After a typical Saturday off, we're back for Sunday pool. The first series of the day is...
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Ms. Puppy. The blue cue will open things up in 12-ball. Pearl's Watermelon came out of the gate with a three-ball run to start game 1, but she was never in position at the end, and when the time came, Modernistic's Ms. Puppy closed out with her final shot for the win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Union's Ms. Puppy did not have a good break, allowing the Surfers' Watermelon to gain the early lead. This margin held up until the end, where both struggled until Ms. Puppy scratched and Watermelon won to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was the quickest of them all, as Watermelon made one of each on the break and chose stripes. Ms. Puppy applied a little pressure but couldn't develop a run, and Watermelon answered on a four-ball run. Ms. Puppy had a three-ball run after that, nearly winning with a wide shot at the top side, and Watermelon took the win on a kick to the bottom left, sealing the series at 2-1. Watermelon will host Boston Swifts captain Patches at this venue in the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Caitlin v. Gizmo. The red cue gets a turn at 12-ball in the next series. Game 1 went fairly standard, with Oceanside's Caitlin taking the early advantage over Central's Gizmo, and never letting up, as she ended with a three-ball run-out with fortunate positioning to take the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Warriors' Gizmo seemed to have an advantage, but a long shot by the Waves' Caitlin on the 10 to the top left allowed to jostle Gizmo's last shot out of position. He then missed from ball-in-hand. Caitlin had a late contact play that forced Gizmo to miss again, and Caitlin would win with a bank of the 14 diagonally to the bottom left, securing her the series at 2-0. Game 3 started in a blaze, as Caitlin made two balls on the break and had set shots on the rest. She missed a few times, keeping it interesting enough for Gizmo to compete, but ultimately earned the win anyway. Caitlin's 3-0 series sweep takes her into the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Chris. The blue cue is back as 12-ball continues to be the theme today in this battle between captains. Capital City's Chris had the early advantage in game 1, working a five-ball run after Golden's Valencia scratched on the break. They exchanged shots for a bit before Chris ended it at the bottom side for a win and 1-0 series lead. Each player had a three-ball run in game 2, but the Sharpshooters' Chris did little to build on his from the start, and the Pilots' Valencia won the game with hers, overtaking the stronger Chris with the late burst to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was a strategists' game, an idealized version of 12-ball. Valencia gave Chris a wild-card ball on the break, and he held it until a deadlock emerged at the bottom side. He surrendered it, and even gave Valencia one as the position changed to the bottom left, where Chris eventually earned the win by rope-a-doping Valencia until she gave him an easy shot. Chris took the series 2-1, and he heads to Apple Center in Todavía to face Easter of the Stills in the next round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Panda. The silver cue gets its crack at 12-ball, with the newest Crown facing the Monarchs' captain. Southern's Panda overcame a two-ball break from Royal's Kayla to get the win, working a three-ball run early and then biding time before he struck. Panda's win puts him ahead 1-0 in the series. The Crowns' Kayla held on in game 2 despite a strong break from the Monarchs' Panda. After early runs for each, they tangled as they were shooting in opposite directions. The stalemate broke when Panda scratched, allowing Kayla to make her last two shots for the win, which tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw Panda give up two wild-card balls after Kayla's opening play went awry. Despite the generosity, Panda still took the win, as his defense held off Kayla long enough to make his final shot for the 2-1 series win. Panda heads to the second round with the impressive play.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Chris. The game finally changes, as these two veterans play 10-ball with the red cue. Pronger's Precious did practically everything in game 1, making 8 of 10 balls and illegally potting the 10 on the break, only to see Capital City's Chris tap in the 10 after she missed a bank shot, giving the visitor a cheap 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious kept up the high-possession style, but she made sure to get the win this time, using a four-ball run-out at the end to take the game away from the Sharpshooters' Chris, tying the series at 1. Game 3 played out much more balanced, with a very sloppy finish. Neither player wanted to make the 9 for fear of a bad position on the 10. This changed when Chris left the 9 at the top left, which Precious tapped in, and she made the 10 as well to win the game and the series 2-1. Precious hosts Victoria Spurs rookie Wario at this venue in the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Bright. The red cue stays up for a series of Rotation. Game 1 saw Boston's Patches sour after a fruitless break, which North Modernistic's Bright cashed in on for the early lead. Patches would catch up temporarily, but Bright won 8-5 on a three-ball run-out to take the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Patches had seemingly no problems in game 2, using ball-in-hand from the Nighthawks' Bright scratching on the break to work an early run. Bright was unable to get many clear shots, while Patches had free roam of the table, working her way to an 8-0 shutout win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 started very slowly, with a terrible break by Patches making shooting difficult. Once it got going, Patches held the early lead, but Bright had a four-ball run to pull ahead. He wouldn't let it go, eventually winning 8-5 after nearly surrendering a run to Patches late. Bright took the series 2-1, and travels to UPS Hall in Maplewood to face the Lumberjacks' captain Fluffina in the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Americus. It's a venue doubleheader in Rotation, but the blue cue is in this series. Boston's Puff II started and ended on three-ball runs in her 8-6 win, and while Atlantic's Americus had a mostly quiet game, she did take the lead once with a four-ball run just before the finish. Puff II leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw a very slow start, with the Pirates' Americus leading for awhile before the Swifts' Puff II broke out on a run. This was the only lead change, as Puff II held on from here and ended with the last two balls potted, including deflecting the cue off the 8 to sink the 11 at the bottom side for the winner by an 8-3 score. Puff II clinched the series at 2-0. Puff II thought she had game 3 under control early on, but a remarkable six-ball run-out changed that for Americus' benefit, as she would take the win 8-3. In the run, she had a double-pot of the 10 to the top right and 14 to the top side, all off a shot on the 6. Puff II took the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Leandra. Two very strong players meet in a series of Accuracy with the silver cue. Pearl's Watermelon kept things close to begin with, and when Tysini's Leandra put her in a hole, she came back to force overtime. Both players missed their first shots in the extra session, but Watermelon's next miss lost her the game, as Leandra converted for a 4-5 win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra seemed to have an advantage throughout game 2, but it took until near the end for it to materialize, when the Surfers' Watermelon missed an odd-angle combination to make it 1-3, the final, that gave Leandra the 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw Watermelon take a lead she'd never relinquish rather early in the game. Leandra was left to chase the game, losing 1-4 eventually as her sweep was foiled. Leandra advances to face Gems captain Smokey at Diamond's Intel Center in the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Wario v. Twinkie III. We'll stick with Accuracy, as the red cue administers this series. Victoria's Wario shot well, but it was a lack of command of the ball that hurt him in game 1, as his three scratches were the difference. Whitewater's Twinkie III had no such errors, and she was able to take the win 3-4, good for a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 came down to the wire, as the Spurs' Wario had forced the Shores' Twinkie III into a miss to take the lead. Twinkie III fired back with her own bad leave on Wario, which he missed from. The game went to overtime, where Wario converted off the break, and Twinkie III was left with a miss to lose 3-4, making it a 1-all series. Wario showed a remarkable determination in game 3, burying Twinkie III early and making it last in a tense finish to the 1-2 game that gave him the 2-1 series win. Wario advances to the second round, where a meeting with his brother is possible.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Dusky. After the evening break, games return with 8-ball and the blue cue in this series. The series actually moved to Monday after plans changed. Infinity's Smudge charged out of the game with a five-ball run, burying her opposition before Archtown's Dusky even had a chance. Her shooting was poor, paving the way for Smudge to cruise to the finish for a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge had a similar, but less dominant, showing in game 2, working smaller runs throughout the game to capitalize on more shaky shooting from the Arrows' Dusky to secure the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Dusky break out with an early six-ball run to help her cause, and while Smudge pulled even at the 8 with a four-ball run, Dusky made the 8 to get the win. Smudge advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Shawn. The blue cue stays in action for 7-ball in this series between captains. Midland's Shawn thought he could run the table in game 1, but his miss on the 5 at the bottom right said otherwise. Lighton's Acorn answered with the three-ball run-out to win for a 1-0 series lead in response to the earlier four-ball run. The Prestige's Acorn was willing to risk an empty break in hopes of getting the game back late again, but the Predators' Shawn went on a five-ball run-out in his only turn, ending with the 5-7 combination to the bottom right to tie the series at 1 with his win. Game 3 was far tighter than the previous two, with no runs until Acorn ended the game on a three-ball run-out sealed with a 6-7 combination to the top right. Acorn won the series 2-1, and he will host Kirstin of the Everton Eagles in the second round at this venue.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Brownie v. Pounce. The silver cue gets a turn now as a niece and uncle do battle in Rotation. Tysini's Brownie made quick work of Southern's Pounce in game 1, getting a three-ball run from the break and a five-ball run-out on her next turn for an 8-0 shutout to go ahead 1-0 in the series. In game 2, the start was very congested, with both players trading shots evenly for quite awhile. The Monarchs' Pounce pulled ahead for a bit and held the lead in the middle of the game, but lost control at the end, and the Hummingbirds' Brownie rallied on a five-ball run-out to take the win 8-6, clinching the series at 2-0. Brownie had to count on an early lead to hold her up in game 3, as Pounce charged hard near the end. He got close, but ultimately fell short when he weakly hit a combination shot. Brownie ended the game at 8-5 to grab the win and a 3-0 series sweep. Brownie advances to the second round, set to host the Southridge Defenders' Hughbert at this venue.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Jake. A former Crown still holding a grudge against his former team comes to town to take on the Warriors' captain in Rotation with the silver cue. Central's Twilight failed to get a good run from the start, allowing Royal's Jake to linger in game 1 early on. He took a big lead at one point, and was a scratch away from winning. From ball-in-hand, Twilight went on a four-ball run-out with excellent execution to take the 8-7 result and 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Warriors' Twilight had the early advantage again, and had the Crowns' Jake not rattled the 9 out of the top right, it might have ended differently. This missed tying opportunity allowed Twilight to burst out a little bit, leading her to an 8-6 win that made it 2-0 in the series for her. Game 3 had a bit of a slow start until Twilight broke out on a run. Jake rallied to tie the game late, but the chase for the 13 ended when he missed a bank on it, and Twilight tapped it in for the 8-7 win. Twilight swept the series 3-0, earning the chance to host the Atlantic Pirates' Isabella in the second round at this venue.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Dustin. The red cue gets a crack at Rotation now, its last such series of the round. Pearl's Neopolitan broke out with a four-ball run in game 1, and she made that stand almost until the end, when her bank on the 11 to the top right was a miss. Central's Dustin went from here, taking the 8-7 win in a four-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead in a spectacular comeback win for the superstar. Game 2 saw the Warriors' Dustin procure a terrible break. Once the pieces fell in line, the Surfers' Neopolitan broke out for the early lead, but Dustin tracked her down and nearly had a win on the 12. He scratched on the tap-in, but Neopolitan couldn't make it from ball-in-hand, and Dustin still won 8-6 to secure the series at 2-0. Game 3 also took awhile to get going, and once again, Neopolitan was unable to hold her lead. She even had a winning shot in the game, but a scratch gifted Dustin the 8-7 result in a series that always felt like doom was near for the host. Dustin's 3-0 sweep takes him down the coast to Del Sur's House of 10 Windows, where he will face the Southern Monarchs' Shannon in the second round.