We're getting closer to the end of the season. Today begins the Bracket Semifinals, although the silver cue will rest for an extra day. First up...
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Wario. The green cue is ready to play in 7-ball to start the round. It was far from efficient, but Terrace City's Oreo picked up the win in game 1 with a pair of shots after a choppy battle with Southridge's Wario. Oreo leads the series 1-0. The Knights' Oreo had a bit more of the offense in game 2, but it wasn't smooth enough. The Defenders' Wario struggled early on, but he poached the win by taking the 7 to the bottom right to tie the series at 1. Oreo recovered well in game 3, finishing with a three-ball run-out, although neither player has fully taken control of the offense yet. Oreo leads Wario 2-1 in the series. Oreo picked up some offense early in game 4, but she couldn't find another late run, as Wario closed this one out for the win to retie the series at 2. Oreo twice missed on the 7 in game 5, and Wario punished it the second time to grab the win and 3-2 series win. Wario is the first player to punch a ticket to the bracket finals. Wario earned his first kill of the year as Oreo is the 71st eliminated player.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Quincy v. Lily. The red cue takes the second series today, playing 9-ball. Modernistic's Quincy had a three-ball run over the middle of game 1, but Eastside's Lily shot back with a pair of shots for the win. Lily took a narrow 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Lily loosened up a bit and created a six-ball run-out on her third turn in game 2, after the Union's Quincy came up a bit short on one of his shots. Lily leads the series 2-0. Lily faltered on the 5 in game 3 after a reasonably good start. It ended up being crucial, as Quincy made the 5-9 combination to the bottom left to take a win and get on the board while trailing 2-1 in the series. Quincy found another early finish in game 4, biding his time as Lily struggled just for contact plays. At the end, a smash on the 5 put all five remaining balls in motion, and Quincy was able to deposit the 9 to the bottom left and 7 to the top side for the win to tie the series at 2. Lily surged late in game 5, making five of the last six balls to earn the win as Quincy was limited on offense in the finale. Lily's 3-2 series win books her another road assignment in the bracket finals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Kelsea v. Taylor M. The red cue stays active with 13-ball. Capital City's Kelsea held a lead from the start of game 1, although Eastside's Taylor M. made an honest effort near the end and was almost rewarded. Kelsea won with the 8 at the bottom left for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Taylor M. put some pressure on late in game 2, but she couldn't make contact on the 6 late in the battle. This allowed the Sharpshooters' Kelsea to win on a pair of shots from ball-in-hand to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Kelsea was trailing for part of game 3 after Taylor M. recovered from an early scratch. At the end, positioning didn't work out for Taylor M. when she missed on the 8 after removing her last defense. Kelsea fired back with a pair for the win to clinch the series at 3-0. Taylor M. won a strategic battle in game 4, as both players worked on positioning before attacking. Kelsea came up short and Taylor M. buried a four-ball run-out to cut the deficit to 3-1. Kelsea added one more win for good measure in game 5, getting the better of positioning to beat Taylor M. for the 4-1 series win. Kelsea will play in the bracket finals.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Lindsay v. Ruby. The red cue goes again in 10-ball. Stonebridge's Lindsay had a relatively modest start to game 1, but Todavía's Ruby blew her away with a seven-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Ruby had a solid performance in game 2 as well, with a little help from misses by the Wolves' Lindsay. Ruby finished early on a four-ball run-out with a deflection off the 7 to drive the 10 to the bottom left for the 2-0 series lead. Ruby's ball control was a disaster in game 3 with four scratches, but she still picked up the win on a bank of the 10 to the top right after Lindsay couldn't corral it. Ruby sealed the series at 3-0. Ruby scratched on a kick attempt at the 10 in game 4, giving Lindsay a free shot to get her first win of the series, cutting the deficit to 3-1 after a strong effort. Lindsay made a pair on the break but had to respot the uncalled 10. Ruby then tore up a seven-ball run on her lone turn before Lindsay sank the final pair to win. Ruby took the series 3-2 and will be on the road once again in the bracket finals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Katharine v. Yekaterina. The blue cue enters the action in Rotation. Whitewater's Katharine lost her first point of game 1 on a scratch on the break, and Victoria's Yekaterina didn't trail after that. Yekaterina was able to close out an 8-6 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina didn't get the start she wanted to game 2, and it affected her until a late three-ball run. The Shores' Katharine was much more in form this time for an 8-3 win to tie the series at 