This is the last day of the Bracket Finals, with nine more spots up for grabs. The blue and purple cues finished their rounds yesterday and won't play today. First up...
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Princess. The green cue gets the start in 15-ball. Infinity's Shelley couldn't get anything to fall on the game 1 break. Viewpoint Sound's Princess replied with a cut on the 1 to the top right that also deflected to make the 7-15 combination at the bottom left for a stunning win and 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Princess wasn't as fast in game 2, but she was solid on offense. The Torpedoes' Shelley fought back well with a four-ball run, but shaky play later allowed Princess to win with the 15 at the top right for a 2-0 series lead. Shelley took another step forward on offense in game 3, but she wasn't able to close it out with a missed bank on the 15 at the top right. Princess covered it instead with a cut shot for the win, sealing the series at 3-0. Princess eased up a little bit in game 4, and Shelley kept attacking relentlessly. Shelley made runs of four and three balls, the latter good enough for a win to cut the deficit to 3-1. Princess brought another quick finish in game 5, making a 3-12-15 kick combination to the bottom side for the 4-1 series win over Shelley. Princess finished 16-5 on the bracket.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Quincy. The silver cue takes a turn in 7-ball. A slow start in game 1 helped Midland's Rainmane find her shot later with a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead over Modernistic's Quincy. The Predators' Rainmane was solid early in game 2, but the Union's Quincy battled back this time. Quincy got the win on a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Quincy had some offense in game 3, but a couple of scratches made things easier for Rainmane, who buried a three-ball run-out to regain the series lead at 2-1. Rainmane didn't set the tone very well in game 4. Quincy took over at the end to bury a four-ball run-out, pulling even at 2 games apiece. Quincy kept the rally going with a four-ball run from the break in game 5, but he missed on the 5. Rainmane made a three-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 series win that gets her into the Finals on a 14-7 record from the bracket. Rainmane's fourth kill of the year made Quincy the 145th player out. The Union are also the 12th team out.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Kayla. The green cue is back for 13-ball in a South Division battle. Boston's Ice Cream had a five-ball run in game 1, and Royal's Kayla was a little short on trying to catch up. Ice Cream made the 8 at the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Ice Cream had plenty of chances in game 2, but three scratches bought enough time for the Crowns' Kayla to make four balls over her last two turns. Kayla earned the win to tie the series at 1. Kayla took the early lead with a four-ball run in game 3, but she turned to defense near the end. Ice Cream ran right through the defense and earned the win to take a 2-1 series lead. Ice Cream had a great start to game 4, but her finish was interrupted by Kayla's defensive positioning. Kayla bought herself enough time to make the final pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 2. Kayla had a strong performance in game 5, but Ice Cream looked better. At the end, Ice Cream once again faltered on her last ball, and Kayla swooped in for the win and 3-2 series win. Kayla went 14-7 on the bracket, earning her first kill to make Ice Cream the 146th eliminated player.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Sunshine v. Ruby. The red cue enters the action in 10-ball. Royal's Sunshine had good shooting form but not enough courage to go for a big play. Todavía's Ruby hesitated less and was rewarded late with a good set-up to earn the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Ruby had a fair share of offense in game 2, but she couldn't get the 10 down at the end. The Crowns' Sunshine made it with a bank to the top left on his second try, earning a win to tie the series at 1. Sunshine had the better command in game 3, but that escaped him on a late scratch after he made the 8. Ruby was able to pick up the final pair from ball-in-hand for the win and 2-1 series lead. Ruby remained steady on offense in game 4, working with positioning well this time to pick up a four-ball run-out for the win over Sunshine. Ruby sealed the series at 3-1. Ruby couldn't keep up the attack in game 5, as Sunshine poked the 10 to the top left for one more win. Ruby's 3-2 series win capped an 18-6 run from the Play-In Round to get her to the Finals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Misty. Along to 12-ball, where the red cue comes between captains. Midland's Rainmane had a strong break in game 1 and kept the offense moving at the end while Westside's Misty contended with tough positioning. Rainmane earned the win to grab a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Rainmane wasn't quite as successful after making two solids and a stripe on the game 2 break. The Rockers' Misty enjoyed better positioning to earn the win and tie the series at 1. Rainmane took a defensive stance at first in game 3, but she attacked later. The change of style came too soon, and Misty struck back on a four-ball run-out for the win to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Rainmane couldn't get her offense going in time to counter Misty's high pace in game 4. Misty made a pair of three-ball runs for the win to clinch the series at 3-1. Misty didn't leave anything to chance in game 5, making two solids and a stripe on the break before running the table with solids. Misty beat Rainmane 4-1 in the series to reach the Finals on a 15-6 record from the bracket.