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Hoppy v. Twilight. The Warriors captain is back to play 12-ball with the silver cue against a Monarchs rookie. Central's Twilight seemingly played her host in this game, as Southern's Hoppy took the tougher suit after Twilight shot at it. Twilight was pleased with the results, quickly setting herself up and getting good lines to make it a quick win for the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Twilight had a rough break, and the Warriors' captain had to play from behind after a scratch. The Monarchs' Hoppy didn't make this game easy, making two savvy plays late to disrupt Twilight's position while improving her own. The latter led to her win, working Hoppy out of defense to make her final two shots, which tied the series at 1. In game 3, Hoppy gave away a wild-card ball on the break to Twilight, but Twilight would return the favor later in the game, untangling a mess of shots for Hoppy that led to her taking the win two turns later. Hoppy also took the series 2-1, and she will "host" teammate Panda in the next round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Sprinkles v. A. Charlton. The blue cue is back for a series of 10-ball. Capital City's Sprinkles made good work at the start and end of game 1, taking three balls apiece in those turns, which led to her getting the win over Golden's Charlton, who couldn't keep up. Sprinkles leads the series 1-0. Game 2 was forgettable for all involved, although the finish was nice for the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles. She clinched the series at 2-0 after the Pilots' Charlton left the 6 and 10 very close to the bottom right, allowing Sprinkles to play a deflection to get the win that will send her through. Game 3 was brought to a quick end thanks to Charlton scratching, Sprinkles missing the 1-10 combination after trying to be fancy, and Charlton converting to make it a 2-1 series. The game may have stretched on for awhile had the end not come early. Sprinkles will host another Pilot, Youth Movement companion Valencia, in the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Gradley. We'll stick with the blue cue in 10-ball for the last series before the mid-afternoon break. Boston's Gradley never got a shot in game 1, as Swordpoint's Snowball ran out seven straight shots to get the win, ending on a 4-10 combination to the top right for the victory and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley had a shot in game 2, and he kept a fairly even game with the Blades' Snowball, exchanging shots back and forth until Snowball's run was cut short late. Gradley converted on the final two balls to grab the win, tying the series at 1 and setting up a nice showdown. Swordpoint's Snowball had to hold on tight in game 3, as Gradley pushed the envelope with his shots and both players deserved a win for their play, but it was Snowball who emerged with the final two shots to clinch the series at 2-1. Snowball will host the Queens Flames' Max at this venue in the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Blizzard. After the break, the blue cue is still up in 15-ball between these veterans. Game 1 showed promise early on for Whitewater's Twinkie III, but she squandered some early shots and ended up on the wrong end of Blizzard's five-ball run-out when shot clarity emerged. Blizzard took the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 turned out to be something special, as a slow start turned into a remarkable twelve-ball run by the Eagles Blizzard. It started with a double-pot on the 2 and 9 at the top left, and a few lucky bounces early in the run gave way to brilliant positioning and execution to snag the win over the Shores' Twinkie III, while also securing the series at 2-0. Game 3 didn't feature a long game-ending run, as both players seemed balanced this time, but Twinkie III couldn't catch a break as Blizzard closed on a four-ball run-out to take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Blizzard will play in the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Fluffina. Two of the top players in the game meet in Accuracy, using the red cue. Lighton's Spirit was near perfect in game 1, getting a ball on the break and only missing one shot, a cluster-buster that didn't produce. Maplewood's Fluffina was better, playing a perfect game to take the win 0-1 and the 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 was close, but in a completely different way, as misses ran rampant all over the game. The Prestige's Spirit likely would have had the win, but she accidentally touched the cue assuming illegal contact in an event that doesn't have that rule. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina was able to force overtime from this, and a miss by Spirit on the first show completed her fall, with Fluffina's 5-6 win serving to clinch the series for her at 2-0. Game 3 was much more like the first, except Fluffina fell behind early and Spirit would not break her shot, taking the win 1-2 to make it a 2-1 series win to Fluffina. Fluffina will advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Pounce. The last series of the day is 9-ball with the silver cue. Southern's Pounce had a good start to the game, working a four-ball run and only getting a bit cheated by the pocket as he tried to continue. After a jumbled middle, Web City's Ted emerged with a four-ball run-out for the win, swiping a 1-0 series lead for himself. The Monarchs' Pounce had a slight possession edge in game 2, but it went to waste, as his late four-ball run was ceased with a scratch after he made the 8, leaving the Spiders' Ted a clear shot on the 9 from ball-in-hand. Ted converted, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Ted on an early three-ball run and a late three-ball run, which had him leave the 9 at the top left after a crazy kick-combination attempt with the 7. Pounce couldn't convert on the 8-9 combination, and Ted did to get the win, earning a 3-0 series sweep. Ted will host Princess of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the second round at this venue.
Follow the league on Twitter @UnitedPCL for live updates and quick-fire series Tweets.
Monday, March 6, 2017
Sunday, March 5, 2017
UPCL Cricket - Week 9 Part 3
We're back to close out week 9 in cricket, beginning with a battle between two of last year's top teams going in different directions this year.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles try to take 2nd place for themselves, while the Swifts just want to get above an even record. Patches started with a reasonable 552 for Boston, giving them a solid foundation to work off of in this game. Goldy had a good pace going until her game cratered, but she picked up 600 for Everton to put them marginally ahead early on. Puff II got most of that back on her turn, smashing 593 for the Swifts to keep the pace of the game very high. Puff III kept things close with her 527 for the Eagles, but they now trail slightly at the halfway mark. Gradley tripped up a bit compared to the rest of the players, scoring 384 for Boston as their lead has weakened. Kirstin flicked 551 for Everton on her turn, putting them ahead as the final players come to bat. Sweetheart failed for the Swifts with a meager 92, putting them at 1621 in the loss. Blizzard tapped 267 for the Eagles, icing their winning score at 1945. Everton is now 14-4, taking 2nd place for now, while Boston slides to 8-9.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates play their fifth of seven straight at home, hosting a Torpedoes team closing a four-game road trip. Smudge got Infinity off to a great start, ripping 707 to set a high bar for the hosts to hurdle. Delila needed a glancing hit on a ball to keep her game going with a shot to the back 4s, but it was temporary, as she ended on just 229 for Atlantic. Solaris answered with 288, clearly showing fatigue from the road trip the Torpedoes have been on. Isabella cut deeply into the deficit with her 539 for the Pirates, trying to keep them alive halfway through the game. Whiskers also faded at 271 for Infinity, further destabilizing their lead in the game. Americus made a bit more progress for Atlantic on her turn, knocking 400 to cut the deficit even thinner. Mr. Snowman helped the Torpedoes, striking 439 to give them a final of 1705 that might be able to hold back the the hosts. Klaus couldn't quite cover the deficit, ending on 434 to give the Pirates a loss with 1602. Infinity's gutsy win gets them up to 10-7, while Atlantic has fallen off the fight at the top, standing at 13-5.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames look to keep up a surprising start to their busy season, meeting the Gems, who are trying to stay in the fight. Diamond's Smokey got off to a solid opening, cranking out 443 for the visitors to start the game with. Crystal returned to form to lead off this three-game home stand, posting 480 for Queens to take the small early lead. Citrus' slump for the Gems continued, as she had a mere 162 in this appearance to hurt their chances. The soon-to-be retired Paige answered with 647 for the Flames, giving them a strong lead at the midway point. Pedey had a measly 64 for Diamond on his turn, further burying them in a deficit. Violetta helped the Queens cause pretty well with 410 on her turn, padding the lead nicely with a player each to go. Rosalina put up a fight for the Gems with 535, but it will go to waste as they lose with 1204. Max tapped 256 for the Flames at the end to give them a final of 1793 in the win. Queens continues to impress, going to 13-10, while Diamond drops to 7-11.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The Shores are in the third of four in a row at home, while the Cascades are at the same progress in their road trip. Jasmine scraped together 359 for Freedom in a solid outing for the visiting captain. Bear poked 538 for Whitewater in response, putting the hosts ahead with the initial lead. Stinky barely covered the deficit for the Cascades, struggling with bat control in a wild and unsuccessful turn. Twinkie III made the most of a technical error replay opportunity, more than doubling her previous output and doubling the Shores' score at the halfway mark. Roxy answered with 411 for Freedom, unable to cover the deficit with the performance. Marsell left Whitewater exposed with a measly 12 on his turn. Nikolai covered the deficit with 448 for the Cascades, giving them a final of 1406. Shaggy dropped at 160 for the Shores, choking the game away as they lost with 1249. Freedom's surprise comeback coupled with Whitewater's collapse sees both teams to 7-6 records.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks seek their first home win in a division match with Eastern Hills rivals, the Pronger Tridents, who are closing out their four-game road trip. Precious had some struggles for Pronger, only picking up 113 on her turn. Chelsea popped back with 610 for Eastside, a great outing leading to the hosts holding a nice lead. Zach didn't make a lot of progress for the Tridents, falling with 271 as they remain firmly behind. Taylor stumbled with a bad swing at 249 for the Sharks, keeping their lead fairly steady at the halfway point. Spot continues to be erratic on the road, but this good this time, as he struck 719 to cover the deficit for Pronger. Niki recovered a smaller lead for Eastside, slapping 463 in a very solid turn for the hosts. Potter applied a lot of pressure with 607 for the Tridents, leading them to a final of 1710. Paps fell at a measly 36 for the Sharks against his former team, giving them 1358 in the loss. Pronger is up to 9-7, while Eastside drops to 5-11, still without a home win.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks are back home for a game, while the Gems end a short two-game trip. Smokey had a weak 197 for Diamond, putting them in a tough spot early on. Peach flicked 492 for North Modernistic, giving them a noticeable lead at the start. Citrus couldn't cover the deficit for the Gems, picking up a mediocre 217 on her turn. Luigi saw his turn end a bit more abruptly than he expected, with a tough deflection downing him at 283 for the Nighthawks. Pedey made a rally for Diamond, going deep with 791 to cover the deficit and give the visitors a chance in the game. Cheddar saw a ball get deflected over her wicket, ending her turn with 328 for North Modernistic as she countered less than half the previous damage. Rosalina collapsed with 112 for the Gems, leaving them at 1317 overall. Bright carried the Nighthawks to victory, tapping 440 in a solid appearance to close their game at 1543. North Modernistic takes the win to go to 10-8, while Diamond drops to 7-12.
Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns hope some time away from home has helped them, and they'll face a soft Arrows team to start their three-game home stand. Sally had a stable start for Archtown, producing 392 on her turn. Nightfur struggled once again at home with only 184 for Royal to begin their offensive production. Sleepy B. rolled 295 for the Arrows, adding a little bit to their fledgling lead. Jake pulled the Crowns ahead by churning out 554 for them, a good mark to put them in front at the halfway mark. Ruby fired back with 523 for Archtown, keeping them in the fight as well. Kayla slipped with 208 for Royal, and they will play from behind with a player each to go, an uncomfortable position to be in. Dusky finished the Arrows' offense with 425 individually for a final score of 1635. Hannah had an acceptable 311 for the Crowns, but she needed to be spectacular, as the hosts lost with 1257. Archtown is up to 7-15, while Royal drops to 6-11 with the loss.
The Intel Pitch, Diamond: The Gems are back at home for a pair of games, while the Sharpshooters are in the second of a six-game road trip. Chris was doing well until a couple of odd bounces pulled him out of rhythm, and he fell with 327 for Capital City to lead things off. Smokey got an unlucky bounce off his bat, ending his turn at 87 for Diamond, with the hosts playing from behind. Missy answered with 311, adding a bit of space for the Sharpshooters in a solid turn. Citrus tried some fancy work with the bat on her turn, and it worked for awhile, giving the Gems 529 from the outing. Sprinkles countered with 714 for Capital City, boosting their lead as the game flies past half completion. Pedey couldn't keep up, hitting 229 for Diamond in a poor turn that sees the host in deep trouble with little time to fix it. Nicole had a pathetic 103 for the Sharpshooters, giving them 1455 total and leaving them exposed. Rosalina couldn't take advantage for the Gems, with her 131 putting the Gems at a loss with 976. Capital City is now 12-6 for the year, while Diamond drops to 7-13.
Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows make a quick stop back home to host the Sharks, who begin a three-game trip across northern cities. Chelsea began with 424 for Eastside, a decent performance from the captain. Sally just edged Archtown ahead in the early stages, batting 472 to give the hosts the initial lead. Taylor was cruising until a series of deflections threw her off, and she ended at 359 for the Sharks when she couldn't transition to her backhand in time. Sleepy B. had the opposite problem, getting too much on her backhand as it went out of bounds to give her only 177 for the Arrows, who trail at halftime. Niki didn't do anything to give Eastside any separation, hitting only 240. Ruby covered the deficit, continuing her hot run with 560 for Archtown, putting them ahead with a player each to go. Paps had 272 for the Sharks, forcing a response from the hosts as the visitors ended with 1295. Dusky blasted 1023 for the Arrows in closing, making it a big win at 2232 total. Archtown improves to 8-15, while Eastside is down to 5-12 after the loss.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: A stop-in at home sees the Tridents hosting the Southridge Defenders, who play in the fourth of their six straight games on the road. Bianca had some struggles with pace for Southridge, taking 333 the hard way in her opening turn. Precious got a bit greedy in swinging at dead balls, which caused her to end on a crisp 401 for Pronger, giving them the lead. Debby answered well with 414 for the Defenders, putting them in the lead again, at least for now. Zach answered with a solid 561 for the Tridents, carrying them to a stronger second lead. Stephanie swung for 445 for Southridge, not the best performance but enough to put them ahead again. Spot slipped a bit as well, taking 388 for Pronger, as the hosts continue to lead with the final players coming to bat. Hughbert supplied 415 for the Defenders, giving them 1607 as they will force a response from the hosts in this tight game. Potter couldn't handle the pressure, dropping the result with 241 for the Tridents, leaving them at 1591 in the narrow loss. Southridge had to fight hard for this game, going to 11-10 for the year, while Pronger is down to 9-8.
Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes are at home to take on Southwest Division rivals and leader, the Sharpshooters, who play their third of six straight road games. Chris only had 256 for Capital City to begin the game here, a weaker start than usual from the visiting captain. Smudge couldn't get comfortable with her swing at any point, ending on 311 for Infinity to give them a small lead. Missy kept her pace up well for the Sharpshooters, slamming 501 to give them a better second attack. Solaris was nearly overwhelmed immediately for the Torpedoes, and this damaged his turn, which ended with only 101 as the hosts fall behind. Sprinkles broke out with 650 for Capital City, extending their lead greatly. Whiskers made quite the dent in the deficit, belting 871 to get Infinity back to a competitive level. Nicole got twisted around with a ball that landed in an unhittable spot, ending her turn at 84 and putting the Sharpshooters at 1491 total, a vulnerable mark. Mr. Snowman completed the comeback with 478 for the Torpedoes, icing their winning total at 1761. Infinity improves to 11-7 (3-0 in division), while Capital City is just ahead at 12-7 (1-1 in division).
HP Field, Midland: Week 9 ends with the Predators starting a four-game home stand against the straggling Tradewinds. Tigerette provided a solid outing to start Commerce's game, giving them 441 to work with initially. Shawn put Midland narrowly ahead with his 455, leaving the game to the rest of the players to decide. Ice Cream answered with 199 for the Tradewinds, destabilizing their offense in a tight game. Rainmane tried to pull off a backhand flick, but the next offering came too quickly, ending her turn at 497 as the Predators have gained control of the game. Lionel covered the deficit with 423 for Commerce, but he didn't add much for the visitors. Leonardo tripped up at 248 for Midland, leaving their lead a bit vulnerable as the final players come to bat. Lorde was given the green light to swing big, taking 506 for the Tradewinds as they'll close on 1569 to force a response from the hosts. Fuchsia couldn't handle the pressure, with her 48 leaving the Predators in a loss with 1248. Commerce jumps to 7-8 after a productive week, while Midland is 11-9 on the year.
We'll announce players of the week on Twitter @UnitedPCL, and we'll likely start playing Week 10 tomorrow. Pool is up next, as well as a standings update.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles try to take 2nd place for themselves, while the Swifts just want to get above an even record. Patches started with a reasonable 552 for Boston, giving them a solid foundation to work off of in this game. Goldy had a good pace going until her game cratered, but she picked up 600 for Everton to put them marginally ahead early on. Puff II got most of that back on her turn, smashing 593 for the Swifts to keep the pace of the game very high. Puff III kept things close with her 527 for the Eagles, but they now trail slightly at the halfway mark. Gradley tripped up a bit compared to the rest of the players, scoring 384 for Boston as their lead has weakened. Kirstin flicked 551 for Everton on her turn, putting them ahead as the final players come to bat. Sweetheart failed for the Swifts with a meager 92, putting them at 1621 in the loss. Blizzard tapped 267 for the Eagles, icing their winning score at 1945. Everton is now 14-4, taking 2nd place for now, while Boston slides to 8-9.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates play their fifth of seven straight at home, hosting a Torpedoes team closing a four-game road trip. Smudge got Infinity off to a great start, ripping 707 to set a high bar for the hosts to hurdle. Delila needed a glancing hit on a ball to keep her game going with a shot to the back 4s, but it was temporary, as she ended on just 229 for Atlantic. Solaris answered with 288, clearly showing fatigue from the road trip the Torpedoes have been on. Isabella cut deeply into the deficit with her 539 for the Pirates, trying to keep them alive halfway through the game. Whiskers also faded at 271 for Infinity, further destabilizing their lead in the game. Americus made a bit more progress for Atlantic on her turn, knocking 400 to cut the deficit even thinner. Mr. Snowman helped the Torpedoes, striking 439 to give them a final of 1705 that might be able to hold back the the hosts. Klaus couldn't quite cover the deficit, ending on 434 to give the Pirates a loss with 1602. Infinity's gutsy win gets them up to 10-7, while Atlantic has fallen off the fight at the top, standing at 13-5.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames look to keep up a surprising start to their busy season, meeting the Gems, who are trying to stay in the fight. Diamond's Smokey got off to a solid opening, cranking out 443 for the visitors to start the game with. Crystal returned to form to lead off this three-game home stand, posting 480 for Queens to take the small early lead. Citrus' slump for the Gems continued, as she had a mere 162 in this appearance to hurt their chances. The soon-to-be retired Paige answered with 647 for the Flames, giving them a strong lead at the midway point. Pedey had a measly 64 for Diamond on his turn, further burying them in a deficit. Violetta helped the Queens cause pretty well with 410 on her turn, padding the lead nicely with a player each to go. Rosalina put up a fight for the Gems with 535, but it will go to waste as they lose with 1204. Max tapped 256 for the Flames at the end to give them a final of 1793 in the win. Queens continues to impress, going to 13-10, while Diamond drops to 7-11.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The Shores are in the third of four in a row at home, while the Cascades are at the same progress in their road trip. Jasmine scraped together 359 for Freedom in a solid outing for the visiting captain. Bear poked 538 for Whitewater in response, putting the hosts ahead with the initial lead. Stinky barely covered the deficit for the Cascades, struggling with bat control in a wild and unsuccessful turn. Twinkie III made the most of a technical error replay opportunity, more than doubling her previous output and doubling the Shores' score at the halfway mark. Roxy answered with 411 for Freedom, unable to cover the deficit with the performance. Marsell left Whitewater exposed with a measly 12 on his turn. Nikolai covered the deficit with 448 for the Cascades, giving them a final of 1406. Shaggy dropped at 160 for the Shores, choking the game away as they lost with 1249. Freedom's surprise comeback coupled with Whitewater's collapse sees both teams to 7-6 records.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks seek their first home win in a division match with Eastern Hills rivals, the Pronger Tridents, who are closing out their four-game road trip. Precious had some struggles for Pronger, only picking up 113 on her turn. Chelsea popped back with 610 for Eastside, a great outing leading to the hosts holding a nice lead. Zach didn't make a lot of progress for the Tridents, falling with 271 as they remain firmly behind. Taylor stumbled with a bad swing at 249 for the Sharks, keeping their lead fairly steady at the halfway point. Spot continues to be erratic on the road, but this good this time, as he struck 719 to cover the deficit for Pronger. Niki recovered a smaller lead for Eastside, slapping 463 in a very solid turn for the hosts. Potter applied a lot of pressure with 607 for the Tridents, leading them to a final of 1710. Paps fell at a measly 36 for the Sharks against his former team, giving them 1358 in the loss. Pronger is up to 9-7, while Eastside drops to 5-11, still without a home win.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks are back home for a game, while the Gems end a short two-game trip. Smokey had a weak 197 for Diamond, putting them in a tough spot early on. Peach flicked 492 for North Modernistic, giving them a noticeable lead at the start. Citrus couldn't cover the deficit for the Gems, picking up a mediocre 217 on her turn. Luigi saw his turn end a bit more abruptly than he expected, with a tough deflection downing him at 283 for the Nighthawks. Pedey made a rally for Diamond, going deep with 791 to cover the deficit and give the visitors a chance in the game. Cheddar saw a ball get deflected over her wicket, ending her turn with 328 for North Modernistic as she countered less than half the previous damage. Rosalina collapsed with 112 for the Gems, leaving them at 1317 overall. Bright carried the Nighthawks to victory, tapping 440 in a solid appearance to close their game at 1543. North Modernistic takes the win to go to 10-8, while Diamond drops to 7-12.
Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns hope some time away from home has helped them, and they'll face a soft Arrows team to start their three-game home stand. Sally had a stable start for Archtown, producing 392 on her turn. Nightfur struggled once again at home with only 184 for Royal to begin their offensive production. Sleepy B. rolled 295 for the Arrows, adding a little bit to their fledgling lead. Jake pulled the Crowns ahead by churning out 554 for them, a good mark to put them in front at the halfway mark. Ruby fired back with 523 for Archtown, keeping them in the fight as well. Kayla slipped with 208 for Royal, and they will play from behind with a player each to go, an uncomfortable position to be in. Dusky finished the Arrows' offense with 425 individually for a final score of 1635. Hannah had an acceptable 311 for the Crowns, but she needed to be spectacular, as the hosts lost with 1257. Archtown is up to 7-15, while Royal drops to 6-11 with the loss.
The Intel Pitch, Diamond: The Gems are back at home for a pair of games, while the Sharpshooters are in the second of a six-game road trip. Chris was doing well until a couple of odd bounces pulled him out of rhythm, and he fell with 327 for Capital City to lead things off. Smokey got an unlucky bounce off his bat, ending his turn at 87 for Diamond, with the hosts playing from behind. Missy answered with 311, adding a bit of space for the Sharpshooters in a solid turn. Citrus tried some fancy work with the bat on her turn, and it worked for awhile, giving the Gems 529 from the outing. Sprinkles countered with 714 for Capital City, boosting their lead as the game flies past half completion. Pedey couldn't keep up, hitting 229 for Diamond in a poor turn that sees the host in deep trouble with little time to fix it. Nicole had a pathetic 103 for the Sharpshooters, giving them 1455 total and leaving them exposed. Rosalina couldn't take advantage for the Gems, with her 131 putting the Gems at a loss with 976. Capital City is now 12-6 for the year, while Diamond drops to 7-13.
Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows make a quick stop back home to host the Sharks, who begin a three-game trip across northern cities. Chelsea began with 424 for Eastside, a decent performance from the captain. Sally just edged Archtown ahead in the early stages, batting 472 to give the hosts the initial lead. Taylor was cruising until a series of deflections threw her off, and she ended at 359 for the Sharks when she couldn't transition to her backhand in time. Sleepy B. had the opposite problem, getting too much on her backhand as it went out of bounds to give her only 177 for the Arrows, who trail at halftime. Niki didn't do anything to give Eastside any separation, hitting only 240. Ruby covered the deficit, continuing her hot run with 560 for Archtown, putting them ahead with a player each to go. Paps had 272 for the Sharks, forcing a response from the hosts as the visitors ended with 1295. Dusky blasted 1023 for the Arrows in closing, making it a big win at 2232 total. Archtown improves to 8-15, while Eastside is down to 5-12 after the loss.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: A stop-in at home sees the Tridents hosting the Southridge Defenders, who play in the fourth of their six straight games on the road. Bianca had some struggles with pace for Southridge, taking 333 the hard way in her opening turn. Precious got a bit greedy in swinging at dead balls, which caused her to end on a crisp 401 for Pronger, giving them the lead. Debby answered well with 414 for the Defenders, putting them in the lead again, at least for now. Zach answered with a solid 561 for the Tridents, carrying them to a stronger second lead. Stephanie swung for 445 for Southridge, not the best performance but enough to put them ahead again. Spot slipped a bit as well, taking 388 for Pronger, as the hosts continue to lead with the final players coming to bat. Hughbert supplied 415 for the Defenders, giving them 1607 as they will force a response from the hosts in this tight game. Potter couldn't handle the pressure, dropping the result with 241 for the Tridents, leaving them at 1591 in the narrow loss. Southridge had to fight hard for this game, going to 11-10 for the year, while Pronger is down to 9-8.
Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes are at home to take on Southwest Division rivals and leader, the Sharpshooters, who play their third of six straight road games. Chris only had 256 for Capital City to begin the game here, a weaker start than usual from the visiting captain. Smudge couldn't get comfortable with her swing at any point, ending on 311 for Infinity to give them a small lead. Missy kept her pace up well for the Sharpshooters, slamming 501 to give them a better second attack. Solaris was nearly overwhelmed immediately for the Torpedoes, and this damaged his turn, which ended with only 101 as the hosts fall behind. Sprinkles broke out with 650 for Capital City, extending their lead greatly. Whiskers made quite the dent in the deficit, belting 871 to get Infinity back to a competitive level. Nicole got twisted around with a ball that landed in an unhittable spot, ending her turn at 84 and putting the Sharpshooters at 1491 total, a vulnerable mark. Mr. Snowman completed the comeback with 478 for the Torpedoes, icing their winning total at 1761. Infinity improves to 11-7 (3-0 in division), while Capital City is just ahead at 12-7 (1-1 in division).
HP Field, Midland: Week 9 ends with the Predators starting a four-game home stand against the straggling Tradewinds. Tigerette provided a solid outing to start Commerce's game, giving them 441 to work with initially. Shawn put Midland narrowly ahead with his 455, leaving the game to the rest of the players to decide. Ice Cream answered with 199 for the Tradewinds, destabilizing their offense in a tight game. Rainmane tried to pull off a backhand flick, but the next offering came too quickly, ending her turn at 497 as the Predators have gained control of the game. Lionel covered the deficit with 423 for Commerce, but he didn't add much for the visitors. Leonardo tripped up at 248 for Midland, leaving their lead a bit vulnerable as the final players come to bat. Lorde was given the green light to swing big, taking 506 for the Tradewinds as they'll close on 1569 to force a response from the hosts. Fuchsia couldn't handle the pressure, with her 48 leaving the Predators in a loss with 1248. Commerce jumps to 7-8 after a productive week, while Midland is 11-9 on the year.
We'll announce players of the week on Twitter @UnitedPCL, and we'll likely start playing Week 10 tomorrow. Pool is up next, as well as a standings update.
Friday, March 3, 2017
2017 Tournament: B-level 1st Round - Day 8
After a day off for maintenance and rest, pool returns to action for hopefully a full slate of games. First up...
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Easter. The first ever Wolves home series has a rookie facing the Stills captain 15-ball with the blue cue. Game 1 started very slowly and nearly saw tensions rise from the first shot, but things got calmer as Stonebridge's Cobalt made a five-ball run. Todavía's Easter answered with a four-ball run, and while each player had a try at the 15, Easter banked it diagonally to the bottom right to win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was more of a slow finish than a slow start, as the Wolves' Cobalt kept things moving with a number of lucky combinations and bank shots. He would go unrewarded, as the Stills' Easter took the win on her second try at 15 to clinch the series at 2-0. Easter proved to be a resilient finisher, hitting the highlight reel twice in game 3. Her first was an early jump shot on the 3, and the latter won the game, as her hit off the 8 deflected to take the 15 at the bottom right, earning her the series sweep 3-0 over Cobalt. Easter advances to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Lexi v. Bianca. The silver cue gets its first of the day in this Rotation series. Harrison's Lexi had only a little resistance in game 1, as her opening run was countered by Southridge's Bianca triple-potting the 4 and 15 to the bottom right with the 2 in the top side. Lexi finished the game in an 8-4 win with a three-ball run-out to earn the 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Lexi had a bit more of a fight on her hands in game 2, as the Defenders' Bianca stayed competitive longer this time around. The results were the same, with Lexi ending with short runs for an 8-4 win to secure the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Bianca hold her own a bit better, keeping pace with Lexi in the cleanest-shooting game of the series. Bianca would take this win 8-6, but Lexi plays on into the second round after the 2-1 series win.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Strut. The silver cue remains in action as these two veterans battle in 12-ball. Diamond's Smokey saw a break for game 1 that produced a good spread but bad placement, making things exceedingly difficult for him. Golden's Strut faced less issues, but his aggressive play did not make things easy, although he would emerge with the gutsy win and a 1-0 series lead at the end. In game 2, the Pilots' Strut had too many of his balls clustered together, unable to break them apart in set-up shots. The Gems' Smokey faced an easier distribution, and with the help of some misses from Strut, Smokey iced the game quickly for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 came down to the final shots, as Smokey's four-ball run put him in good position, but Strut had set himself up well. In the end, Strut missed his last ball, and Smokey's speed advantage paid off, giving him the win and a 2-1 series win with his shot on the 11 to the top side. Smokey heads to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer Livilotti v. Midnight. The red cue gets a start in 9-ball for these Urban Division rivals. Westside's Midnight dominated in game 1, barely letting Terrace City's Jennifer take any shots. When she did, Jennifer had shaky results, including a scratch that led to Midnight converting a 5-9 combination to win and take a 1-0 lead in the series. A tight start to game 2 that saw the Rockers' Midnight seem to hold control gave way when Midnight scratched on the 8, allowing the Knights' Jennifer to play from ball-in-hand for the last two shots. She converted both, including the long strike on the 9 to the top right, tying the series at 1 with her win. Jennifer started well in game 3 but came under pressure from Midnight and couldn't hold on. Her last ditch effort was a defensive play on the 8, which worked, but Jennifer missed the 9, and Midnight buried it to win the game and take the series 2-1. Midnight will travel to Harrison's Mercedes-Benz Forum to face the Specters' Twinkie II in the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Paige. Prior to the start of the 10-ball series with the blue cue, the Flames' Paige announced this would be her last Tournament in UPCL. Right after her announcement, Queens' Paige made life difficult in game 1 for Todavía's Easter. Things got close near the end of the game, but Easter's miss on the 10 allowed Paige to make it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The defensive starts continued in game 2, as the Flames' Paige continued to keep the Stills' Easter in tough positions. Easter finally broke out at the end, answering a three-ball run from Paige with tap-ins on the last two shots to take the win and tie the series at 1 despite being vastly outplayed so far. Game 3 saw a slow start, with the only excitement being Paige illegally potting the 10 to the top left. This would prove critical, as Easter ended up with the win on a five-ball run-out through good positioning and a bit of luck on Paige's scratch. Easter took the series 2-1, earning her the right to host the Freedom Cascades' Stinky in the second round at this venue.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Dusky. A Northeastern battle awaits in this series of 7-ball with the silver cue. Controversy was abound in an abrupt game 1, as Diddley's bad break netted a ball, and his next shot was deemed inconclusive to its legality. The result was Diddley winning for a 1-0 series lead, as, officially, his shot deflected off the 1 to pot the 7 in the top right despite a very close call. Things got even more tense in game 2, as the Lumberjacks' Diddley left the Arrows' Dusky trapped defensively, and then appeared to commit a stick foul that went uncalled in his four-ball run-out. Diddley's win secured him the series at 2-0, but the few Arrows fans in attendance were very displeased, and tensions between his Delila Enterprises club and her Empyre club have reached unfavorable levels. Dusky got a bit of a consolation prize, dominating game 3 for a clean and easy win to cut the series to 2-1, despite calls that she should have had the sweep. Diddley will advance to the second round, and it's possible he could meet another Arrow there.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Dustin. Two very talented players are prepared to meet in Accuracy with the silver cue. Central's Dustin never had a chance in game 1, as Swordpoint's Snowball not only didn't miss, but she found ways to play very creative defense, leading to her taking the win 0-5 for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball returned to earth a bit more in game 2, not quite shooting perfect, but the Warriors' Dustin had troubles coping with Snowball's bad break, and this ran up an early deficit he wouldn't come back from. Snowball won again, 2-3 this time, and clinched the series at 2-0. In game 3, Dustin gained the upper-hand early on, and while the game was tied with a ball left, he put Snowball in a bad position and she missed, giving away the game 2-3 to Dustin. Snowball still took the series 2-1 to advance, hosting Dani of the Web City Spiders in the second round at this venue.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Fluffina v. Salmo. After the mid-afternoon break, the silver cue will continue its run in 15-ball. Maplewood's Fluffina played the better game 1, leaving Lighton's Salmo frustrated throughout the game with her defensive stance. She would occasionally rattle off a run, the best being a four-ball stretch in the middle, and Fluffina also came up with the win after a slow finish for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina made game 2 count as well, fighting off some decent shots from the Prestige's Salmo, who was very bitter about Fluffina's absolutely atrocious break shot. Fluffina ended the game with a three-ball run-out to seal the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw a lot of experimentation and a lot of frustration, as the players seemed to be shooting hard. No big runs developed, and Fluffina was lucky Salmo rattled the 15 out at the end, so she could tap it in for the win and a 3-0 series sweep.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Bandit v. Ted. Two rookies meet with the red cue in hand for 7-ball. Game 1 took a familiar pattern for the league, as Swordpoint's Bandit made the first two balls and the last two balls, sandwiched around a three-ball run by Web City's Ted. Bandit's two-pair gave him the win and 1-0 series lead. This win proved critical, as it allowed the diminutive Blades rookie Bandit to crack the 7 off the break to the bottom left, giving him another win over a helpless Ted of the Spiders as Bandit secured the series at 2-0. Game 3 was not the cleanest game in the world, as both players missed shots they should have made. Bandit came up on the right end of the result, going for a three-ball run-out after Ted flubbed a play from ball-in-hand. Bandit's win sent him through to the second round on a 3-0 series win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Puff III. Two exciting players meet up in the last series of the afternoon, 9-ball with the silver cue. Everton's Puff III put on a bit of a clinic in game 1, shutting out Pearl's Neopolitan after the host made the first two balls. Puff III backed up a four-ball run with a three-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. The Eagles' Puff III held a massive possession advantage in game 2, making three balls on the break as part of a five-ball run, but a late miss on the 8 gave the Surfers' Neopolitan a clear line to the win, which she took to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Puff III once again looked like the better player early in game 3, but her luck ran out on the 7. She made the shot with a near impossible cut, but the cue rebounded to scratch, and Neopolitan swooped in to win another game and the series, 2-1. Neopolitan will host the Southern Monarchs' Hoppy at this venue in the next round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Nicole v. Violetta. The silver cue stays up for the lead-off series of the night, which is Rotation. Capital City's Nicole tried to make a narrow lead stand up for too long, and Queens' Violetta blew right past her when she got the chance. The game's end was a bit sloppy, but Violetta managed to hold her lead for an 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta was far more dominant in game 2, keeping the Sharpshooters' Nicole away from any truly clear shots en route to a rare 9-1 win, accomplished by double-potting the 9 to the top side and 14 to the bottom left on the final shot of the game, the series clincher as she stands ahead 2-0 in the series. Violetta completed the 3-0 sweep with a game 3 win, bursting out to a nice lead before Nicole reined her in a bit. Violetta then broke free again at the end to take the 8-6 result. Violetta will travel to Harrison's Mercedes-Benz Forum to meet the Specters' Lexi in the next round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Klaus v. Sleepy B. The winner of this 7-ball series with the silver cue will face Diddley of the Maplewood Lumberjacks in what promises to be a controversial series. Atlantic's Klaus had game 1 done in two shots, making the 3 on the break and double-potting the 1-7 combination to the top side for the win, with the 1 going to the top left for fun as Archtown's Sleepy B. never saw the table. Klaus leads the series 1-0 with the spectacular performance. The Pirates' Klaus played a far more standard game 2, missing a couple of simple shots but taking advantage of the Arrows' Sleepy B. illegally contacting the 6 late in the game. He made the last two balls to get the win and secure the series at 2-0. Sleepy B. stole a win in game 3, working through a three-ball run only to see Klaus get the first crack at 7. He missed, and she converted to make it a 2-1 series that will put Klaus through.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Precious. The blue cue is back for 8-ball in this series between solid veterans. Capital City's Missy held Pronger's Precious off the board for a long time in game 1, but it wasn't long enough, as Missy plateaued and Precious was able to rattle off a three-ball run-out to take the win a few turns later, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious stayed hot in game 2, starting with a three-ball run and following with a four-ball run while leaving the 8 in good position. The Sharpshooters' Missy tried a three-ball run after that, but Precious took the 8 to clinch the series at 2-0. Missy took the early advantage in game 3, and while Precious did work her way back into the game late, Missy made the 8 to get the win. Precious will take solace in a 2-1 series win to see her through into the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Starlight. Big name captains collide in 15-ball, using the red cue for this star-laden series. Game 1 saw a tight series with a lot of defense on both sides, but it was Stonebridge's Juno making the critical mistake, a late scratch. Pacific's Starlight cashed in from ball-in-hand, bouncing the cue off the 13 to pot the 15 in the top right on a deflection for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a dichotomy develop, as the Wolves' Juno played bitter defense when she had control of the game. Over the middle, she lost control to the Volcanoes' Starlight, who ripped a seven-ball run with ease. This paced her attack and set her up for a finish by making the last two balls to win, sealing the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw more balance between the players, with short choppy runs and a few lucky shots factoring in. Starlight ended up sweeping Juno out 3-0 with a three-ball run-out in the end, and Starlight will head to Central to face the Warriors' Twilight, her sister, at Nestle's Warriors Hall.
