Another late-start session is scheduled for the peak of this heatwave. First up...
BMW RockDome, Westside: Carly v. Andrew. The blue cue starts the day in 10-ball. Prior to game 1, Westside's Carly invoked the Curse of the Broken Chalk, but it didn't both her in game. She played evenly with Freedom's Andrew, and Carly got the win on the final pair of shots to take a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Carly gave no mind to the curse, as she controlled the offense in game 2 and won on a five-ball run-out over the Cascades' Andrew. Carly clinched the series at 2-0 with this surge. Carly didn't get to finish the sweep in game 3, as Andrew instead won on a three-ball run-out ending with a 5-10 bank combination to the top right. Carly settled for a 2-1 series win to earn the right to host Whitewater Shores captain Shaggy in the bracket quarterfinals.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Bucco v. Blaze. The silver cue is next up in 13-ball. Harrison's Bucco started better on offense in game 1, but Infinity's Blaze was sturdy enough on defense to force his way ahead late for the win. Blaze leads the series 1-0. The Specters' Bucco again flung himself ahead on offense in game 2. He played well, but he was left open to the counterattack from the Torpedoes' Blaze, which took all of three turns to earn the visitor a win. Blaze secured the series at 2-0. Blaze was a little slower on offense in game 3, and that gave Bucco enough time to finally pin down a win. Blaze took a 2-1 series win and will continue into the bracket quarterfinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chimpy v. Sarah. Back west, the purple cue enters the action for Rotation. Tysini's Sarah enjoyed some offense early in game 1, but her luck dried up fast. Westside's Chimpy was good enough to pull away with the lead on a three-ball run and then win 8-5 to take a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Rockers' Chimpy made a pair on the break and a four-ball run later. The Hummingbirds' Sarah struggled to get on track, and just as she finally looked in control, Chimpy won 8-3 to seal the series at 2-0. Chimpy remained uncompromising in game 3, letting Sarah take the early lead before storming ahead for another 8-3 win. Chimpy swept the series 3-0 and will host his bracket quarterfinals series.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Taylor M. v. Hoppy. The blue cue gets a look in Rotation here. Archtown's Hoppy took the early lead in game 1, but she failed to bring it home. Eastside's Taylor M. slowly fought back and took the 8-7 win to go up 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Taylor M. surged ahead on a four-ball run in game 2, then promptly lost all control on offense. It took some time for the Arrows' Hoppy to follow suit, with her four-ball run-out enough to earn her an 8-6 win to tie the series at 1. Taylor M. didn't slow down on offense this time, riding a steady attack and inefficiency from Hoppy to an 8-2 win. Taylor M. won the series 2-1 and will host again in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Violetta. The blue cue exits the day after 12-ball. Boston's Ice Cream fell behind early in game 1 when Queens' Violetta made a four-ball run. Ice Cream got some back, but Violetta closed out the win to earn a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta didn't start as well in game 2, and the Swifts' Ice Cream quickly got down to her last ball. Violetta thought her defense would be enough, but Ice Cream powered through it and eventually won to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Violetta played defense at the top side and with positioning, stalling out Ice Cream on her last ball. Violetta won on a three-ball run-out for a 2-1 series win and the right to host Freedom Cascades captain Stinky in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fuchsia v. Smokey. The green cue comes aboard for this 13-ball series between West Division rivals. Infinity's Fuchsia had the better attack early in game 1, but Pacific's Smokey put her in a bad position late. Fuchsia sank the 8 prematurely to gift the win and 1-0 series lead to Smokey. The Volcanoes' Smokey did better to play with offense in game 2, but he made a critical error at the end by sinking the 8 in an uncalled pocket. This gifted a win right back to the Torpedoes' Fuchsia as two blunders have the series tied at 1. Fuchsia kept things clean in game 3 and pushed her way to the win as Smokey was caught in bad positioning. Fuchsia took the series 2-1 and will host the Boston Swifts' Ice Cream in the bracket quarterfinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Hoot. North Division captains clash in Accuracy with the purple cue. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot had some slips late in game 1, but he led the whole way through over Oceanside's Celestia. Hoot won 2-3 and earned a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot kept going well in game 2 with a ball on the break and near-perfect play the rest of the way. The Waves' Celestia again came up short as Hoot won 1-3 in the game to clinch the series at 2-0. Hoot let game 3 get away, falling behind late as Celestia locked down a 2-3 win. Hoot won the series 2-1 and will host Whitewater Shores veteran Twinkie III in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Snowball. A strong battle in 8-ball uses the green cue. Pronger's Spot looked ready to ride his defense to victory in game 1, but Westside's Snowball changed that plan with her four-ball run-out. Snowball got a lucky bounce on the second shot of the run to set up her finish for a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Snowball thrived with the lead in