We'll try to play as fast as we can through a tough schedule on a compressed day. The blue cue will have the day off after hogging attention yesterday. First up...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Kayla. The green cue is starting today in 13-ball. Everton's Cleo had every chance to finish off game 1, but her poorly aimed cuts ended up giving Royal's Kayla enough time to recover from some poor shooting of her own. Kayla won the game and took a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Kayla had a good break in game 2 and picked up stripes on her second turn. The Eagles' Cleo stuck too strongly to defense, and Kayla was able to break out for the win again to seal the series at 2-0. Cleo was unable to make a move on offense in game 3, and she had an uncalled overfill that would have disqualified her anyway. Kayla swept the series 3-0 after some good shooting, and she'll host the Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Slinks v. Shadow. The silver cue is up for a 12-ball battle. It came down to positioning in game 1, but Diamond's Shadow couldn't strike at the bottom side. Tysini's Slinks was able to overcome an early scratch to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Slinks again had an early foul in game 2, and that made things close but didn't stop her from winning over the Gems' Shadow, who lacked the right positioning at the end. Slinks clinched the series at 2-0. Shadow tried to make a defensive maneuver at the end of game 3, but instead double-potted both of Slinks' last two balls to allow the host to sweep the series 3-0. Slinks will host again in the bracket quarterfinals.
Mitsubishi Arena, Apex: Maren v. Shawn. Back in 13-ball, the purple cue enters the action. While game 1 was close at first, Apex's Maren made a brilliant four-ball run that Midland's Shawn couldn't answer. Maren took her time at the end and closed out a win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wonders' Maren opened game 2 on a strong four-ball run, but she couldn't respond after the Predators' Shawn matched that initial burst. Shawn sustained his offense late for the win to tie the series at 1. Shawn fell flat to begin game 3, while Maren was lively as ever on offense. At the end, Shawn's comeback hit a snag with a scratch before he sank the 8 a shot too early to gift Maren the 2-1 series win. Maren will host Swordpoint Blades veteran Stealth in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fuchsia v. Wario. The red cue draws in with this Accuracy series. Infinity's Fuchsia made two balls on the game 1 break and another on the overtime break, giving her enough of an edge for a 3-4 win over Southridge's Wario. Fuchsia owns a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Wario nearly pulled off a comeback in game 2, but the Torpedoes' Fuchsia showed no mercy in making the final ball for another 3-4 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Fuchsia maintained her same level of play in game 3, but Wario was nearly perfect this time, only missing late in his 1-3 win. Fuchsia took the series 2-1 and will host another series in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Pounce. A pair of captains collide in Accuracy with the silver cue. Pearl's Watermelon was almost perfect in game 1, but she missed at the end of regulation and on the overtime break to allow Southern's Pounce to steal a 1-2 win. Pounce owns a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon didn't rebound at all in game 2, spiraling to her doom in an ugly 4-7 loss to the Monarchs' Pounce, who sealed the series at 2-0. In game 3, Watermelon continued to lag on offense, and Pounce didn't have to work too hard to get a 2-4 win for the 3-0 series sweep. Pounce will have hosting privileges in the bracket quarterfinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Twilight. Arguably the biggest series of the round is up in 8-ball with the red cue. Central's Twilight was able to get by with less than her best in game 1, as Pacific's Starlight gifted her sister a win by sinking the 8 illegally. Twilight leads the series 1-0. The Warriors' Twilight struggled a bit more in game 2, and her slow finish with a late scratch bought just enough time for the Volcanoes' Starlight to finally poke the 8 into the top left. This tied the series at 1. Starlight went empty on the break in game 3, and she couldn't build enough of a run late to save her season, as Twilight put the 8 away in the top right for the 2-1 series win. Twilight will play in the bracket quarterfinals after recording the first kill of the season.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Yekaterina. The silver cue cycles in for 10-ball. Victoria's Yekaterina received a favorable refereeing decision to spark an early six-ball run, but she fell back at the end and Golden's Strut nabbed the win with the 10 at the bottom right. Strut leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Yekaterina again had a late mistake come back to hurt her, as the Pilots' Strut coupled more solid offense with finishing skill to get the win and 2-0 series lead. Strut wasn't able to complete the sweep in game 3, faltering a bit on offense as Yekaterina picked up a three-ball run-out at the end for her lone win. Strut will move on to the bracket quarterfinals on a 2-1 series win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Jack. Back on the coast, the red cue plays 13-ball. Pearl's Boots had a nice surge with a four-ball run in the middle of game 1, but Web City's Jack battled back from that to get the win with a pair of shots at the end. Jack owns a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Jack looked good early on, but his chance to make some noise late from ball-in-hand took him out of position. The Surfers' Boots capitalized to sink the final pair of shots for the win, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Jack scratched while making his last solid, then used it to clear the way for Boots to get the win in a blundering finish. Boots took the series 2-1 and will host Oceanside Waves captain Celestia in the bracket quarterfinals.