Intel Center, Diamond: Rosalina v. Kiwi. The silver cue is back now, with a series of 9-ball between a rookie and a superstar. Game 1 saw Diamond's Rosalina start strong but face a tough attack from Terrace City's Kiwi. The visitor couldn't maintain her play, and Rosalina swooped in to get the win with the last two shots, giving her a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Gems' Rosalina showed a dominance akin to vintage Kiwi, but the Knights' captain was unable to match the tenacity, and Rosalina would take the win in just three turns, securing the series at 2-0 with the lion's share of the possession as well. Rosalina had a tough start to game 3, frequently getting blocked defensively by Kiwi, but she came out with the win again when Kiwi scratched on the 8 after trying to get position. Rosalina's 3-0 series sweep gives her the chance to host Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette in the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Wario. The final series of the day is in 7-ball with the blue cue, with a sophomore hosting a rookie. Victoria's Wario wasted his first chance to win, missing the 2-7 combination at the top right. This bought Everton's Kirstin some time, but her game 1 would end in sadness, as Wario rallied with a four-ball run-out to win, giving him a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw both players seemingly abandon form for a good part of the game. Things straightened out after illegal contact from the Spurs' Wario led the Eagles' Kirstin to a four-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1 with the sudden burst of good shooting. Kirstin kept the hot streak going in game 3, running the table on Wario, with the key play being her fifth shot and sixth potted ball, the 6, falling on a triple-kiss deflection to the bottom right while leaving her in position on the 7. Kirstin's eleven straight balls potted led her to the 2-1 series win.
That's all for today's action, ending on an insane high note. We'll be back for a weekend-cumulative post on Sunday night, with the chance of cricket in between.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Easter. The first ever Wolves home series has a rookie facing the Stills captain 15-ball with the blue cue. Game 1 started very slowly and nearly saw tensions rise from the first shot, but things got calmer as Stonebridge's Cobalt made a five-ball run. Todavía's Easter answered with a four-ball run, and while each player had a try at the 15, Easter banked it diagonally to the bottom right to win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was more of a slow finish than a slow start, as the Wolves' Cobalt kept things moving with a number of lucky combinations and bank shots. He would go unrewarded, as the Stills' Easter took the win on her second try at 15 to clinch the series at 2-0. Easter proved to be a resilient finisher, hitting the highlight reel twice in game 3. Her first was an early jump shot on the 3, and the latter won the game, as her hit off the 8 deflected to take the 15 at the bottom right, earning her the series sweep 3-0 over Cobalt. Easter advances to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Lexi v. Bianca. The silver cue gets its first of the day in this Rotation series. Harrison's Lexi had only a little resistance in game 1, as her opening run was countered by Southridge's Bianca triple-potting the 4 and 15 to the bottom right with the 2 in the top side. Lexi finished the game in an 8-4 win with a three-ball run-out to earn the 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Lexi had a bit more of a fight on her hands in game 2, as the Defenders' Bianca stayed competitive longer this time around. The results were the same, with Lexi ending with short runs for an 8-4 win to secure the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Bianca hold her own a bit better, keeping pace with Lexi in the cleanest-shooting game of the series. Bianca would take this win 8-6, but Lexi plays on into the second round after the 2-1 series win.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Strut. The silver cue remains in action as these two veterans battle in 12-ball. Diamond's Smokey saw a break for game 1 that produced a good spread but bad placement, making things exceedingly difficult for him. Golden's Strut faced less issues, but his aggressive play did not make things easy, although he would emerge with the gutsy win and a 1-0 series lead at the end. In game 2, the Pilots' Strut had too many of his balls clustered together, unable to break them apart in set-up shots. The Gems' Smokey faced an easier distribution, and with the help of some misses from Strut, Smokey iced the game quickly for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 came down to the final shots, as Smokey's four-ball run put him in good position, but Strut had set himself up well. In the end, Strut missed his last ball, and Smokey's speed advantage paid off, giving him the win and a 2-1 series win with his shot on the 11 to the top side. Smokey heads to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer Livilotti v. Midnight. The red cue gets a start in 9-ball for these Urban Division rivals. Westside's Midnight dominated in game 1, barely letting Terrace City's Jennifer take any shots. When she did, Jennifer had shaky results, including a scratch that led to Midnight converting a 5-9 combination to win and take a 1-0 lead in the series. A tight start to game 2 that saw the Rockers' Midnight seem to hold control gave way when Midnight scratched on the 8, allowing the Knights' Jennifer to play from ball-in-hand for the last two shots. She converted both, including the long strike on the 9 to the top right, tying the series at 1 with her win. Jennifer started well in game 3 but came under pressure from Midnight and couldn't hold on. Her last ditch effort was a defensive play on the 8, which worked, but Jennifer missed the 9, and Midnight buried it to win the game and take the series 2-1. Midnight will travel to Harrison's Mercedes-Benz Forum to face the Specters' Twinkie II in the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Paige. Prior to the start of the 10-ball series with the blue cue, the Flames' Paige announced this would be her last Tournament in UPCL. Right after her announcement, Queens' Paige made life difficult in game 1 for Todavía's Easter. Things got close near the end of the game, but Easter's miss on the 10 allowed Paige to make it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The defensive starts continued in game 2, as the Flames' Paige continued to keep the Stills' Easter in tough positions. Easter finally broke out at the end, answering a three-ball run from Paige with tap-ins on the last two shots to take the win and tie the series at 1 despite being vastly outplayed so far. Game 3 saw a slow start, with the only excitement being Paige illegally potting the 10 to the top left. This would prove critical, as Easter ended up with the win on a five-ball run-out through good positioning and a bit of luck on Paige's scratch. Easter took the series 2-1, earning her the right to host the Freedom Cascades' Stinky in the second round at this venue.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Dusky. A Northeastern battle awaits in this series of 7-ball with the silver cue. Controversy was abound in an abrupt game 1, as Diddley's bad break netted a ball, and his next shot was deemed inconclusive to its legality. The result was Diddley winning for a 1-0 series lead, as, officially, his shot deflected off the 1 to pot the 7 in the top right despite a very close call. Things got even more tense in game 2, as the Lumberjacks' Diddley left the Arrows' Dusky trapped defensively, and then appeared to commit a stick foul that went uncalled in his four-ball run-out. Diddley's win secured him the series at 2-0, but the few Arrows fans in attendance were very displeased, and tensions between his Delila Enterprises club and her Empyre club have reached unfavorable levels. Dusky got a bit of a consolation prize, dominating game 3 for a clean and easy win to cut the series to 2-1, despite calls that she should have had the sweep. Diddley will advance to the second round, and it's possible he could meet another Arrow there.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Dustin. Two very talented players are prepared to meet in Accuracy with the silver cue. Central's Dustin never had a chance in game 1, as Swordpoint's Snowball not only didn't miss, but she found ways to play very creative defense, leading to her taking the win 0-5 for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball returned to earth a bit more in game 2, not quite shooting perfect, but the Warriors' Dustin had troubles coping with Snowball's bad break, and this ran up an early deficit he wouldn't come back from. Snowball won again, 2-3 this time, and clinched the series at 2-0. In game 3, Dustin gained the upper-hand early on, and while the game was tied with a ball left, he put Snowball in a bad position and she missed, giving away the game 2-3 to Dustin. Snowball still took the series 2-1 to advance, hosting Dani of the Web City Spiders in the second round at this venue.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Fluffina v. Salmo. After the mid-afternoon break, the silver cue will continue its run in 15-ball. Maplewood's Fluffina played the better game 1, leaving Lighton's Salmo frustrated throughout the game with her defensive stance. She would occasionally rattle off a run, the best being a four-ball stretch in the middle, and Fluffina also came up with the win after a slow finish for the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina made game 2 count as well, fighting off some decent shots from the Prestige's Salmo, who was very bitter about Fluffina's absolutely atrocious break shot. Fluffina ended the game with a three-ball run-out to seal the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw a lot of experimentation and a lot of frustration, as the players seemed to be shooting hard. No big runs developed, and Fluffina was lucky Salmo rattled the 15 out at the end, so she could tap it in for the win and a 3-0 series sweep.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Bandit v. Ted. Two rookies meet with the red cue in hand for 7-ball. Game 1 took a familiar pattern for the league, as Swordpoint's Bandit made the first two balls and the last two balls, sandwiched around a three-ball run by Web City's Ted. Bandit's two-pair gave him the win and 1-0 series lead. This win proved critical, as it allowed the diminutive Blades rookie Bandit to crack the 7 off the break to the bottom left, giving him another win over a helpless Ted of the Spiders as Bandit secured the series at 2-0. Game 3 was not the cleanest game in the world, as both players missed shots they should have made. Bandit came up on the right end of the result, going for a three-ball run-out after Ted flubbed a play from ball-in-hand. Bandit's win sent him through to the second round on a 3-0 series win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Puff III. Two exciting players meet up in the last series of the afternoon, 9-ball with the silver cue. Everton's Puff III put on a bit of a clinic in game 1, shutting out Pearl's Neopolitan after the host made the first two balls. Puff III backed up a four-ball run with a three-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. The Eagles' Puff III held a massive possession advantage in game 2, making three balls on the break as part of a five-ball run, but a late miss on the 8 gave the Surfers' Neopolitan a clear line to the win, which she took to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Puff III once again looked like the better player early in game 3, but her luck ran out on the 7. She made the shot with a near impossible cut, but the cue rebounded to scratch, and Neopolitan swooped in to win another game and the series, 2-1. Neopolitan will host the Southern Monarchs' Hoppy at this venue in the next round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Nicole v. Violetta. The silver cue stays up for the lead-off series of the night, which is Rotation. Capital City's Nicole tried to make a narrow lead stand up for too long, and Queens' Violetta blew right past her when she got the chance. The game's end was a bit sloppy, but Violetta managed to hold her lead for an 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta was far more dominant in game 2, keeping the Sharpshooters' Nicole away from any truly clear shots en route to a rare 9-1 win, accomplished by double-potting the 9 to the top side and 14 to the bottom left on the final shot of the game, the series clincher as she stands ahead 2-0 in the series. Violetta completed the 3-0 sweep with a game 3 win, bursting out to a nice lead before Nicole reined her in a bit. Violetta then broke free again at the end to take the 8-6 result. Violetta will travel to Harrison's Mercedes-Benz Forum to meet the Specters' Lexi in the next round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Klaus v. Sleepy B. The winner of this 7-ball series with the silver cue will face Diddley of the Maplewood Lumberjacks in what promises to be a controversial series. Atlantic's Klaus had game 1 done in two shots, making the 3 on the break and double-potting the 1-7 combination to the top side for the win, with the 1 going to the top left for fun as Archtown's Sleepy B. never saw the table. Klaus leads the series 1-0 with the spectacular performance. The Pirates' Klaus played a far more standard game 2, missing a couple of simple shots but taking advantage of the Arrows' Sleepy B. illegally contacting the 6 late in the game. He made the last two balls to get the win and secure the series at 2-0. Sleepy B. stole a win in game 3, working through a three-ball run only to see Klaus get the first crack at 7. He missed, and she converted to make it a 2-1 series that will put Klaus through.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Precious. The blue cue is back for 8-ball in this series between solid veterans. Capital City's Missy held Pronger's Precious off the board for a long time in game 1, but it wasn't long enough, as Missy plateaued and Precious was able to rattle off a three-ball run-out to take the win a few turns later, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious stayed hot in game 2, starting with a three-ball run and following with a four-ball run while leaving the 8 in good position. The Sharpshooters' Missy tried a three-ball run after that, but Precious took the 8 to clinch the series at 2-0. Missy took the early advantage in game 3, and while Precious did work her way back into the game late, Missy made the 8 to get the win. Precious will take solace in a 2-1 series win to see her through into the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Starlight. Big name captains collide in 15-ball, using the red cue for this star-laden series. Game 1 saw a tight series with a lot of defense on both sides, but it was Stonebridge's Juno making the critical mistake, a late scratch. Pacific's Starlight cashed in from ball-in-hand, bouncing the cue off the 13 to pot the 15 in the top right on a deflection for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a dichotomy develop, as the Wolves' Juno played bitter defense when she had control of the game. Over the middle, she lost control to the Volcanoes' Starlight, who ripped a seven-ball run with ease. This paced her attack and set her up for a finish by making the last two balls to win, sealing the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw more balance between the players, with short choppy runs and a few lucky shots factoring in. Starlight ended up sweeping Juno out 3-0 with a three-ball run-out in the end, and Starlight will head to Central to face the Warriors' Twilight, her sister, at Nestle's Warriors Hall.
