We're ready to get back on to a normal schedule for the remainder of the Second Round. We begin with...
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Steven. The blue cue opens the day in 8-ball. Boston's Sweetheart had a decent start in game 1, but she didn't sustain offense late. Atlantic's Steven made a comeback for the win, burying a four-ball run-out to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Pirates' Steven couldn't get anything going on the game 2 break, but he had a pair of four-ball runs divided by a scratch later on. The Swifts' Sweetheart couldn't find a finishing run, and Steven put the 8 in the top left for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Steven stalled out in game 3, missing a simple 14-9 combination at the bottom left twice. Sweetheart rallied for the win to salvage a result, but Steven won the series 2-1 to get into the bracket quarterfinals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Violetta. A South Division showdown uses the green cue in 7-ball. Midland's Americus ended her opening four-ball run with defense, getting Queens' Violetta to miss contact on the 4. Americus then made a three-ball run-out for the game 1 win and 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Americus started with a pair in game 2, but when the Flames' Violetta took possession, she finished it off with a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Americus had a three-ball run in game 3, then missed the 7 and made it on a second try after Violetta's shot never broke toward the pocket. Americus took the series 2-1 and will host the Southridge Defenders' Wario in the bracket quarterfinals in another South Division battle.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Avril v. Leonardo. The blue cue is back in 9-ball. Diamond's Avril had some strong moments in game 1, but Diamond's Leonardo closed it out with a four-ball run-out after neither player could strike the 9 early. Leonardo owns a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Leonardo started well in game 2, but couldn't bring it home as the Tridents' Avril found her groove midway through. Avril won on a 7-9 combination to the bottom left, tying the series at 1. Both players made four-ball runs in game 3, and both missed on the 9 on their first looks. Leonardo made it on his second try for the win and 2-1 series win over Avril. Leonardo will visit the Todavía Stills' Ruby in the bracket quarterfinals.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Spice v. Greg. A bitter rivalry renews in 15-ball with the silver cue. Victoria's Spice didn't have anything special in game 1, but she got the win in a choppy battle with a pair at the end after Archtown's Greg failed to find a run. Spice leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Spice had a little more offense in game 2, and she surged late with a four-ball run, but she couldn't get the 14 down. The Arrows' Greg stepped in for a pair at the end to snag the win and tie the series at 1. In game 3, Spice brought about an early finish with a deflection off the 7 to poke the 15 into the top left for the win and 2-1 series win over Greg. Spice will host Boston Swifts captain Sweetheart in the bracket quarterfinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Smokey v. Bear. The blue cue gets another turn in 9-ball. Pacific's Smokey had a strong start in game 1, but he needed Commerce's Bear to flub a cut shot on the 9 at the end. Smokey then took the win from ball-in-hand for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Tradewinds' Bear did better at pressuring the Volcanoes' Smokey in game 2. This paid off for Bear, who made five balls over the last two turns to get the win that tied the series at 1. Bear continued to pick up hearty offense in game 3, but he couldn't settle a shot on the 9. Smokey was there to collect at the top left for the win, taking the series 2-1 to earn his hosting place in the bracket quarterfinals.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Snuggle v. Strut: The green cycles out after 15-ball. Harrison's Snuggle had a good start in game 1, but Golden's Strut stayed right with him throughout in a close battle. Strut was able to make the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut didn't set as strong a pace in game 2, but it was still a decent game. The Specters' Snuggle had his share of offense, but Strut won on a 12-15 combination to the bottom left to clinch the series at 2-0. Strut had some offense in game 3, but he wasn't able to sustain his pace at the end. Snuggle did just enough to get a win and avoid the sweep, while Strut's 2-1 series win sends him into a road meeting with Apex Wonders captain Midnight in the bracket quarterfinals.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Diddley. The purple cue steps in for a 10-ball set. North Modernistic's Cheddar played at a high pace in game 1, but she got lucky to win after missing on the 10. Maplewood's Diddley also missed it, allowing Cheddar to convert on her second try for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar made another five-ball run in game 2, but she faltered after that early attack. The Lumberjacks' Diddley was able to collect enough offense at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Cheddar bounced back just fine in game 3, making a 6-10 combination to the top left to finish off Diddley. Cheddar's 2-1 series win lines her up for a road series in the bracket quarterfinals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Kitty v. Chimpy. The red cue's lone series today is in 12-ball. Midland's Kitty looked pretty good initially in game 1, but she sank her last ball as an overfill. Westside's Chimpy wasted no time in burying a five-ball run-out for the win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Rockers' Chimpy blitzed with a three-ball run off the break in game 2, then slowed it down. The Predators' Kitty got to her last ball, but Chimpy played some rope-a-dope with positioning before pushing to the win for himself to secure the series at 2-0. In game 3, Chimpy played smart despite an early scratch. His positioning was good enough to overcome Kitty's somewhat slow offense. Chimpy swept the series 3-0 and will visit Kitty's Predators teammate Rainmane in the bracket quarterfinals.