We're ready to go on a Friday of new action. It'll be old school today with the purple and green cues receiving days off. We begin with...
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Isabella. The silver cue opens the action today in 10-ball. Atlantic's Isabella made the last six balls over two turns as she took control in game 1 for a win and 1-0 series lead over Golden's Strut. The Pirates' Isabella had a little less offense in game 2. The Pilots' Strut fouled the first time he sank the 10, but he made it again to end a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Isabella had an awful attempt on the 1-10 combination in game 3, so much so that Strut was able to approach it from a different angle to the bottom left and still come up with the quick win. Strut now leads the series 2-1. Isabella was unafraid to bank a few shots in game 4, but Strut was also effective playing indirect. At the end, Strut made a three-ball run-out with a combination and a bank included to seal the series at 3-1. Strut played an even game 5, but it got away from him at the end and Isabella took one more win. Strut won the series 3-2 and will host the Everton Eagles captain Goldy in the bracket semifinals. Strut's first kill of the year made Isabella the 40th eliminated player.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Charli v. Josie. The red cue is up next, ready to play 7-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Josie enjoyed a majority of the offense in game 1 with a four-ball run, but she still needed another miss from Tysini's Charli to finish it off. Josie leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Josie rattled off a five-ball run before a scratch in game 2. The Hummingbirds' Charli blundered her shot on the 6 from ball-in-hand, and Josie made the final pair for the win to go up 2-0 in the series. Josie lost her touch a bit in game 3, leading to Charli picking up a more noticeable share of offense. At the end, Charli closed out a win to get on the board, although she still trails 2-1 in the series. Josie struggled again in game 4, and Charli didn't have a quick answer as she looked to play at a lower pace. In the end, Charli mopped up the 7 to the bottom left for the win, tying the series at 2. Charli left Josie with no chance to reply in game 5 as the host won with the 5 and 7 dropping in the top right off the break. Charli's 3-2 series win puts her into the bracket semifinals.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Lily v. Gizmo. The silver cue is back for this Rotation series. Eastside's Lily got off to a good start in game 1, but North Modernistic's Gizmo briefly worked his way into a tie. Lily then slammed the door with a three-ball run-out for an 8-5 win and 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Lily had a slower attack in game 2, but she was effective at keeping the Nighthawks' Gizmo at bay. Gizmo picked up some offense late before Lily locked in an 8-4 win to go up 2-0 in the series. Lily continued to enjoy the better of the offense in game 3, burying a couple of pairs of shots to build her lead. She finished with an 8-2 win over Gizmo to secure the series at 3-0. Lily wasn't impressed with her break in game 4, but she was still better on offense than Gizmo, who made a small push at the end only to lose 8-3. Lily extended her series lead to 4-0. Lily couldn't finish off the sweep in game 5, as Gizmo pushed with a four-ball run-out at the end for an 8-3 win. Lily's 4-1 series win takes her into a hosting position in the bracket semifinals. Lily took her first kill of the year to make Gizmo the 41st player out.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kacey v. Hershey. Another 7-ball series uses the blue cue. Royal's Kacey had a lot of shots almost go in, but it proved costly as Stonebridge's Hershey made no mistakes in cleaning up. Hershey took the 7 to the top right after Kacey's kick left it short, giving the visitor a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Kacey tried to build a run late in game 2, but it failed when she missed on the 6. The Wolves' Hershey made the 6-7 combination to the top left for the win to stretch his series lead to 2-0. Hershey took total control in game 3, making a pair on the break that sparked a six-ball run-out. Hershey finished it with a 6-7 combination to the top side to seal the series at 3-0 over Kacey. Hershey collected another win in game 4 as Kacey scratched on the 4. Hershey rattled off a three-ball run-out to earn another win and push his series lead to 4-0. Kacey committed a stick foul late in game 5 that allowed Hershey to make the last two balls on a free possession. Hershey swept the series 5-0 and will host the Queens Flames captain Crystal in the bracket semifinals. This counts as Hershey's first kill with Kacey's rookie season ending as the 42nd eliminated player.