We're set to continue play today. First up...
Mitsubishi Arena, Apex: Maren v. Stealth. The purple cue's only series today is in 13-ball. Swordpoint's Stealth staged a strong comeback effort in game 1, but Apex's Maren was able to hold him off just enough for the win after a hot start. Maren leads the series 1-0. The Blades' Stealth went with mob defense at the top side, but he left enough of a gap for the Wonders' Maren to sink a deflection of the 12 off the 1 as part of her three-ball run-out for the win. Maren is up 2-0 in the series. Stealth tried to play defense in game 3, but he wasn't able to hold off Maren for long enough. Maren eventually made the 8 to the top right to seal the series at 3-0. Stealth didn't finish off game 4 very well, losing control at the end with a missed contact. Maren made a three-ball run-out this time and claimed the win to go ahead 4-0 in the series. Maren didn't mess around in a close game 5, stalling out Stealth with positioning at the end before she made the 8 to the top right for the 5-0 series sweep. Maren will continue to host in the bracket semifinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Katharine v. Ms. Puppy. A North Division battle sees the blue cue up for Rotation. Whitewater's Katharine put in a good effort, but Modernistic's Ms. Puppy held it even and then stole the 8-7 win at the end for a 1-0 series lead after game 1. The Union's Ms. Puppy came out firing in game 2 with a three-ball run off the break. The Shores' Katharine replied with a three-ball run, but Ms. Puppy won on a five-ball run-out for an 8-3 win just two turns in, which gave her a 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Ms. Puppy had another productive start, but Katharine finally got the edge at the end to claim an 8-6 win. Ms. Puppy remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Katharine pulled off another comeback late in game 4, as Ms. Puppy couldn't make a big lead stand to the end. Katharine's 8-6 win this time tied the series at 2. Katharine took immediate control in game 5, winning 8-0 as she left Ms. Puppy with no positioning. Katharine took the series 3-2 and will host the Victoria Spurs star Yekaterina in the bracket semifinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Bells. Another blue cue series is in 15-ball. Pearl's Watermelon was a little slow at the start, but with nary a challenge from Zenith's Bells in game 1. Watermelon then picked up the pace with a six-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon had a solid performance in game 2, but her four-ball run near the end closed with a miss on the 13. The Skywatchers' Bells took over for a three-ball run-out to earn the win, tying the series at 1. A choppy game 3 saw neither player able to establish much on the run. Watermelon picked up the win and 2-1 series lead over Bells with a bank of the 15 to the bottom right. Watermelon had a six-ball run in game 4, then followed up with a 9-15 bank combination to the bottom left two turns later for the win to secure the series at 3-1 over Bells. Watermelon got greedy in game 5, missing a 4-15 combination that stayed close enough to the bottom left for Bells to pick up the win on a deflection. Watermelon still won the series 3-2 and will host the Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy in the bracket semifinals. Watermelon earned her first kill of the year to make Bells the 39th eliminated player.
Volkswagen BeetleDome, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Briana. Staying in the North, the blue cue makes an exit after 9-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot had a solid start in game 1, but Queens' Briana rallied with a four-ball run-out in the end to get the 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana had some struggles early in game 2, but she dipped into the bag of tricks for a five-ball run-out at the end. The Meteors' Hoot could only watch as Briana staked out a 2-0 series lead. Briana had a good chunk of offense in game 3, but she couldn't make the 8 after Hoot scratched while potting the 7. Hoot recovered to sink the last two balls for the win, cutting Briana's series lead to 2-1. Briana struggled again in game 4, unable to get the right positioning to build runs. Hoot wasn't all that sharp, but he was able to sink the final pair of balls for the win to tie the series at 2. Briana faltered in game 5, and Hoot capitalized on that with a five-ball run-out to claim the win and 3-2 series win. Hoot's reverse-sweep has him in position to host the Infinity Torpedoes' Fuchsia in the bracket semifinals.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Misty. The marquee series of the day is in 7-ball with the green cue. A plethora of scratches in game 1 ruined momentum, and Lighton's Acorn was able to get the win with the 7 from ball-in-hand after Westside's Misty fouled late. Acorn leads the series 1-0. Game 2 brought much more excitement, as the Prestige's Acorn made three balls on the break. The Rockers' Misty answered on a four-ball run-out on her lone turn to get the win and tie the series at 1. Misty got enough movement on the break in game 3 to take the 3 at the bottom left and the 7 at the bottom right for an instant win. Misty now leads Acorn 2-1 in the series. Misty lost her grip on the offense in game 4, and Acorn pushed back with a three-ball run-out to get the win, which tied the series at 2. Acorn took over fully late in game 5, as Misty couldn't get herself organized this time. Acorn rattled off a five-ball run-out for the 3-2 series win, which sets him up to visit the Golden Pilots' Max in the bracket semifinals.
