We're ready to go as we begin to hit the homestretch on the First Round. First up...
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Toki v. Stealth. The red cue makes the start today in Accuracy. Eastside's Toki had a lead for much of game 1, but let it slip away on the final ball. In overtime, Toki missed his second shot and lost 2-3 to Swordpoint's Stealth, who held on just long enough to grab a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a bit of a mirror image from before, although the game was tied late after the Sharks' Toki let a lead slip away again. He positioned well late to get the Blades' Stealth to miss, and Toki converted the last ball for a 2-3 win to tie the series at 1. Toki again played smart near the end of game 3, maintaining his advantage and turning it into another 2-3 win when Stealth couldn't fight back. Toki won the series 2-1 and will host the Stonebridge Wolves' Hershey in the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Anna v. Dustin. The green cue's lone appearance today is in 15-ball. Central's Dustin eventually worked a four-ball run after a slow start to game 1, but he fell short after that. Terrace City's Anna found a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin scratched after a contact play on the 1 in game 2. The Knights' Anna took the ball-in-hand for a 1-2 combination to the bottom left and a 1-15 kick combination to the top left for a quick win to clinch the series at 2-0. Anna didn't get anything on the break, and Dustin played a little looser in game 3. Dustin won with a 4-14-15 combination to the bottom left, leaving Anna to advance on a 2-1 series win to visit his Warriors teammate Klaus in the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Bandit v. Snuggle. The purple cue draws into the action in 9-ball. Harrison's Snuggle played at pace in game 1, working a five-ball run before he scratched. Swordpoint's Bandit then made a pair and scratched, setting up Snuggle for the final pair and the win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. Another fast moving battle saw the Blades' Bandit work quickly onto the 9 only to miss it twice. The Specters' Snuggle made it on his second try for the win to secure the series at 2-0. Snuggle made three balls on the break in game 3, but the rest of his offense was spotty. He scratched late, and Bandit made the 9 from ball-in-hand for his lone win. A 2-1 series win allows Snuggle to host Southern Monarchs sophomore Molly in the second round with one of his five advancing bids.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Slinks v. Peach. The silver cue gets its first turn today in 15-ball. Tysini's Slinks didn't show much command in a slow game 1 that ultimately went in favor of North Modernistic's Peach. It wasn't pretty, but Peach sank the final pair for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Peach didn't find an uptick in success during a sloppy game 2. The Hummingbirds' Slinks lost her patience but still managed to get the win as Peach had no command either. This tied the series at 1. Both players went for hard contact and little else in game 3. Peach picked up the win when her missed bank on the 9 sent the 15 to the bottom right for a 2-1 series win over Slinks. Peach will visit the Queens Flames' Briana in the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Quincy v. Lily. The blue cue is set to play in 10-ball. An erratic start in game 1 saw Eastside's Lily waste her opportunities with errors. Modernistic's Quincy was shaky too, but he recovered with a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Lily had a fortunate bounce go in her favor to make a shot on the 4, but she scratched while potting the 5. The Union's Quincy took over with a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, ending with an expertly set-up 8-10 combination at the top left. Quincy sealed the series at 2-0. Quincy completed the sweep by finishing strong in game 3, making five of the last six balls including the 10 when Lily missed a kick attempt. Quincy's 3-0 series win lines him up to host Apex Wonders rookie Blair in the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Buddy v. Megan. Sophomores clash in Accuracy as the purple cue makes an exit. Atlantic's Buddy had a very strong game 1, yielding few bad plays. Oceanside's Megan tried to keep up, but her late double-pot backfired, and Buddy ended up with a 1-2 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Buddy was nearly perfect in game 2, only taking an error by scratching on his last shot. He still easily beat the Waves' Megan 1-3, which allowed Buddy to clinch the series at 2-0. Buddy had a sloppy game 3, and yet Megan still nearly found a way to lose it. Buddy fell behind again late and Megan won 3-4, but Buddy's 2-1 series win takes him to the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Mams v. Strawberry. West Division rivals battle in 9-ball with the silver cue. Swordpoint's Mams didn't play great in game 1, but Victoria's Strawberry was just as inconsistent. Eventually, Mams knocked in the final pair for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Mams had a scratching problem, thrice putting the cue ball in a pocket in game 2. The Spurs' Strawberry finally capitalized at the end with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Mams couldn't stop the scratching trouble, doing it twice more in game 3, including once when she missed on the 8. Strawberry took the final pair for the win and 2-1 series win that allows her to host Viewpoint Sound Meteors newcomer Cobalt in the second round with one of her five advancing bids. Mams will also take five bids forward.