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fuchsia v. Hershey. The red cue takes another series in Accuracy. An ugly game 1 for both players went into overtime when Stonebridge's Hershey scratched on the last ball of regulation. Infinity's Fuchsia handled things to earn a 6-7 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Fuchsia lost control early in game 2 and never got it back. The Wolves' Hershey held his ground for a 1-3 win to tie the series at 1. Fuchsia again suffered an early miss in game 3, and she matched with Hershey after that as the visitor collected a 2-3 win this time to go ahead 2-1 in the series. In game 4, Hershey scratched early to drop into a tie. Fuchsia held on for a bit, then hit a series-deciding skid at the end that allowed Hershey to win 1-5 while securing the series at 3-1. Hershey was able to hang on after a poorer effort in game 5, grabbing a 3-4 win as Fuchsia didn't put up a resistance. Hershey took the series 4-1 and went 14-7 on the bracket to reach the Finals. Hershey took his fourth kill of the year to make Fuchsia the 147th player out.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Smokey. Volcanoes teammates clash in 8-ball as the red cue exits. Ms. Kitty had to play from behind for much of game 1, only to fall short as Smokey made a three-ball run-out at the end of a slow opener. Smokey leads the series 1-0. Ms. Kitty held her own better early in game 2, but a scratch in the middle ended that. Smokey took over the offense and eventually got the win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Smokey had little trouble navigating Ms. Kitty's defense at the bottom left in game 3, but a late scratch derailed his comeback hopes. Ms. Kitty was able to take the 8 to the bottom left from the kitchen for the win, although she still trails 2-1 in the series. Ms. Kitty put together a solid start with a five-ball run, but she scratched. Smokey made a five-ball run in response, and Ms. Kitty followed up by sending the cue ball off the table. Smokey then closed out the win to seal the series at 3-1. Ms. Kitty needed a few turns to find her shot, but she rattled off an eight-ball run-out to grab game 5. Smokey settled for a 3-2 series win to reach the Finals on a 16-8 record from the bracket. This was Smokey's 100th unique opponent.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Cubby v. Mams. The green cue also ends its round in 8-ball. Swordpoint's Mams attacked with full confidence in game 1, taking an early lead and making it stick for a 1-0 series lead over Archtown's Cubby. The Arrows' Cubby looked a little better at the start of game 2, but the Blades' Mams immediately overwhelmed him with a seven-ball run. Mams finished off with a cut on the 8 to the bottom side on the next turn for the win, going up 2-0 in the series. A scratch in the middle of game 3 slowed Mams down, but Cubby wasn't able to capitalize when he missed on the 8. Mams took a pair of shots at the end to grab the win and secure the series at 3-0. Mams made a seven-ball run off the break but missed twice on the 8, allowing Cubby's six-ball run and follow-up pair to be good enough for the win. Mams remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Mams bounced back with a three-ball run early and a five-ball run-out to win game 5 over Cubby. Mams took the series 4-1 and finished with a 14-7 mark on the bracket. Mams is up to three kills, and Cubby is the 148th eliminated player.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Tigerette v. Sunshine. The silver cue ends the round with one more 8-ball series between South Division foes. Royal's Sunshine took a noticeable lead near the end of game 1, but Boston's Tigerette slowed him down and beat him with a four-ball run-out. Tigerette leads the series 1-0. The Swifts' Tigerette led game 2 as well, but she gave it away late when she sank the 8 illegally. The Crowns' Sunshine took the freebie to tie the series at 1. Sunshine kept his offense strong in game 3, but Tigerette had just a bit more in the tank at the end. Tigerette made a late pair after Sunshine scratched, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Sunshine took the lead in game 4, but he couldn't make it stick in the end. Tigerette fired back at the end to pick up the win, securing the series for herself at 3-1. Sunshine again had a chance to win in game 5, but he wavered with two misses on the 8. Tigerette scooped it up for a 4-1 series win, finishing off her 14-7 run on the bracket to earn the last Finals place. Sunshine is the 149th player out of the Tournament, and Tigerette is at two kills.
That's all for the Bracket Finals. We're taking the next two days off to prepare for the Finals gauntlets, which will be spread out over the bulk of the next week beginning Friday and likely ending Wednesday or Thursday before another administrative break to set up for the postseason.
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