at the top side. Queens' Mario converted it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Mario doubled up by winning game 2 on the break, getting the 7 to drop in the top side to extend his series lead to 2-0. The Rockers' Slinks had a few chances for a run in game 3, but she didn't connect on her shots well. Her miss on the 5 made it easy for Mario to take the final pair, and that allowed him to clinch the series at 3-0. Mario wasn't quite at his sharpest in game 4, but it didn't matter when Slinks faltered multiple times late in the game. Mario picked up a pair at the end, moving to a 4-0 series lead with this win. Slinks actually had a good attack with a five-ball run in game 5, but she missed on the 7. Mario poached this victory with a shot to the bottom left to complete the 5-0 series sweep. Mario is set to appear in the bracket finals. Mario earned his first kill of the year, and Slinks is the 86th eliminated player.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Andrew. Ending the day, the purple cue plays 13-ball. Commerce's Niki made one of each in game 1 and wanted to claim stripes, but her cut on the 11 sank the 8 illegally to the top left. This gifted the win and 1-0 series lead to Freedom's Andrew before he had taken a shot. The Cascades' Andrew made a pair of stripes on the game 2 break, but the Tradewinds' Niki responded with a four-ball run. Andrew would get a three-ball run back before Niki won on a three-ball run-out in the end, tying the series at 1. Andrew did well to start game 3, getting within a shot of the victory. He missed his cut on the 8 at the bottom left after Niki's scratch, and Niki roared back with a five-ball run-out for the win to go up 2-1 in the series. Andrew had to turn to defense after Niki started well in game 4. Andrew nearly made it work, but he missed his last stripe, and Niki put the 8 away in the bottom right for the win and 3-1 advantage in the series. Niki kept the offense strong in game 5, blasting some big shots to take the lead. Andrew pushed again late, but Niki closed the door to win the series 4-1. Niki will host the bracket finals.
That's all for today's action. We'll reach the 1,500 series milestone at the end of tomorrow's action.
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