Intel Center, Diamond: Rosalina v. Kiwi. The silver cue is back now, with a series of 9-ball between a rookie and a superstar. Game 1 saw Diamond's Rosalina start strong but face a tough attack from Terrace City's Kiwi. The visitor couldn't maintain her play, and Rosalina swooped in to get the win with the last two shots, giving her a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Gems' Rosalina showed a dominance akin to vintage Kiwi, but the Knights' captain was unable to match the tenacity, and Rosalina would take the win in just three turns, securing the series at 2-0 with the lion's share of the possession as well. Rosalina had a tough start to game 3, frequently getting blocked defensively by Kiwi, but she came out with the win again when Kiwi scratched on the 8 after trying to get position. Rosalina's 3-0 series sweep gives her the chance to host Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette in the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Wario. The final series of the day is in 7-ball with the blue cue, with a sophomore hosting a rookie. Victoria's Wario wasted his first chance to win, missing the 2-7 combination at the top right. This bought Everton's Kirstin some time, but her game 1 would end in sadness, as Wario rallied with a four-ball run-out to win, giving him a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw both players seemingly abandon form for a good part of the game. Things straightened out after illegal contact from the Spurs' Wario led the Eagles' Kirstin to a four-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1 with the sudden burst of good shooting. Kirstin kept the hot streak going in game 3, running the table on Wario, with the key play being her fifth shot and sixth potted ball, the 6, falling on a triple-kiss deflection to the bottom right while leaving her in position on the 7. Kirstin's eleven straight balls potted led her to the 2-1 series win.
That's all for today's action, ending on an insane high note. We'll be back for a weekend-cumulative post on Sunday night, with the chance of cricket in between.
UPCL Cricket - Week 9 Part 2
Cricket returns to play in this segment, the middle of week 9. The first game is...
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters are looking to sweep the Flames, but recent trends suggest the visitors are coming in a bit hotter than their home-cold hosts. Crystal struggled to get much lift on her swings, coming up a bit late a few times in posting 231 for Queens, a poor start. Sydney offered little resistance with 105 for Harrison, getting caught on her backhand and unable to recover from that play. Paige clubbed 609 in response for the Flames, giving them a more confident second attack and a strong lead. Twinkie II countered with 392 for the Specters, causing them to lose a bit more ground at the halfway mark. Violetta scattered 560 more for Queens, extending their lead pretty nicely at this point. Lexi stumbled at 195 for Harrison, likely ending their chance for a comeback in this game. Max tacked on 593 for the Flames, bringing them to 1993 overall in what should be a fifth-straight road win. Sugar went on a rally with 689 for the Specters, but this left them at 1381 in a fifth-straight loss at home. Queens is now 12-10, while Harrison drops to 3-14.
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots return home for a couple of games, while the Wolves play in the third of their seven-game road trip. Juno got caught out of position on a swing, skying the ball to end her turn at 129 for Stonebridge in a weak opener. Valencia slugged 1373 for Golden on her turn, giving the hosts a massive lead to build upon. Frosty answered well with 726 for the Wolves, cutting the deficit in about half for now. Dusty fired back with 583 for the Pilots, keeping their lead steady at the halfway mark. Cobalt faltered a bit with 368 for Stonebridge, hurting the comeback effort. Strut flicked 337 for Golden, as the hosts feel they have little to worry about this late in a blowout game. Prism bailed at 292 for the Wolves, leaving them short at 1515. A. Charlton had an early end for the Pilots, taking a measly 32, but this iced their win at 2325. Golden jumps up to 10-7 with the win, while Stonebridge drops far to 9-11.
AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The Waves are back home for a game, bringing in a Crowns team in the second of their three-game road trip. Nightfur was sturdy for Royal to start the game, producing 473 in one of her better efforts of the year. Snuggle expertly handled a number of off-speed offerings in his turn, as the Oceanside captain smacked his way to 802 to give the hosts a significant lead. Jake replied with 496 for the Crowns, covering the deficit to keep them competitive in the game. Caitlin regained a much more modest lead for the Waves, faltering with 233 at the halfway mark of the game. Kayla raked in 479 for Royal, applying pressure to the hosts as the visitors have played a consistent game. Celestia got beat on a deflection, ending at 69 for Oceanside in a critically poor turn from the rookie. Hannah tacked on 391 to put the Crowns at a final of 1839, which could be a good mark. Dewey rallied back for the Waves, doubling their previous effort with his 1105 to give them 2209 in the comeback win. Oceanside is now 11-10, while Royal drops to 6-9.
Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union return from their bye week in search of their first home win, facing the Crowns as they finish their road trip in a doubleheader. Nightfur was much weaker this time, scoring only 179 for Royal on a weak start. Ms. Puppy established Modernistic well in this game with 639 on her opening turn, producing a large lead for the hosts. Jake came up a bit short as well, hitting only 249 for the Crowns, keeping them far behind. Daisy saw her turn come to an abrupt end with a deflection, giving her a middling 215 for the Union. Kayla cramped up, falling at 268 for Royal as they still haven't covered the deficit with time running a bit short at this point. Puff I flipped 479 for Modernistic on her turn, padding the lead well with the final players stepping up to bat. Hannah couldn't do any better for the Crowns, taking 199 to stick them with a loss on a total of 895, making their road trip winless. Strawberry put up 361 for the Union, icing their win at 1694. Modernistic's week off seems to have done some good this time, sending them to 3-9, while Royal is 6-10 after another disappointment.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The week's first division match sees the Shores in the second of a four-game home stand hosting the Nighthawks. Peach tried to do too much on her turn, and it backfired, as she scored only 4 points after a failed backhand flick for North Modernistic. Bear was relentless for Whitewater, batting 560 to give the hosts a nice lead at the start. Luigi fired back with 314 for the Nighthawks, getting them back into the game a bit. Twinkie III fired back with 495 for the Shores, extending their lead nicely at the halfway mark. Cheddar made a massive rally for North Modernistic, blasting 992 to cover the deficit with the performance against her former team. Marsell didn't have much of an answer with 102 for Whitewater, allowing them to slip behind. Bright walloped 590 for the Nighthawks as well, giving them an even 1900 as the veterans surged for the expansion team. Shaggy fell with 231 for the Shores, putting them at a loss with 1388. North Modernistic goes to 9-8, while Whitewater falls to 7-5.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Monarchs head out on a two-game road swing, first facing a Lumberjacks team trying to come back from their first home loss a couple games ago. Panda carved out a quick 621 for Southern, establishing them very early in the game. Fluffina answered with 367 for Maplewood, making modest progress against the surprising early blitz. Hoppy backed it up well for the Monarchs, adding another 658 to their strong offensive presence in this game. Diddley couldn't hook a backhanded hit in his turn, ending at a paltry 113 as the Lumberjacks are in serious trouble. Pounce got blocked out at 328 for Southern, but not after causing a bit more damage to the comeback chances for the hosts. Bryant absolutely froze as a ball skipped over his bat, ending his turn at 231 for Maplewood. Shannon stumbled with a meager 81 for the Monarchs, but they should have this one on a final of 1688. Waluigi faded at 256 for the Lumberjacks, giving them 967 in the loss. Southern's surprising win takes them to 6-10, while Maplewood drops to 11-12, presumably fatigued by their schedule.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors play in their second of three straight home games, against a team they share history with, the Tridents, in their third of four straight on the road. Precious made the most of a technical error replay, working her way to 512 for Pronger in the process. Mams answered with 836 for Viewpoint Sound, a massive performance to give them the initial lead. Zach knocked 439 for the Tridents against his former team, for which he played one season. Hoot, whose history with the Tridents spanned four years, answered with 686 for the Meteors in his first meeting with his former team, keeping the hosts in the lead. Spot couldn't keep up for Pronger, taking only 183 in a poor turn for the rookie. Nibbles' slump for Viewpoint Sound persisted as he hit 160 in this appearance. Potter tried to come back for the Tridents, but his 312 left them short at 1446 in the loss. Dominic sliced 376 for the Meteors to bring them to 2058 in the win. Viewpoint Sound gets a much needed win to go to 7-11, while Pronger drops to 8-7.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: The 4th-place team travels to meet the 5th place team in a battle of very good, but sheltered, teams. Twilight started well for the highly-sheltered Central squad, knocking 511 to kick off the game. Chris answered well with 751 for Capital City to give them the initial lead in their last home game before a lengthy road trip. The Warriors' Dustin faltered with only 36 on his turn, putting them in a deep hole as his road troubles persist. Missy answered with 527 for the Sharpshooters, giving them an even larger lead at the halfway mark. Mario pulled Central back into the fight with his 579, but they are still slightly behind and will need a bit of help. Sprinkles did not oblige, as her 464 strengthened the Capital City lead well enough with the final players coming to bat. Gizmo came up short with 400 for the Warriors, giving them a loss at 1526. Nicole had 160 for the Sharpshooters, icing their win at 1902. Capital City jumps up to 11-5 and 4th place, while Central falls just behind at 10-5.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors make a quick stop at home, facing the Stills in their third of a six-game road trip. Easter led off with 248 for Todavía on her first turn, a mediocre effort from the captain. Central's Twilight backed off her recent home pace, taking a solid 359 to establish the hosts in a minor lead early on. Sierra produced a poor turn for the Stills, taking a measly 32 after quickly being overwhelmed with an offering that she couldn't touch with her backhand. Dustin showed off great reflexes for the Warriors on his turn, slamming 755 to give them a much stronger lead at the halfway mark. Sparkles faded at 246 for Todavía, unable to make much of an impact at all on the deficit her team faces. Mario had a reasonable 343 for Central, keeping them in control of the game with a player each to go. Bells had 510 for the Stills on her turn, but they still took the loss with 1036 overall in a disappointing game. Gizmo had a poor turn with 48 for the Warriors, but they still won with 1505. Central is back into a tie for 4th place for now, with an 11-5 record, while Todavía drops to 12-13.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: Both teams wear their third jerseys in this battle for position around the break-even mark. Snuggle swung for 409 to start things off fairly well for Oceanside. Patches responded with a similar pace but better longevity for Boston, working her way to 722 in a strong turn that sees the hosts holding a lead early on. Caitlin answered with 608 for the Waves, covering the deficit in a good performance. Puff II kept things steady with 328 for the Swifts, regaining a small lead at the halfway mark of a tight game. Celestia slashed 742 for Oceanside in a pivotal turn for the visitors, giving them a large lead as the game gets closer to its end. Gradley answered his daughter's big turn with an even better outing, smashing 1023 to put Boston in the lead late in the game. Dewey faltered with 150 for the Waves, collapsing under pressure to send them to a loss with 1909 overall. Sweetheart was hardly better, managing 160 to give the Swifts a final of 2233 for the game. Boston is up to 8-8 on the year, while Oceanside is also at .500, riding on 11-11.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates play in three of the next four league games, including a doubleheader to end this segment, all part of their seven-game home stand. The Sharpshooters, meanwhile embark on a six-game road trip. Chris poked a quick 396 for Capital City to lead things off. Delila countered well for Atlantic, putting them in the lead with 481 in her appearance, good for a slight advantage. Missy picked up 296 for the Sharpshooters to cover the deficit, good considering the road is not her friend this year. Isabella covered it with 328 for the Pirates, maintaining their lead halfway through the game. Sprinkles got knocked back at 66 for Capital City, hurting their chances of coming back. Americus tacked on 472 more for Atlantic, keeping them firmly in the lead as the final players step up to bat. Nicole fell with 177 for the Sharpshooters, giving them a loss on just 935 overall. Klaus pounded 590 at the end, adding the exclamation mark on the Pirates win with 1871. Atlantic extends their lead over the league to 13-3, while Capital City slides to 11-6.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: In the other game, the lowly Sharks come to challenge the league leaders in an Eastern Hills Division game. Chelsea seems to have found her form recently, carving out 538 for Eastside to begin this game. Delila fired back with 723 for Atlantic, giving them the initial lead in what's shaping up to be a competitive game. Taylor crushed 899 for the Sharks in response, restoring them to a large lead. The Pirates rookie Isabella couldn't handle the pressure, caving at 112 as the hosts have fallen behind. Niki lined another 537 for Eastside, giving them a massive lead that may not be topped. Americus couldn't do it for Atlantic, taking a measly 148 as they likely will take the loss for this game. Paps tapped only 60 for the Sharks on his turn, giving them 2068 as their final score. Klaus ended on 42 for the Pirates, and they lost with 1025 total. Eastside is up to 5-10 with the surprising division win, while Atlantic drops to 13-4 in a tie for second in the league.