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kacey v. Shaggy. The purple cue is on for an Accuracy series. Royal's Kacey twice missed right after Whitewater's Shaggy in game 1. Closer to the end, Kacey faltered again and Shaggy held on for a 2-4 win to take a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Kacey had a little better luck early in game 2, but it all disappeared at the end as the Shores' Shaggy showed no mercy late. Shaggy took a 3-5 win this time to clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, Shaggy fell short of a sweep, dropping into a tie to force overtime where she missed on the extra rack's break. Kacey took the 2-3 result, but Shaggy's 2-1 series win sets her up to visit Harrison Specters rookie Bucco in the bracket quarterfinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Shaggy v. Maren. The host completes a Texas two-step doubleheader in 15-ball with the silver cue. Whitewater's Shaggy had some offense in game 1, but her finishing touch was off. It still took Apex's Maren three attempts to bury the 15 at the top left for a 1-0 series lead. The Wonders' Maren set a higher pace in game 2, but it came with a few more errors around. The Shores' Shaggy capitalized late after Maren scratched while making the 13. Shaggy buried the final pair from ball-in-hand for the win to tie the series at 1. Maren pushed again in game 3, but couldn't get enough traction at the end. Shaggy finished with a three-ball run-out here, taking the series 2-1 and earning a hosting position in the bracket quarterfinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Mams. The purple cue returns for 13-ball. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy had a solid start to game 1, but she couldn't settle it down at the end. Swordpoint's Mams rallied to the win on a four-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Mams looked vastly disorganized during game 2, which allowed the Union's Ms. Puppy to take her time in earning a fairly sloppy win. Ms. Puppy has tied the series at 1. Ms. Puppy fended off Mams' late challenge in game 3, using a little physical defense to block her away from the top side. Ms. Puppy won the series 2-1 and will host the winner of the second series from now.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Puff II v. Fuchsia. The blue cue goes in 9-ball again. Harrison's Puff II struck for a four-ball run-out after a slow battle to begin game 1 against Infinity's Fuchsia. Puff II owns a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Specters' Puff II couldn't get a grip on the pace. The Torpedoes' Fuchsia did a good job of keeping control over three turns to work her way to the win, tying the series at 1. Puff II again couldn't get anything going in game 3, but it took a lucky spinning double-pot of the 2 and 9 to the left corners for Fuchsia to claim the win and 2-1 series win. Fuchsia is set to visit West Division rival Smokey of the Pacific Volcanoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Hoot. The purple cue is done for the day after 13-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot looked to be threatening in game 1, but Freedom's Nikolai bounced back at the end on a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. A fast-paced game 2 turned into a battle for territory at the bottom side at the end. The Cascades' Nikolai had the advantage of being on the 8, making things precarious for the Meteors' Hoot despite his better positioning. Nikolai eventually got the win to seal the series at 2-0. In game 3, Hoot didn't even look like he was ready to make a challenge. Nikolai took his time and played smart to earn the win and 3-0 series sweep that sets him up to visit Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy in the bracket quarterfinals.
Sony Center, Queens: Crystal v. Pounce. Captains and club-mates battle in Rotation with the blue cue. Southern's Pounce had a better start in game 1, and that sustained him through a tough finish as he beat Queens' Crystal 8-3 for the 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce seemed set on scraping together offense in game 2, but the Flames' Crystal had a different plan. Crystal made a six-ball run and eventually finished with an 8-2 win to tie the series at 1. Crystal pulled ahead to begin game 3, but she faced a stern challenge from Pounce who rallied from behind to get within a ball. Crystal sealed it off with an 8-6 win to take a 2-1 series win, and she'll visit Pounce's Monarchs teammate Dominic in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Avril v. Fluffina. The silver cue ends the day with 7-ball. Pronger's Avril set the tone on offense, playing well over multiple turns while Infinity's Fluffina couldn't get anything down. Avril made a pair at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Avril scratched and made a pair on the game 2 break, but that killed her momentum. The Torpedoes' Fluffina finally found a hold in the series by taking this win to tie the series at 1. Avril bounced back with a five-ball run in game 3, but it was wasted when Fluffina made the final pair for the 2-1 series win. Fluffina will visit the Midland Predators' Rainmane in the bracket quarterfinals.
We're two-third through the Second Round now, with more to come tomorrow.
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