We're ready to go on the first day of the First Round. We're done with reseeding, so it's a single-elimination structure up to the ladder Finals. The red cue won't make its round debut today. First up...
BMW RockDome, Westside: Goatee v. Gradley. Veterans clash in 9-ball with the purple cue to open the round. Westside's Goatee made all the right moves in game 1. She had a pair on the break, a clever double-pot in the middle and a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead over Boston's Gradley. In game 2, the Swifts' Gradley saw his best chances end in a scratch and a missed contact. The Rockers' Goatee made the final pair with little trouble, sealing the series at 2-0. Gradley looked good in game 3 with five balls over two turns before an error led to Goatee making the 6-9 combination to the bottom left. Goatee swept the series 3-0 and earned the first ticket to the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Rosemary. Club-mates meet in Rotation with the silver cue. Golden's Valencia made a four-ball run off the break in game 1, and that gave her enough cushion to take the 8-6 win. Commerce's Rosemary pushed late, but Valencia held on for the 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Rosemary put in a good fight in game 2, but the Pilots' Valencia fought her off late with a pair at the end for another 8-6 win. Valencia secured the series at 2-0. Valencia showed little mercy in game 3, battling with Rosemary again before pulling away on an 8-5 win for the 3-0 series sweep. Valencia heads to the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Avril v. Mams. The green cue draws in for a 10-ball series. Pronger's Avril had a decent break, but she made a move to double-pot the 2 and 10 at the left corners on her second turn. It worked, and she took a 1-0 series lead over Swordpoint's Mams. The Tridents' Avril had more creativity and offense in game 2, but a late missed bank on the 10 allowed the Blades' Mams to cut it in for the win. This tied the series at 1. Avril again showed creativity, but a miss on the 2 lined up Mams for a 2-10 combination at the top left for the win. Mams took the 2-1 series win to advance into the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Jake. More 10-ball features the purple cue between club-mates. After a bit of a slow start to game 1, Royal's Jake unleashed a six-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead over a stunned Stonebridge's Hershey. The Crowns' Jake wasn't able to make a similar push in game 2, faltering late with his shots. This allowed the Wolves' Hershey to pick off the 10 to the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Jake had some moments early in game 3, but the close battle ended up favoring Hershey on a three-ball run-out at the end. This gave Hershey a 2-1 series win en route to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Carly. The silver cue is on for 12-ball. Atlantic's Isabella had a positive start to game 1, then lost it with a lack of positioning. Westside's Carly handled the side pockets first and quickly picked off the corners for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Carly claimed solids early in game 2, then recovered from bad positioning as the Pirates' Isabella failed to line up on her last ball. Carly's strong finish clinched the series in her favor at 2-0. Isabella made a push with a four-ball run in game 3, but she missed contact on her last ball. Carly used the ball-in-hand for a three-ball run-out, earning the win and a 3-0 series sweep to get into the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Potter v. Twilight. East Division rivals meet in Rotation with the purple cue. Pronger's Potter had no traction on offense in game 1. Central's Twilight struggled early as well, but made a five-ball run-out at the end for the 8-3 win and 1-0 series lead. Early-game offense remained a problem for the Tridents' Potter in game 2. Once again, the Warriors' Twilight held on early before a late surge to an 8-3 win. Twilight secured the series for herself at 2-0. Twilight didn't push as hard on offense in game 3, and Potter was able to get an 8-4 win to avoid the sweep. Twilight carries a 2-1 series win into the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell v. Peach. The blue cue enters the action in 10-ball between North Division rivals. Whitewater's Marsell had some plays in game 1, but a triple-kiss combination on the 9 for North Modernistic's Peach sparked her five-ball run-out for the win. Peach leads the series 1-0. The Nighthawks' Peach couldn't find a similar run late in game 2, as the Shores' Marsell boxed her out by making seven of the last eight balls. Marsell collected the win and tied the series at 1. Peach put in a challenge in game 3, but Marsell answered on a three-ball run-out capped by a 6-10 combination at the top left. Marsell is in the second round after a 2-1 series win.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Jane. The blue cue stays on for this Rotation series. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy made three on the break in game 1 and didn't slow down from there. On her third turn, she finished an 8-1 win over Stonebridge's Jane for the 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Jane led for much of game 2, but she couldn't finish on the 13 at the bottom right. The Union's Ms. Puppy completed the comeback with the final pair for an 8-7 win to clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, Ms. Puppy had a slow start on offense, and Jane eventually took control for an 8-4 win. Ms. Puppy still moved on to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Snowball. Today's marquee matchup features former teammates in 9-ball with the silver cue. Swordpoint's Dreamy had a late scratch in game 1, and Westside's Snowball turned it into a three-ball run-out for the win. Snowball leads 1-0 in the series. The Rockers' Snowball nearly did it again at the end of game 2, but she put too much on her last shot, and she scratched as she made the 9. The Blades' Dreamy took the freebie win to tie the series at 1. Snowball worked strong positioning in game 3 and got the win over Dreamy for a 2-1 series win. Snowball advanced to the second round and was applauded by the home crowd for all she did in her previous eight seasons with the Blades.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Angelica v. Leonette. The green cue takes a spin in 8-ball. Lighton's Angelica made a stripe on the break and maintained that small advantage throughout game 1. Pacific's Leonette pushed late and came up short as Angelica got the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Angelica carved out a nice attack early on, then took the 8 to the bottom left after the Volcanoes' Leonette made illegal contact. Angelica secured the series at 2-0. Leonette was again plagued by missed contacts in game 3, with two of them on her last two turns giving Angelica enough time to get the win. Angelica heads to the second round with a 3-0 series sweep.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Stripes v. Marsell. The visitor's second series today is the green cue's last, playing Accuracy. Southridge's Stripes made a ball on the break, but she never held a lead in game 1. Whitewater's Marsell was efficient and banked the last ball to the top side for a 1-2 win and 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Stripes again fell behind in game 2, and she never even got close to a comeback this time. The Shores' Marsell made only one mistake in his 1-3 win to seal the series at 2-0. Marsell couldn't get a grip in game 3, skidding through the middle while Stripes found her groove for a 0-3 win. Marsell settled for a 2-1 series win to get into round two.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Snowball v. Klaus. The silver cue gets a look in Accuracy for the host's second series of the day. Westside's Snowball was a little slow in game 1, faltering early as Central's Klaus held onto the lead. Klaus closed out a 1-3 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Snowball enjoyed good luck to force overtime in game 2, but the Warriors' Klaus got some luck of his own to make a ball on the extra rack's break. Snowball was left with no angle, and Klaus clinched the series at 2-0 with his 2-3 win. Snowball made a mess of the start of game 3, and she never recovered. Klaus completed the 3-0 series sweep with a 2-5 win to send him into the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Roxy v. Shaggy. In 13-ball, the purple cue makes its exit. Southridge's Roxy played things just right with defense in game 1, blocking Whitewater's Shaggy from a late push. Roxy made a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy clawed her way back in game 2, then scratched late. The Defenders' Roxy had a chance to seal the win but whiffed on a bank of the 8 to the top left, and Shaggy made a pair for the win instead, tying the series at 1. Shaggy went with an intentional scratch as defense in game 3, but Roxy made a contact play to counter it. Shaggy took illegal contact on the next shot, and Roxy buried the 8 to the bottom right for the win and 2-1 series win to get into the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gizmo v. Violetta. The blue cue draws in for 12-ball. North Modernistic's Gizmo got down to his last ball in game 1, then stalled out as Queens' Violetta beat him with defense for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gizmo had the worst shooting luck at the end of game 2, twice scratching on his final ball before the Flames' Violetta converted hers at the bottom side. Violetta sealed the series at 2-0 with the win. Violetta had good positioning in game 3, but Gizmo's defense and then a three-ball run-out lifted him to the win to dodge the sweep. Violetta took a 2-1 series win with her to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Wings v. Sarah. The day ends in 7-ball with the blue cue. Tysini's Sarah saw most of the offense in game 1, but she couldn't bank the 7 to the bottom right. Pearl's Wings buried it for the win to earn a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Wings again weathered an attack from the Hummingbirds' Sarah early in game 2, only to pick up the win at the end. Wings clinched the series at 2-0 by poaching the 7 at the top right. Wings couldn't do anything in game 3, as Sarah managed a six-ball run-out for the win. Wings advanced to the second round with a 2-1 series win.
This is just the first of 48 days in the First Round. There will be breaks and time off over the next bit, but the goal is to end the round by the end of July.
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