This is it for the Bracket Quarterfinals, with just nine spots left in the next round. First up...
Volkswagen BeetleDome, Viewpoint Sound: Princess v. Sunshine. A big matchup leads off the day as the silver cue exits the round in 8-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Princess pushed her way to the win in game 1, starting stronger and keeping Royal's Sunshine at bay as he had a choppy comeback effort. Princess leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Sunshine struck first in game 2, and he was able to work with his lead quite efficiently. The Meteors' Princess came close to winning, but Sunshine banked two shots to the top side for the win to tie the series at 1. Princess had a baffling miss at the side pocket as she tried to claim solids early in game 3. Sunshine instead took solids, and he charged fast on offense, ending with the 8 banked diagonally to the top right for the win and 2-1 series lead. Sunshine had a solid start to game 4, but Princess kept even with him early on. Eventually, Sunshine congregated three stripes near the top left and carefully picked them off to build a four-ball run-out, clinching the series at 3-1. Sunshine completed a dominant series with a sharp win in game 5 to get the 4-1 series win over Princess. Sunshine will visit Commerce Tradewinds captain Taylor S. in the bracket semifinals.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Strawberry v. Easter. West Division rivals use the blue cue in 15-ball. A choppy battle in game 1 saw Todavía's Easter miss out on a result as she sent the 15 wide of the bottom left. Victoria's Strawberry finished it there for the win and 1-0 series lead. There was an uptick in pace for game 2, but the Stills' Easter missed her look at the 15 again. The Spurs' Strawberry made it on a second attempt with a double-kiss to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Easter came closest to a win in game 3, working a late four-ball run, but it fell apart when she again failed to cut the 15 to the bottom left. Strawberry poached this win on a tap-in to seal the series at 3-0. Strawberry had a decent effort in game 4, but Easter was finally able to finish one with a three-ball run-out. Strawberry's series lead is down to 3-1. Strawberry bounced back in game 5, taking a three-ball run-out at the end after Easter did little to take control. Strawberry won the series 4-1 and will host the Freedom Cascades' Frosty in the bracket semifinals. Easter is the 67th player eliminated, and Strawberry has her first kill.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Oreo. The green cue enters the action in 7-ball. Terrace City's Oreo took a little time to power up on offense, but she ended game 1 with a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead over Royal's Jake. In game 2, the Crowns' Jake wasn't able to settle down on the 7 after making the 6, allowing the Knights' Oreo to pick up another win at the end. Oreo leads the series at 2-0. Oreo began game 3 positively with a four-ball run, but Jake answered her at the end with a three-ball run-out to get on the board. Oreo's series lead is down to 2-1. Jake made a ball on the break in game 4, but Oreo responded on her first turn with a 2-7 combination to the bottom left for the win. Oreo sealed the series at 3-1 with this win. Jake surged a bit more on offense in game 5, only to drop it as Oreo made the final pair to finish her 4-1 series win. Oreo will host Southridge Defenders veteran Wario in the bracket semifinals.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Spice v. Watermelon. A captains' battle in 10-ball uses the purple cue. Victoria's Spice failed to establish herself on offense in game 1, and Pearl's Watermelon was able to chip her way to the win with a final pair of shots. Watermelon leads the series 1-0. The Surfers' Watermelon had a slow start again in game 2, but the Spurs' Spice wasn't able to wrestle control of the offense before Watermelon's four-ball run-out, which gave the visitor a 2-0 series lead. Watermelon was solid in game 3, but Spice looked threatening prior to sinking the 8 in an uncalled pocket. Watermelon then sniped the 9 to the bottom right and added the 10 at the top left to secure the series at 3-0. Watermelon kept going in game 4, as she made the last five balls over two turns with only Spice's miss on the 9 in the middle. Watermelon stretched her lead to 4-0. Spice finally picked up a win in game 5 with a tap-in on the 10 after Watermelon left it at the bottom left. Watermelon won the series 4-1 and will visit the Todavía Stills' Pedey in the bracket semifinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Celestia. The red cue gets a look in 13-ball for its only series today. Pearl's Boots struggled a little early on, but she turned it around before Oceanside's Celestia could strike. Boots closed with a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Boots had a productive start, and she was able to battle through the Waves' Celestia defending the side pockets so fiercely. Boots worked her way to a three-ball run-out in the end, moving up to a 2-0 series lead. Boots started well again in game 3, but dropped off the pace later on. Celestia buried a seven-ball run-out with great positioning play to cut Boots' series lead to 2-1. Boots was solid again at the start of game 4, but she wasn't able to finish off a late sequence. Celestia applied pressure with a run and then made the 8 to the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 2. Celestia completed the reverse-sweep in game 5 with a six-ball run off the break and a strike on the 8 to the bottom left after Boots couldn't stay even. Celestia won the series 3-2 and will host her former captain and teammate and current Harrison Specter, Snuggle.