That's all for this segment. Pool will follow later today, and more cricket could be up over the weekend.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters are looking to sweep the Flames, but recent trends suggest the visitors are coming in a bit hotter than their home-cold hosts. Crystal struggled to get much lift on her swings, coming up a bit late a few times in posting 231 for Queens, a poor start. Sydney offered little resistance with 105 for Harrison, getting caught on her backhand and unable to recover from that play. Paige clubbed 609 in response for the Flames, giving them a more confident second attack and a strong lead. Twinkie II countered with 392 for the Specters, causing them to lose a bit more ground at the halfway mark. Violetta scattered 560 more for Queens, extending their lead pretty nicely at this point. Lexi stumbled at 195 for Harrison, likely ending their chance for a comeback in this game. Max tacked on 593 for the Flames, bringing them to 1993 overall in what should be a fifth-straight road win. Sugar went on a rally with 689 for the Specters, but this left them at 1381 in a fifth-straight loss at home. Queens is now 12-10, while Harrison drops to 3-14.
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots return home for a couple of games, while the Wolves play in the third of their seven-game road trip. Juno got caught out of position on a swing, skying the ball to end her turn at 129 for Stonebridge in a weak opener. Valencia slugged 1373 for Golden on her turn, giving the hosts a massive lead to build upon. Frosty answered well with 726 for the Wolves, cutting the deficit in about half for now. Dusty fired back with 583 for the Pilots, keeping their lead steady at the halfway mark. Cobalt faltered a bit with 368 for Stonebridge, hurting the comeback effort. Strut flicked 337 for Golden, as the hosts feel they have little to worry about this late in a blowout game. Prism bailed at 292 for the Wolves, leaving them short at 1515. A. Charlton had an early end for the Pilots, taking a measly 32, but this iced their win at 2325. Golden jumps up to 10-7 with the win, while Stonebridge drops far to 9-11.
AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The Waves are back home for a game, bringing in a Crowns team in the second of their three-game road trip. Nightfur was sturdy for Royal to start the game, producing 473 in one of her better efforts of the year. Snuggle expertly handled a number of off-speed offerings in his turn, as the Oceanside captain smacked his way to 802 to give the hosts a significant lead. Jake replied with 496 for the Crowns, covering the deficit to keep them competitive in the game. Caitlin regained a much more modest lead for the Waves, faltering with 233 at the halfway mark of the game. Kayla raked in 479 for Royal, applying pressure to the hosts as the visitors have played a consistent game. Celestia got beat on a deflection, ending at 69 for Oceanside in a critically poor turn from the rookie. Hannah tacked on 391 to put the Crowns at a final of 1839, which could be a good mark. Dewey rallied back for the Waves, doubling their previous effort with his 1105 to give them 2209 in the comeback win. Oceanside is now 11-10, while Royal drops to 6-9.
Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union return from their bye week in search of their first home win, facing the Crowns as they finish their road trip in a doubleheader. Nightfur was much weaker this time, scoring only 179 for Royal on a weak start. Ms. Puppy established Modernistic well in this game with 639 on her opening turn, producing a large lead for the hosts. Jake came up a bit short as well, hitting only 249 for the Crowns, keeping them far behind. Daisy saw her turn come to an abrupt end with a deflection, giving her a middling 215 for the Union. Kayla cramped up, falling at 268 for Royal as they still haven't covered the deficit with time running a bit short at this point. Puff I flipped 479 for Modernistic on her turn, padding the lead well with the final players stepping up to bat. Hannah couldn't do any better for the Crowns, taking 199 to stick them with a loss on a total of 895, making their road trip winless. Strawberry put up 361 for the Union, icing their win at 1694. Modernistic's week off seems to have done some good this time, sending them to 3-9, while Royal is 6-10 after another disappointment.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The week's first division match sees the Shores in the second of a four-game home stand hosting the Nighthawks. Peach tried to do too much on her turn, and it backfired, as she scored only 4 points after a failed backhand flick for North Modernistic. Bear was relentless for Whitewater, batting 560 to give the hosts a nice lead at the start. Luigi fired back with 314 for the Nighthawks, getting them back into the game a bit. Twinkie III fired back with 495 for the Shores, extending their lead nicely at the halfway mark. Cheddar made a massive rally for North Modernistic, blasting 992 to cover the deficit with the performance against her former team. Marsell didn't have much of an answer with 102 for Whitewater, allowing them to slip behind. Bright walloped 590 for the Nighthawks as well, giving them an even 1900 as the veterans surged for the expansion team. Shaggy fell with 231 for the Shores, putting them at a loss with 1388. North Modernistic goes to 9-8, while Whitewater falls to 7-5.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Monarchs head out on a two-game road swing, first facing a Lumberjacks team trying to come back from their first home loss a couple games ago. Panda carved out a quick 621 for Southern, establishing them very early in the game. Fluffina answered with 367 for Maplewood, making modest progress against the surprising early blitz. Hoppy backed it up well for the Monarchs, adding another 658 to their strong offensive presence in this game. Diddley couldn't hook a backhanded hit in his turn, ending at a paltry 113 as the Lumberjacks are in serious trouble. Pounce got blocked out at 328 for Southern, but not after causing a bit more damage to the comeback chances for the hosts. Bryant absolutely froze as a ball skipped over his bat, ending his turn at 231 for Maplewood. Shannon stumbled with a meager 81 for the Monarchs, but they should have this one on a final of 1688. Waluigi faded at 256 for the Lumberjacks, giving them 967 in the loss. Southern's surprising win takes them to 6-10, while Maplewood drops to 11-12, presumably fatigued by their schedule.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors play in their second of three straight home games, against a team they share history with, the Tridents, in their third of four straight on the road. Precious made the most of a technical error replay, working her way to 512 for Pronger in the process. Mams answered with 836 for Viewpoint Sound, a massive performance to give them the initial lead. Zach knocked 439 for the Tridents against his former team, for which he played one season. Hoot, whose history with the Tridents spanned four years, answered with 686 for the Meteors in his first meeting with his former team, keeping the hosts in the lead. Spot couldn't keep up for Pronger, taking only 183 in a poor turn for the rookie. Nibbles' slump for Viewpoint Sound persisted as he hit 160 in this appearance. Potter tried to come back for the Tridents, but his 312 left them short at 1446 in the loss. Dominic sliced 376 for the Meteors to bring them to 2058 in the win. Viewpoint Sound gets a much needed win to go to 7-11, while Pronger drops to 8-7.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: The 4th-place team travels to meet the 5th place team in a battle of very good, but sheltered, teams. Twilight started well for the highly-sheltered Central squad, knocking 511 to kick off the game. Chris answered well with 751 for Capital City to give them the initial lead in their last home game before a lengthy road trip. The Warriors' Dustin faltered with only 36 on his turn, putting them in a deep hole as his road troubles persist. Missy answered with 527 for the Sharpshooters, giving them an even larger lead at the halfway mark. Mario pulled Central back into the fight with his 579, but they are still slightly behind and will need a bit of help. Sprinkles did not oblige, as her 464 strengthened the Capital City lead well enough with the final players coming to bat. Gizmo came up short with 400 for the Warriors, giving them a loss at 1526. Nicole had 160 for the Sharpshooters, icing their win at 1902. Capital City jumps up to 11-5 and 4th place, while Central falls just behind at 10-5.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors make a quick stop at home, facing the Stills in their third of a six-game road trip. Easter led off with 248 for Todavía on her first turn, a mediocre effort from the captain. Central's Twilight backed off her recent home pace, taking a solid 359 to establish the hosts in a minor lead early on. Sierra produced a poor turn for the Stills, taking a measly 32 after quickly being overwhelmed with an offering that she couldn't touch with her backhand. Dustin showed off great reflexes for the Warriors on his turn, slamming 755 to give them a much stronger lead at the halfway mark. Sparkles faded at 246 for Todavía, unable to make much of an impact at all on the deficit her team faces. Mario had a reasonable 343 for Central, keeping them in control of the game with a player each to go. Bells had 510 for the Stills on her turn, but they still took the loss with 1036 overall in a disappointing game. Gizmo had a poor turn with 48 for the Warriors, but they still won with 1505. Central is back into a tie for 4th place for now, with an 11-5 record, while Todavía drops to 12-13.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: Both teams wear their third jerseys in this battle for position around the break-even mark. Snuggle swung for 409 to start things off fairly well for Oceanside. Patches responded with a similar pace but better longevity for Boston, working her way to 722 in a strong turn that sees the hosts holding a lead early on. Caitlin answered with 608 for the Waves, covering the deficit in a good performance. Puff II kept things steady with 328 for the Swifts, regaining a small lead at the halfway mark of a tight game. Celestia slashed 742 for Oceanside in a pivotal turn for the visitors, giving them a large lead as the game gets closer to its end. Gradley answered his daughter's big turn with an even better outing, smashing 1023 to put Boston in the lead late in the game. Dewey faltered with 150 for the Waves, collapsing under pressure to send them to a loss with 1909 overall. Sweetheart was hardly better, managing 160 to give the Swifts a final of 2233 for the game. Boston is up to 8-8 on the year, while Oceanside is also at .500, riding on 11-11.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates play in three of the next four league games, including a doubleheader to end this segment, all part of their seven-game home stand. The Sharpshooters, meanwhile embark on a six-game road trip. Chris poked a quick 396 for Capital City to lead things off. Delila countered well for Atlantic, putting them in the lead with 481 in her appearance, good for a slight advantage. Missy picked up 296 for the Sharpshooters to cover the deficit, good considering the road is not her friend this year. Isabella covered it with 328 for the Pirates, maintaining their lead halfway through the game. Sprinkles got knocked back at 66 for Capital City, hurting their chances of coming back. Americus tacked on 472 more for Atlantic, keeping them firmly in the lead as the final players step up to bat. Nicole fell with 177 for the Sharpshooters, giving them a loss on just 935 overall. Klaus pounded 590 at the end, adding the exclamation mark on the Pirates win with 1871. Atlantic extends their lead over the league to 13-3, while Capital City slides to 11-6.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: In the other game, the lowly Sharks come to challenge the league leaders in an Eastern Hills Division game. Chelsea seems to have found her form recently, carving out 538 for Eastside to begin this game. Delila fired back with 723 for Atlantic, giving them the initial lead in what's shaping up to be a competitive game. Taylor crushed 899 for the Sharks in response, restoring them to a large lead. The Pirates rookie Isabella couldn't handle the pressure, caving at 112 as the hosts have fallen behind. Niki lined another 537 for Eastside, giving them a massive lead that may not be topped. Americus couldn't do it for Atlantic, taking a measly 148 as they likely will take the loss for this game. Paps tapped only 60 for the Sharks on his turn, giving them 2068 as their final score. Klaus ended on 42 for the Pirates, and they lost with 1025 total. Eastside is up to 5-10 with the surprising division win, while Atlantic drops to 13-4 in a tie for second in the league.