game 2, taking solids on the break and never really letting the Tridents' Spot catch up. Snowball put the 8 in the bottom left to seal the series at 2-0. Partly in frustration and more from bad aim, Spot sank the 8 prematurely in game 3 to gift the win and the 3-0 series sweep to Snowball, who will visit the Infinity Torpedoes' Fluffina in the bracket quarterfinals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Gradley. South Division foes meet in 8-ball with the purple cue. Midland's Rainmane held a large lead in game 1, but she couldn't make a simple cut on the 8 to the top left. Boston's Gradley put up a comeback, winning on a five-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley led off with a five-ball run in game 2, but he stalled out from there. The Predators' Rainmane was decisive on offense and won with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Gradley looked in control for game 3, but he let his offense slip as Rainmane unleashed an eight-ball run-out for the win. Rainmane took the series 2-1 and will host again in the bracket quarterfinals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Taylor S. More 8-ball sees the silver cue in a captains' battle. Commerce's Taylor S. had a good effort to keep game 1 close, but she missed on her last stripe. Southern's Pounce put away the 8 at the bottom side for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce had no trouble getting onto his last ball in game 2, but his slow attempt at finishing led to the Tradewinds' Taylor S. building up a comeback over three turns for the win. The series is tied at 1. Pounce had a three-ball run late in game 3 to get close to a win, but he missed on the 8. Taylor S. then buried a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-1 series win. Taylor S. is set for a road trip again in the bracket quarterfinals.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Crystal. The purple cue checks out after 12-ball. Stonebridge's Hershey legally sank three balls on the break in game 1, but he fell apart after that with a scratch and too many misses. Queens' Crystal was much more stable to earn the win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Flames' Crystal made a three-ball run off the break and showed the Wolves' Hershey how to protect a lead. Crystal eventually made a pair to close out the win as Hershey struggled with positioning, which led to Crystal securing the series at 2-0. Crystal had another good start in game 3, but she made things more difficult for herself under pressure at the end. Hershey got down to his last ball with positioning and missed it, then watched as Crystal spun a kick shot into the top right for the win and 3-0 series sweep that takes her to the bracket quarterfinals.
Intel Center, Diamond: Salmo v. Sleepy B. The green cue is done after a Rotation series. Diamond's Salmo had a relatively easy time winning game 1 by an 8-2 score, taking a lead early on and never giving Archtown's Sleepy B. much to work with. The Gems' Salmo eased up only a bit in game 2, but the Arrows' Sleepy B. didn't do much with her chances on offense. Salmo steadily built up to an 8-3 win, securing the series at 2-0. In game 3, Sleepy B. finally found some success on offense. She played even with Salmo until the end, where she pulled away for an 8-6 win. Salmo took the series 2-1 and will host Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris in the bracket quarterfinals. Sleepy B. is the third player eliminated and Salmo's first kill of the year.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Ms. Kitty. The red cue's lone series today is in 9-ball. North Modernistic's Peach butchered a shot from ball-in-hand on the 6 that led to Pacific's Ms. Kitty making a three-ball run-out for the win. Ms. Kitty owns a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty didn't have as much command in game 2, and the Nighthawks' Peach redeemed herself with a five-ball run-out this time to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Peach wasted no time in winning the series 2-1, sending the 9 to the bottom left on the break to dispatch Ms. Kitty. Peach is set to host the Eastside Sharks' Lily in the bracket quarterfinals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Ingrid v. Lily. South Division rivals battle in Accuracy with the silver cue. Eastside's Lily led for much of game 1, but she fell into a tie and missed on the overtime break. Southridge's Ingrid made her shot for a 3-4 comeback win to take a 1-0 series lead. Both players missed shots near the end of a close battle, but the Defenders' Ingrid stung the last ball to the top right to beat the Sharks' Lily 2-3. Ingrid clinched the series at 2-0. Ingrid wasn't at her best in game 3, dropping a 2-3 result to Lily this time. Ingrid still won the series 2-1 and will visit Southern Monarchs captain Pounce in the bracket quarterfinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Goatee v. Rosalina. The day ends in 7-ball with the silver cue. Westside's Goatee made a ball on the break, but Victoria's Rosalina answered with a five-ball run before adding the 7 on the next turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Rosalina had some shaky play in game 2, leaving shots on the table. The Rockers' Goatee was lucky to miss her cut on the 7 at the bottom left, only for it to take a three-rail bank and land there anyway, tying the series at 1. Goatee wasn't able to corral much offense in game 3, leading to Rosalina picking up the win for the 2-1 series win. Rosalina is through to the bracket quarterfinals.
The heatwave is past its peak, but it'll still be tough conditions for a couple more days.
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