Things are heating up again, and so is today's UPCL action. The purple cue will be spared from the heat and not participate today. First up...
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Midnight. The silver cue gets the start today in Rotation. Apex's Midnight enjoyed a better start to game 1, and she was able to see it out in the end after Pacific's Starlight came up short. Midnight won 8-4 and earned a 1-0 series lead. The Wonders' Midnight wasn't as sharp on offense in game 2. She battled a bit early on, but the Volcanoes' Starlight simply played better in an 8-3 win to tie the series at 1. Midnight bounced back in a methodical game 3, winning 8-3 to get the better of Starlight 2-1 in the series. Midnight is headed to the second round.
Sony Center, Queens: Violetta v. Spot. Outcast club-mates spar in 7-ball with the green cue in today's marquee series. Queens' Violetta didn't do much in game 1 as Pronger's Spot enjoyed a three-ball run. Spot then missed the 7 at the bottom right, and Violetta cleaned it up for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta did a much better job of earning the win in game 2, smashing in a three-ball run at one point. The Tridents' Spot got a look at the 7, but he missed it, and Violetta tucked it in to the bottom right again to seal the series at 2-0. Violetta did it again in game 3 with a three-ball run-out to earn the 3-0 sweep over Spot. Violetta will play in the second round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Sydney S. The red cue draws in for a 9-ball set. Boston's Sydney S. made some early moves in game 1, but Tysini's Leandra recovered after the 6 proved difficult. Leandra won on a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra scratched on her attempt at the 5 in game 2, and the Swifts' Sydney S. stepped up for a five-ball run-out. Sydney S.'s surge tied the series at 1. A choppy start to game 3 gave way to Sydney S. earning the win with a three-ball run-out. Sydney S. took the series 2-1 over Leandra, and she'll head to the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Paps. South Division rivals clash in 13-ball with the red cue. Zenith's Paps had a great start in game 1, but he wasn't able to convert on the 8 at the end. Golden's Sparkles stunned with a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Sparkles had her looks in game 2, but a few too many mistakes opened the door for the Skywatchers' Paps to win on the final pair. The series is tied at 1. Paps didn't have the best start in game 3, but Sparkles lost control near the end. Paps found his way to the final pair and converted for the win to take the series 2-1 as he heads to visit Capital City Sharpshooters rookie Kelsea in the second round.
Apple Center Todavía: Easter v. Nibbles. The red cue continues in Rotation. Todavía's Easter had a bad mix of inaccuracy and scratches, making it much easier for Web City's Nibbles to surge with an 8-3 win in game 1. Nibbles leads the series 1-0. A much faster game 2 worked out well for the Stills' Easter as she paced the play. The Spiders' Nibbles had a pair, but Easter fired back on a four-ball run-out for her own 8-3 win to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Easter made three balls on the break. Nibbles never made a real challenge to the lead, and Easter held on for an 8-1 win to clinch a 2-1 series win. Easter will host club-mate and Maplewood Lumberjacks captain Diddley in the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Kodiak v. Goldy. In the East Division, the silver cue is up for 7-ball. Everton's Goldy did all the work in game 1, but her six-ball run wasn't enough. Web City's Kodiak poached the win for a 1-0 series lead when he tapped in the 7 at the top left. The Spiders' Kodiak took a pair early in game 2, but the Eagles' Goldy found a five-ball run-out to close out her win this time, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Goldy pulled off a nice move on the 2, driving the 4-7 bank combination on a deflection to the bottom side for a quick win. Goldy took the series 2-1 and will play in the second round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Diddley. Captains battle in 15-ball with the green cue. Maplewood's Diddley pulled off a strong finish with a three-ball run-out after a lively game 1 battle with Tysini's Leandra. Diddley holds a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra took a six-ball run and pushed late in game 2, but she couldn't cash it in. The Lumberjacks' Diddley made a tough diagonal bank on the 15 to the top right for the win to secure the series at 2-0. Leandra had some wild shots and good plays in game 3, but her miss on the 7 left Diddley lined up for a 7-15 combination to the bottom left. Diddley converted, sweeping the series 3-0 to get into the second round.