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Dusky. The red cue is back in action for 13-ball. Atlantic's Dusky completely flubbed a half-dozen chances to get her last solid in the bottom right. Pearl's Bright also struggled on the 8 but eventually knocked it in at the top side for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Dusky left far too much on the table and sent two balls off of it out of anger. The Surfers' Bright did the same on his last solid, extending an already painfully long battle of blunders. Eventually, Bright made the final pair for the win to clinch the series at 2-0 by some miracle. Game 3 went much faster, with Bright getting good offense off the break and a little help from a still-struggling Dusky. Bright completed the 3-0 series sweep and will host Southern Monarchs newcomer Lorde in the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Rosemary v. Frosty. The blue cue cycles in for 15-ball. Freedom's Frosty scratched after a three-ball run late in game 1, but Commerce's Rosemary missed on her next two turns to somehow let it slip away. Frosty escaped with the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Frosty made a pair on the break in game 2, but she also scratched. The Tradewinds' Rosemary was able to get the 15 near the top left on her first turn, and then converted it with a deflection off the 2 a turn later. This tied the series at 1. Rosemary lost control again at the end of game 3, losing patience as many players already have today. Frosty stayed composed enough to deflect off the 14 and bump the 15 into the top left for the win and 2-1 series win. Frosty is set to visit Central Warriors star Noelle in the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Toki v. Missy. Club-mates meet in 12-ball with the silver cue. Capital City's Missy claimed stripes with an early three-ball run, then did some positioning work before a three-ball run-out to shut out Eastside's Toki in game 1. Missy owns a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Missy made a pair of stripes and one solid on the game 2 break, but she stuck with stripes. The Sharks' Toki was better this time to get onto his last ball, but Missy was able to fend him off late for the win to seal the series at 2-0. In game 3, Missy made one of each on the break, but she played on solids. Once again, she started hot, then worked on positioning before sinking a three-ball run-out to finish her 3-0 series sweep over Toki. Missy will host Oceanside Waves captain Celestia in the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kacey v. Marissa. Another 12-ball series sees the silver cue end its day. Royal's Kacey made a pair of solids but also scratched on the game 1 break, and that likely made all the difference. Maplewood's Marissa played smart and worked her way to the win, using late positioning to set up the winning shot on the 12 to the bottom right. Marissa leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Kacey had a lot better luck in game 2, but that didn't stop the Lumberjacks' Marissa from breaking out some physicality. That bought Marissa time to set herself up again before finishing the win to clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, Kacey worked a four-ball run to get in great position. Marissa drew the ire of the home crowd for more physical play, although Kacey responded with a kick shot for the win. Marissa still took the series 2-1 and was booed out of the arena, setting her up to visit her best friend and Stonebridge Wolves sophomore Jane in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Gabby v. Smokey. The red cue is up in 8-ball. Both players played fast in game 1, then slowed down on the 8. Southern's Gabby picked up the 8 at the bottom left after Pacific's Smokey couldn't corral it in time, and Gabby owns a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Gabby didn't have anywhere near the same control in game 2, and it took some time for the Volcanoes' Smokey to figure it out. Smokey ultimately potted a four-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. The pace in game 3 was back up to standard, and Smokey was just better on offense to get the win and 2-1 series win over Gabby. Smokey will play on the road in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Crystal. A captains' battle in 7-ball with the blue cue ends the venue doubleheader. Southern's Pounce began with a four-ball run in game 1, but Queens' Crystal got the win by making the last three balls over two turns. Crystal owns a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Crystal had the better run in game 2, making four straight in the middle before the Monarchs' Pounce responded with the final pair. Pounce's counterattack tied the series at 1. Crystal fired back just right in game 3, a back-and-forth battle that saw Pounce take a crucial miss on the 6. Crystal made a pair for the win and won the series 2-1, earning a trip to Terrace City for another captains' battle with the Knights' Kiwi in the second round.
Sony Center, Queens: Pauline v. Josie. The red cue checks out after an 8-ball series. Viewpoint Sound's Josie had more of the early offense in game 1, but she didn't support it very well. At the end, Queens' Pauline completed a comeback on a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. Both players had similar starts in game 2. At the end, the Flames' Pauline began to tail off, and it was missed contact on the 8 that caused her to lose. The Meteors' Josie sank the final pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Josie made a stripe on the break but also scratched. That ball wouldn't see a pocket again, preventing her from the win as Pauline staged another impressive comeback for the 2-1 series win. Pauline will host Pronger Tridents captain Precious in the second round, one of her three bids to move on.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal v. Potter. The blue cue ends the day with Accuracy. North Modernistic's Gal scratched on the break, but she found no mercy from Pronger's Potter, who stayed perfect as she fell apart late. Potter won 0-4 to gain a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Potter refused to budge again in game 2, staying perfect as the Nighthawks' Gal slipped behind early. Potter held on for a 0-3 win and sealed the series at 2-0 without missing a shot. Potter finally faltered in game 3, but even in a relatively sloppy effort, he was able to get a 3-5 win over Gal. Potter swept the series 3-0 and will visit Harrison Specters newcomer Puff II in the second round.
Frustrations abounded on and off the table today, so we'll have to hope for better play tomorrow.
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