1. Katharine's game 3 started and ended with a scratch, while Yekaterina stumbled toward an 8-3 win in the middle of those mistakes. It wasn't a pretty effort, but Yekaterina holds a 2-1 series lead. Yekaterina kept the cue ball on the table on the game 4 break. She soon added a four-ball run, and Katharine couldn't get anything going as Yekaterina secured the series at 3-1 with an 8-1 win. Yekaterina was too frustrated to get anything productive going in game 5, and Katharine was able to chip her way to an 8-5 win. Yekaterina won the series 3-2 and will continue her road run in the bracket finals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Celestia. North Division rivals clash in Rotation with the green cue prior to its exit. Pearl's Boots put together a comeback run after falling behind late in game 1, but she scratched on the 15. Oceanside's Celestia made the final shot from ball-in-hand for an 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia scratched on the break in game 2, but she still picked up the pace later while the Surfers' Boots continued to struggle with pace. Celestia's 8-5 win gave her a 2-0 series lead. Celestia set a faster tone in game 3 with three balls on the break. Boots kept it close for a bit, but Celestia escaped at the end with an 8-5 win to clinch the series at 3-0. Celestia stormed ahead in game 4 with a six-ball run. Boots nearly got all of it back before a missed contact allowed Celestia to sink a pair for an 8-5 win to extend her series lead to 4-0. Celestia had to attempt a comeback in game 5, but she ran out of steam as she tied the game. Boots then made a pair for an 8-6 win to avoid the sweep, although Celestia carries a 4-1 series win into the bracket finals. Celestia has her first kill as Boots is the 72nd player eliminated this year.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Blaze v. Ellie. The purple cue's lone series today is in 7-ball. Infinity's Blaze got the quick finish in game 1 with a deflection off the 3 to make the 4-7 combination at the top left for a 1-0 series lead over Capital City's Ellie. A different approach saw the Torpedoes' Blaze struggle a bit early in game 2. The Sharpshooters' Ellie didn't set the tone very well, and Blaze found his way to the win on a five-ball run-out to go up 2-0 in the series. Ellie kept herself in the series in game 3, as Blaze's slow offense didn't get the job done. Ellie rattled off a four-ball run, capped by a bank on the 7 to the top side, to get her first win. Blaze remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Blaze did just enough in game 4 to pick up the win with the final pair of shots after Ellie put in an inconsistent effort. Blaze secured the series at 3-1 with this win. Ellie was able to finish off game 5 as well, with Blaze struggling to get possession under control. Blaze still won the series 3-2 and will host his appearance in the bracket finals.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Smokey. The red cue gets a turn in 8-ball to finish its day. Maplewood's Whiskers didn't back down after a scratch in game 1, putting up a five-ball run-out to easily beat Pacific's Smokey for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers overcame a scratch in game 2, but her positioning play to line up the 8 went a little too hard. She sank the 8 illegally and gifted the win to the Volcanoes' Smokey, tying the series at 1 in the process. Whiskers had a terrible sequence in game 3, going from a scratch to kill her momentum to another illegal potting of the 8 on her next turn. Smokey now leads the series 2-1 through no effort of his own in a rather pedestrian performance. Whiskers joined a select and infamous group in game 4, as she was cruising on stripes until a kick shot deflected the 8 into the bottom left to gift away another win. Smokey clinched the series at 3-1 without sinking a ball in the deciding game. Smokey finally earned a win in game 5, controlling the offense rather easily as he completed a 4-1 series win over Whiskers to get into the bracket finals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Kiwi. The finale today is in Accuracy with the blue cue. Terrace City's Kiwi kept her control longer in game 1, while Midland's Americus skidded out as Kiwi took the 2-5 win. Kiwi leads the series 1-0. The Predators' Americus had a similar struggle late in game 2, compounding a scratch with a miss on the next shot that allowed the Knights' Kiwi to lock in for a 2-4 win and 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw a change of pace, as both players carried perfect efforts past the midpoint. Americus was able to make it last while Kiwi faltered just once in the 0-1 result that saw her series lead shrink to 2-1. Americus had a chance to at least force overtime in game 4, but she scratched on her last shot, and Kiwi converted hers for a 2-3 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Americus tried to challenge Kiwi late in a meaningless game 5, but Kiwi answered the call for a 1-2 win and 4-1 series win to put her on the road again in the bracket finals. Kiwi's first kill of the year made Americus the 73rd player out of the Tournament.
We're on a 10-day sprint in the Bracket Semifinals, so expect more games tomorrow.
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