Porsche Events Center, Zenith: Blizzard v. Precious. Captains collide in 9-ball with the silver cue. Pronger's Precious didn't do so well at executing in game 1, and Zenith's Blizzard capitalized later with a five-ball run-out for the win. Blizzard owns a 1-0 series lead. The Skywatchers' Blizzard didn't do so well in game 2, with the Tridents' Precious tightening up a bit for a three-ball run-out in the end. Precious' surge tied the series at 1. Blizzard fouled with illegal contact as she tried a masse shot on the 7. Precious answered with a three-ball run-out again, taking the win and storming ahead 2-1 in the series with her solid but unexciting offense. Precious fouled with a scratch late in a slower game 4. Blizzard didn't mess around with the finish, earning the win on a three-ball run-out to retie the series at 2. Precious tried to play slow in game 5, but her miss on the 6 allowed Blizzard to convert a 6-9 combination to the bottom left for the win and 3-2 series win. Blizzard will host the Lighton Prestige veteran Shiny in the bracket semifinals.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Stealth v. Goldy. Club-mates meet in 10-ball as the silver cue finishes its scheduled series today. Swordpoint's Stealth had a decent start to game 1, but blunders from both players on the 8 set up Everton's Goldy to make a three-ball run-out. Goldy leads the series 1-0. The Blades' Stealth looked a little lost in game 2, and while the Eagles' Goldy took her time, she won on a four-ball run-out. Goldy leads the series 2-0 now. Goldy came close to a win in game 3, matching Stealth with three-ball runs for each player late on. Stealth was able to snag the 10 to the bottom left for the win to get on the board, although he trails 2-1 in the series. Stealth nearly had game 4, but he didn't call a deflection off the 7 to pot the 10. Goldy answered with taking over possession for a three-ball run-out, narrowly avoiding a scratch to seal the series at 3-1. Goldy attacked well initially in game 5, but Stealth finished it off with a three-ball run-out to get one game back. Goldy's 3-2 series win sets her up for another road series in the bracket semifinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Vincent. The red cue gets a lone appearance in 15-ball. Golden's Sparkles waited for Everton's Vincent to scratch before deflecting a shot off the 7 to take the 15 at the top right. Sparkles' patience was rewarded with a win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Sparkles couldn't pick up the pace on offense in game 2, and the Eagles' Vincent just waited around mainly to pick up scraps of offense. Vincent's win tied the series at 1. Vincent didn't keep the momentum up into game 3, while Sparkles also took some time to get back into the series. Sparkles eventually unleashed a six-ball run-out for the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Sparkles turned the offense up to full blast in game 4, making nine of the last 10 balls over her final two turns while Vincent got caught flat-footed. Sparkles' win clinched the series in her favor at 3-1. Vincent tried to jab in one more win in game 5, but his final run fell short at three balls. Sparkles made the final pair for a 4-1 series win that puts her into the bracket semifinals.
Mitsubishi Arena, Apex: Cowzart v. Celestia. We end the day with Rotation and the green cue between North Division rivals. A fairly even start to game 1 didn't stay that way for long. Apex's Cowzart had a foul, and Oceanside's Celestia ripped a five-ball run-out for the 8-2 win and 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia began game 2 on a four-ball run, and while that lead didn't hold under pressure from the Wonders' Cowzart, Celestia recovered well late. Celestia ended up with an 8-5 win to take a 2-0 series lead. Celestia did not back down a bit in game 3, attacking at full force while leaving Cowzart no room to answer. Celestia won the game 8-0 to clinch the series at 3-0. Celestia remained merciless in game 4, leaving Cowzart to foul and miss a few times before she was able to unleash a six-ball run-out for the 8-0 win. Celestia is up 4-0 in the series. Cowzart had his best performance in game 5, only to scratch on a potential winning shot. Celestia made it instead for an 8-7 win and 5-0 series sweep that sees her move on to a road series versus Pearl Surfers veteran Boots in the bracket semifinals.
After a fast-paced day, we'll continue tomorrow as we approach the final week of the round.
No comments:
Post a Comment