Volkswagen BeetleDome, Viewpoint Sound: Princess v. Greg. The green cue stays up for 13-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Princess was sloppy with a scratch and an overfill in game 1. Archtown's Greg avoided such problems and cruised to the win and 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Princess had a five-ball run to open game 2, but she couldn't find the shot at the top side. The Arrows' Greg answered on a four-ball run and then pushed his way to the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Princess again jumped out to a lead in game 3, only for Greg to deny her the chance to close it out. Greg swept the series 3-0 to reach the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Snuggle v. Stripes. The silver cue cycles in for 7-ball. Southridge's Stripes had a tough finish in game 1, scratch after she made the 6 to conclude a long chase. Harrison's Snuggle took the 7 to the bottom side from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. Another slow-paced battle in game 2 saw the Specters' Snuggle miss the 7 at the end. The Defenders' Stripes was there to clean things up for the win, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Stripes somehow worked her way to a four-ball run-out, benefiting from a double-kiss of the 6 into the bottom side. She beat Snuggle 2-1 in the series, and Stripes will visit Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Sprinkles in the second round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Ellie v. Fluffina. The green cue exits the day after 12-ball. Capital City's Ellie somehow pieced together a run early in game 1, and she was patient with positioning. Infinity's Fluffina failed to keep pace, and Ellie got the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Fluffina tried to go through the defense of the Sharpshooters' Ellie late in game 2. She came up short, and Ellie kicked in her last ball for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Game 3 went well for Ellie, who fended off Fluffina's early challenge. Ellie banked her last ball to the top left for the win to complete the 3-0 series sweep that earned her a hosting position in the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Whiskers. The silver cue takes a turn in 13-ball. Pacific's Leonette had a good distribution to start game 1, but she struggled to finish things off. Maplewood's Whiskers stormed ahead just in time to win on a four-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers couldn't get herself organized at all in game 2. The Volcanoes' Leonette held the lead throughout, but it took a couple of attempts to finish it off with a three-ball run-out. The series is tied at 1. A comedy of errors unraveled the ending of game 3. Leonette scratched, but Whiskers followed up right behind her before both players searched for positioning. Soon after, Leonette sank the 8 illegally to gift the 2-1 series to Whiskers, who moves on to the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Ingrid v. Leandra. The visitor's third series today is in 8-ball as the blue cue joins the party. Tysini's Leandra had a strong push in game 1, while Southridge's Ingrid dropped off the pace after only a few shots. Leandra closed it out with a pair of shots for the 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Ingrid couldn't find a stronger pace in game 2, and the Hummingbirds' Leandra continued to show better on offense. Leandra earned the win on a four-ball run-out to secure the series at 2-0. Leandra got her game on with a nice run in game 3, while Ingrid again struggled to keep pace. Ingrid pushed later, but Leandra closed out the win for a 3-0 series sweep to get herself in the second round.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Sage v. Bandit. West Division foes go at it in Accuracy with the blue cue. Victoria's Sage had a tough time in game 1, and Swordpoint's Bandit did just well enough to pick up the 4-7 win for a 1-0 series lead. A more normal game 2 saw the Blades' Bandit miss a couple of chances to force overtime. The Spurs' Sage finally finished it off for a 2-3 win, tying the series at 1 in an impressive redemption game. Sage faltered again in game 3, blowing a massive lead and twice missing a chance to force overtime. Bandit held on just enough for a 5-6 win to grab an unconvincing 2-1 series win, which sends him to the second round. After the series, the league addressed a new development with the blue cue, a rattle in the back end. For now, maintenance will be performed on the stick to stabilize it, and if that fails to work, a replacement will be brought in.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Kitty v. Summer. The red cue checks out after 10-ball. Maplewood's Summer looked to be in good shape late in game 1, but she missed on the 10. Midland's Kitty took the shot at the top right for the win, and stole away a 1-0 series lead. Neither player was able to take control in game 2, leading to a choppy battle the whole way through. The Lumberjacks' Summer prevailed in the end with a pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1 versus the Predators' Kitty. Game 3 was also slow, going right down to the wire thanks to rattled shots. Kitty was able to pick up the win in this one, and that gave her a 2-1 series win to set up a meeting with the Tysini Hummingbirds' Sugar in the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Blaze v. Gizmo. Today's finale is in Rotation with the silver cue. North Modernistic's Gizmo had a better start in game 1, but Infinity's Blaze pushed his way to the win with a big run in the middle and a pair at the end for the 8-4 win. Blaze leads the series 1-0. Game 2 went to the Nighthawks' Gizmo after he made a big push early on and backed up with a four-ball run-out. The Torpedoes' Blaze had no burst of offense as Gizmo tied the series at 1 with an 8-1 win. In game 3, Gizmo took the initial lead and got Blaze to scramble. Frustration set in on both sides and tempers flared before Gizmo won 8-2 to take a 2-1 series win. Gizmo will visit the Queens Flames' Violetta in the second round.
That's it for the heatwave era (hopefully). An assessment on the blue cue's status going forward will be made in the next two days. It remains in playable but poor condition.
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