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Molly v. Solaris. The red cue takes a turn in Rotation here. Southern's Molly started decently in game 1, but Commerce's Solaris eventually wrestled away control of the offense. Solaris made a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win and 1-0 series lead. One of the slowest finishes to a game on this day was in game 2, as the Tradewinds' Solaris held the lead but couldn't find a path to the finish. The Monarchs' Molly didn't catch him either, and Solaris eventually won 8-4 to go up 2-0 in the series. The pace picked up again in game 3, with Solaris taking the early lead, Molly matching him in the middle, and Solaris pulling away at the end for another 8-4 win to clinch the series at 3-0. Solaris used a six-ball run to establish his lead in game 4, and Molly only answered with a pair. Solaris finished the 8-2 win with a pair to keep rolling with a 4-0 series lead. Molly put up a good fight in game 5, but she fell by an 8-4 score again when Solaris finally finished off his 5-0 series sweep. Solaris will visit the Everton Eagles captain Goldy in the bracket semifinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Panda v. Spirit. The red cue stays active for this 15-ball battle. Lighton's Spirit appeared to pick up the pace in a close game 1 near the end, but she scratched on her attempt at the 15. Everton's Panda picked it up from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit continued to struggle with errors in game 2. This allowed the Eagles' Panda to nab the win on a 12-15 combination double-pot, putting him ahead 2-0 in the series. Panda began to falter on offense in game 3, leading to a slow middle section. Spirit chipped in more offense and grabbed the win, now trailing 2-1 in the series. Spirit had a decent start to game 4, but Panda reclaimed possession later on a seven-ball run, and he made the 15 to the top left when Spirit couldn't. Panda's win clinched the series for him at 3-1. Spirit struck early to end game 5, deflecting off the 11 to make the 15 at the bottom left despite a solid push from Panda earlier. Panda settled for a 3-2 series win, and he'll host club-mate and Golden Pilots veteran Sparkles in the bracket semifinals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Ellie v. Sunshine. Exciting young players meet in 10-ball with the red cue, its last series of the day. Royal's Sunshine had a strong game 1, much better than Capital City's Ellie. Sunshine closed out the win with a pair of shots to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Crowns' Sunshine had a few more errors in game 2, allowing the Sharpshooters' Ellie to get her bounce-back performance. Ellie picked up the win and tied the series at 1. Ellie likely deserved better than she got in game 3, as she made a late three-ball run but scratched as the 9 went down. Sunshine scooped up this win despite a minority of the offense, and that gave him a 2-1 series lead. Ellie didn't get much offense in game 4, as Sunshine started with a four-ball run and double-potted the 5 and 10 on a later turn on an impressive kick shot. Sunshine secured the series at 3-1 with this win. Sunshine finished off the series with a solid game 5 effort to get the 4-1 series win over Ellie. Sunshine is set to host Tysini Hummingbirds veteran Sugar in the bracket semifinals.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Taylor M. v. Maggie. Club-mates battle in Rotation as the blue cue makes an exit. Modernistic's Maggie had a nice surge in the middle of game 1, but Eastside's Taylor M. found a second wind with a three-ball run-out to get the 8-6 win. Taylor M. holds a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Maggie enjoyed more of the offense in game 2, earning her way to an 8-2 win as the Sharks' Taylor M. couldn't get much going. The series is tied at 1. In game 3, Maggie's break led to some success for Taylor M. early on. Maggie had a couple of double-pots that lifted her to the lead, but Taylor M. rattled off a five-ball run-out for the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Maggie found a lot of the early offense, but a short-shot miss at the bottom side led to Taylor M. surging ahead on a five-ball run. Taylor M. added a pair on the next turn for an 8-5 win to seal the series at 3-1. Taylor M. couldn't close out strong in game 5, as Maggie found a little window of opportunity to get the win by an 8-5 score. Taylor M. won the series 3-2 and will visit the Southern Monarchs' Dominic in the bracket semifinals. Maggie is the 43rd player out this year, and Taylor M. has her second kill.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Jack v. Briana. A burgeoning rivalry ends the day in 15-ball with the silver cue. Web City's Jack had a productive start to game 1, but Queens' Briana snagged the win early on a 6-15 combination to the top right. Briana leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Jack had a couple of chances to end game 2, but he couldn't finish it off. Briana made runs of five and three balls before sinking the 15 to the bottom left for the win and 2-0 series lead. Briana didn't have quite as much composure in game 3, but she got the win when her deflection play turned into a 9-15 bank combination to the bottom right. She sealed the series at 3-0 over Jack with this win. Briana split the offense a little more evenly with Jack in game 4 as both searched for an early finish. It didn't come, but Briana moved up to a 4-0 series lead with a pair at the end. Briana kept pushing on offense in game 5, only for Jack to clean up the scraps for his lone win in the finale. Briana took the series 4-1 and will host the Infinity Torpedoes' Blaze in the bracket semifinals.
That's all for today. We'll be back on schedule tomorrow with another full slate.
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