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fuchsia v. Ice Cream. More 13-ball uses the green cue as it ends its round. Infinity's Fuchsia made one of each on the break and chose to play solids. That didn't work out so well, as Boston's Ice Cream picked up the win in a close finish for the 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Fuchsia knew she was in trouble quickly in game 2, and the Swifts' Ice Cream got onto the 8 in just a couple of turns. Fuchsia tried to rally back, but she sank the 8 illegally to gift the win and 2-0 series lead to Ice Cream. Ice Cream gave away game 3, as her break saw her leave the 8 close to the bottom left after a scratch. Defensive play ruled this time, but Ice Cream went for a bank shot and sank the 8 illegally to gift a win to Fuchsia, who now trails just 2-1 in the series. Game 4 also moved pretty slowly, but Fuchsia had the bulk of the offense in this one while Ice Cream struggled to line things up. Fuchsia ended up getting the win on her own merit to tie the series at 2 games apiece. Fuchsia couldn't finish her comeback in game 5, falling short on offense and positioning. Ice Cream was there to pick up the slack as she took a 3-2 series win to earn the right to host Archtown Arrows sophomore Greg in the bracket semifinals.
Volkswagen BeetleDome, Viewpoint Sound: Cobalt v. Steven. The blue cue draws in for an 8-ball series. Viewpoint Sound's Cobalt picked up a comeback win in game 1, burying a seven-ball run-out after Atlantic's Steven had controlled the pace of play for much of the game. Cobalt leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Cobalt was able to strike first and keep the lead for much of game 2, which was a closer battle that saw the Pirates' Steven just come up short. Cobalt leads the series 2-0. Cobalt's first surge forward in game 3 ended with a scratch, but Steven couldn't recapture his solid form from earlier in the game. Cobalt later won with a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-0. Cobalt saw a scratch and an illegal contact ruin his game 4 effort, as both led to offense for Steven, who won with a three-ball run-out. Cobalt remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Steven kept the momentum going to add a win in game 5 on solids as Cobalt didn't push too hard with the 3-2 series win already guaranteed for him. Cobalt will host the Oceanside Waves captain Celestia in a North Division battle in the bracket semifinals. Cobalt has his first kill of the year, making Steven the 68th eliminated player.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Katharine v. Toki. The blue cue is done after another 8-ball series. Whitewater's Katharine held a lead for much of game 1, but had to be steady late after Eastside's Toki came up short on a surge. Katharine won on a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Toki kept his offense up from the start in game 2 and was able to maintain a lead over the Shores' Katharine. Toki finished off with the 8 in the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 1. Katharine had all the offense early in game 3, but she wasn't able to fend off another of Toki's late surges. Toki made a six-ball run-out and pulled ahead 2-1 in the series with the win. Toki kept the momentum up in game 4, only for Katharine to reverse it on him with her seven-ball run-out to retie the series at 2. Katharine took the early lead in game 5, and she made it stand even as Toki again tried to press late despite bad positioning. Katharine won the series 3-2 and will host the Central Warriors' Klaus in the bracket semifinals. Toki is the 69th eliminated player, with Katharine earning her first kill of the year.
Intel Center, Diamond: Shadow v. Vincent. The round ends in 13-ball with the purple cue. Diamond's Shadow had a better start to game 1, but Everton's Vincent struck back late on a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Vincent had all the command he wanted in game 2, but he was called for an overfill late, and the Gems' Shadow immediately answered with a three-ball run-out. The series is tied at 1. Shadow started a little slower in game 3, but Vincent fell off the pace as his positioning let him down. Shadow was able to sink a pair at the end for the win go ahead 2-1 in the series. Shadow didn't have his best in game 4, but it was enough to keep up with Vincent. A battle for positioning emerged at the end, and a lucky bounce led to Shadow earning the win to seal the series at 3-1. In game 5, it was an all-out battle for positioning with scratches on either side. Shadow ultimately sank the 8 prematurely to give Vincent a win. Shadow still advanced on a 3-2 series win, and he'll visit the Apex Wonders rookie Maren in the bracket semifinals. Vincent is the 70th player eliminated, and the second to go out to Shadow.
The Bracket Semifinals are scheduled to start Sunday after tomorrow's administrative break.
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