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Lindsay v. Taylor M. The silver cue administers some Accuracy. Stonebridge's Lindsay put up a huge fight to stay perfect, sinking two balls on the break, getting a perfect bounce in the middle of regulation and adding another pair with tough cuts to follow in overtime. Eventually, Eastside's Taylor M. gave up the resistance as Lindsay took a 0-1 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Lindsay showed a different kind of resilience deep into game 2, as she thrice had misses in overtime only for the Sharks' Taylor M. to fail to close out the game. Lindsay won 5-6 as Taylor M. missed on the second-to-last ball, securing the series for Lindsay at 2-0. Lindsay finally gave up the fight in game 3, letting Taylor M. stomp her way to a 0-4 win. Lindsay took the series 2-1 and will play on the road in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Potter v. Paps. The purple cue gets a look at 12-ball. Zenith's Paps nearly had the time for a comeback in game 1, but Pronger's Potter held him off at the end to get the win. Potter leads the series 1-0 despite a shaky finish. The Tridents' Potter was a little less impressive to start game 2, leading to a more even battle with the Skywatchers' Paps. At the end, Paps broke loose on a three-ball run-out to claim the win, tying the series at 1. Paps scratched on the break in game 3, and Potter made sure the visitor didn't bounce back from that. Potter's positioning remained better throughout as he earned the win for a 2-1 series win. Potter will be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Wario. The visitor plays his second series today in 7-ball with the green cue. Southridge's Wario mixed in some precision with his heavy shooting style, taking the win on a three-ball run-out after controlling the offense over Central's Noelle. Wario owns a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Wario had a much less elegant effort in game 2, but the Warriors' Noelle didn't clean up his misses very well. Wario eventually buried the final pair for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Wario had a four-ball run in a resurgent game 3, but Noelle cut him off with a pair of shots at the end for her lone win. Wario took the series 2-1 and will be a visitor again in the bracket quarterfinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Juno. The red cue is done after this 12-ball set. Modernistic's Puff I made four balls on the game 1 break, but only two stripes were legal, causing a change of possession. Stonebridge's Juno was more productive on offense and easily took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Juno looked to be cruising in game 2, but she couldn't line up her last ball at the bottom side. The Union's Puff I leaned in on physicality and it paid off, as she bumped Juno away and later made her last ball on a bank to the top side to tie the series at 1. Juno hurt her own cause with an overfill midway through game 3, which allowed Puff I to execute a four-ball run-out for the win and 2-1 series win. Puff I will host Royal Crowns sophomore Sunshine in the bracket quarterfinals. Juno is eliminated and Puff I has earned her first kill of the year.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Twilight. The purple cue checks out after Accuracy. Whitewater's Twinkie III held on for about half of game 1, but Central's Twilight got the better of her after that. Twilight won 2-4 to gain a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight had a stunning decline in game 2, while the Shores' Twinkie III rebounded well in a perfect performance. The result was Twinkie III tying the series at 1 with her 0-5 win. In game 3, Twilight couldn't hang onto a lead, scuffling early and then dropping into a tie to force overtime. She missed on the overtime break and Twinkie III converted a shot for a 5-6 win. Twinkie III took the series 2-1 to book a visiting position in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Slinks v. Solaris. The host's second series today uses the silver cue in 13-ball. Tysini's Slinks made one of each on the game 1 break and played to near perfection on stripes. Commerce's Solaris was just getting set up when Slinks finished the win on a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Slinks had to work a bit harder in game 2, but she got a hand from the Tradewinds' Solaris when he tried and failed to go through her defense. Slinks then made a pair of shots for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, a scratch and an overfill on consecutive turns ruined Solaris' effort, allowing Slinks to sink a four-ball run-out for the win. Slinks swept the series 3-0 and will continue to host in the bracket quarterfinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Ruby v. Valencia. The green cue ends the day with 15-ball. Golden's Valencia seemed to enjoy more of the offense initially in game 1, but she scratched near the end. Todavía's Ruby scooped up the win on a pair of shots from ball-in-hand to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Pilots' Valencia had a nightmarish game 2, scratching three times and faltering late before the Stills' Ruby finally put the 15 away at the bottom right. Ruby secured the series at 2-0 with this win. Ruby didn't put a lot of effort into game 3, and Valencia finally made the last pair to get the win and avoid the sweep. Ruby's 2-1 series win gets her into the bracket quarterfinals in a hosting position.
Heatwave pool resumes Friday in the peak of the heat but with looser scheduling possibilities.
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