That's all for this segment. Pool will follow later today, and more cricket could be up over the weekend.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Tournament 2017: B-level 1st Round - Day 7
Today features more pool, although in a potentially reduced schedule due to TV viewing commitments. We begin with...
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Chelsea v. Twinkie II. The first series of the day is 9-ball with the red cue between these talented competitors. Harrison's Twinkie II had to hold on tight against a strong Chelsea of Eastside in game 1, but Chelsea couldn't keep control, and Twinkie II made the last two shots to win for a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II played better in game 2, surviving a shaky start that saw the Sharks' Chelsea pushing the play, and then Twinkie II burst out with a five-ball run-out to win, making it 2-0 in the series. Twinkie II completed the 3-0 sweep in game 3, battling in a loosely-shot game to defeat Chelsea once again, earning advancement to the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Solaris. The Torpedoes' highly-hyped rookie debuts in Accuracy with the blue cue against a Rockers veteran. Infinity's Solaris quickly learned hype is not enough all the time, as he struggled mightily against Westside's Midnight in game 1. Midnight kept a commanding pace early before fading her way to a 4-7 win over Solaris for the 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Solaris had a much better game 2, watching the Rockers' Midnight scratch on the break for the second game in a row. Unlike before, Midnight did not recover this time, collapsing to a 2-5 loss to Solaris, who tied the series at 1 with his more confident game. Game 3 would require overtime, as only a scratch by Midnight kept her from winning in regulation time. Still, it was quick enough, as Solaris got nothing from the overtime break, and Midnight scored to win 1-2 for a 2-1 series win to take into the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Taylor Swift v. Twinkie I. The red cue is back for a series of 7-ball between two stalwart players. Eastside's Taylor quickly shot down rumblings of her decline, blasting a four-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out on her second turn, shutting down Lighton's Twinkie I effectively for the 1-0 series lead with her win. The Sharks' Taylor left the 7 tantalizingly close to the top left in game 2 on the break, encouraging both herself and the Prestige's Twinkie I to make passes at it. None of these worked, and Taylor again dominated possession to pick up the win with a three-ball run-out for the 2-0 clincher in the series. Taylor produced two separate three-ball runs in game 3, but it wasn't enough to hold off Twinkie I, who tapped in Taylor's miss on the 7 for the win to make it a 2-1 series. Taylor still showed well to advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Stripes. The orange-and-black derby is back as the Spiders rookie meets a current Knight and former Spider to play Rotation with the red cue. Terrace City's Stripes thought she had game 1 under control, but Web City's Ted twice came back, once to tie the game at 4, and then with a four-ball run-out to win 8-7 after a three-ball run from Stripes went for naught. Ted leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Ted played great defense early in game 2, but he got blocked once, and this was all the Knights' Stripes needed to break free, going on a six-ball run and winning 8-5 on the next turn to tie the series at 1 with her quick strike. Ted broke out with a six-ball run deep in game 3, giving himself a lead that he backed up with the last two balls to win 8-3 and secure the series at 2-1, leaving Stripes a bit disappointed. Ted heads to the second round after the performance, where he'll host Lorde of the Commerce Tradewinds at this venue.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Violetta. A falling star tries to correct course against a hotshot rookie in 7-ball with the silver cue. Tysini's Princess made quick work of game 1, leaving the 7 near the bottom right and then cashing in after Queens' Violetta missed on the 3. Violetta had made the 1 and 2, but left Princess poised for double-pot, sinking the 3 and the 7 with help from the 4 to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta played better in game 2, starting a four-ball run with a 1-2-5 combination to the bottom right. When the Hummingbirds' Princess later missed on the 6, Violetta cashed in with the last two shots to win, tying the series at 1 as well. Violetta left no doubt in game 3, starting a bit weak but ending with a five-ball run-out, including a hard bank on the 7 to the bottom left to seal the win and a 2-1 series win that sends her over Princess into the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Patches. We're back to Accuracy with the blue cue in this series between solid veterans. Boston's Patches fell behind early in game 1 and never came back from it, unable to navigate the leaves from Royal's Kayla as the host won 2-5 in an easy appearance for the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Patches got her game under control in game 2, holding a tie for much of the game before forcing the Crowns' Kayla into a miss on the last ball, allowing Patches to swoop in and grab the win 2-3, tying the series at 1 with a savvy veteran play. Game 3 came down to the last rotation of the cue ball, as a late miss by Patches put her behind. Had Kayla put a touch more power on her final shot, overtime would have commenced, but the cue stood and gave her a 1-2 win to make it a 2-1 series win for Kayla. She'll play on into the second round.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Hoppy v. Bear. The silver cue returns for 9-ball in this series, the last before a break. Southern's Hoppy had a nice break, but the rest of game 1 was a comedy of errors. Hoppy tried to do a 1-9 combination, coming up a bit short. Whitewater's Bear also tried a glancing shot, but he scratched while sinking the 9, giving Hoppy a win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was just as sloppy, but went full-length, and it was more favorable for the Shores' Bear, who was able to cue the 9 to the top center to get a win over the Monarchs' Hoppy, tying the series at 1. Game 3 went a bit faster and cleaner, with both players taking their chances. Bear had a good break, but didn't quite do as much to back it up, as Hoppy would take the win in the end, earning herself a place in the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Americus. The blue cue will be in play for 7-ball after the break. Atlantic's Americus came up with the win in game 1, starting off a bit slow after Modernistic's Daisy had an average break. Americus brought the heat late in the game, sinking a three-ball run-out to go ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 saw sloppiness on both sides, none more evident than the Union's Daisy missing the 6 at the top right, only for the Pirates' Americus to scratch while potting the 6 on the next turn. This made it an easy finish for Daisy to get the win, tying the so-far-unspectacular series at 1. Game 3 saw Americus come out with a blazing shot, going on a four-ball run early. Daisy nearly countered it for the win, but she missed on the 7, and Americus tapped it in at the top right to win and take the series 2-1. Americus heads to the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Zach. The blue cue also gets the first series of the night, playing 15-ball. The rest of today's games will also be played with the center light out. In game 1, neither player had a run of any note, and each missed on the 15. Pronger's Zach was the unlucky one, leaving the 15 at the top left for Golden's Charlton to tap in, giving her the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Charlton looked to be on pace for a similar game 2, facing little resistance from the Tridents' Zach but still failing to execute her shots until she put up a six-ball run-out to get the win and clinch the series at 2-0. Zach got lucky in game 3, overcoming the pressure from Charlton to use the 9 as a weapon, banking it to glance the 14 and bump the 15 to the top right for the win. Charlton took the series 2-1 despite the late misfortune.
Intel Center, Diamond: Rosalina v. Klaus. A pair of rookies go to battle in 12-ball with the silver cue. Diamond's Rosalina had a three-ball run early in game 1, but that would be the best of her play, as Atlantic's Klaus kept her away from her final pocket, slowly setting himself up to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw the Gems' Rosalina again in control of picking the suit, only to watch the Pirates' Klaus come back to get the win. This wasn't a pretty process for him, as he needed multiple shots on his last ball to get the job done, but he would win, moving to a 2-0 lead in the series. In game 3, Klaus made things even more difficult for himself, giving away a wild-card ball to Rosalina. She had position to win the game, but she failed to execute her shots, giving up her defense and allowing Klaus to win in the end. Klaus advances to the second round in a 3-0 series sweep.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Twilight. A strong Predators rookie faces the Warriors captain in this 9-ball series with the blue cue. Midland's Fuchsia did fine early on, making a couple of shots with no trouble, but she left the 2-9 combination for Central's Twilight to convert on her only shot of the game, giving the visitor a 1-0 series lead. Defense carried the day in game 2, as both players kept each other on the perimeter with unclear shots throughout. Things got simpler at the end, as the Predators' Fuchsia went on a bit of a run. She couldn't make it hold, as she rattled the 9 out at the top left so hard that the Warriors' Twilight made it in the bottom left to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw frustrations rise a bit as the shots failed to go down consistently. Twilight would mess up late in the game, allowing Fuchsia to get her first win in what was a 2-1 series win for Twilight. She will advance to the second round, facing Defenders rookie Bianca at GE Stadium Events Center in Southridge.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Diddley. A classic battle between strong players takes place in a series of Rotation with the red cue. Maplewood's Diddley was first to overcome a tough start to game 1, rallying to the brink of victory with a four-ball run. Commerce's Lionel shut him down, taking the last two balls for an 8-7 win to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was going toward a sloppy stretch as well, but the Tradewinds' Lionel pumped the brakes on that, shutting down the Lumberjacks' Diddley with a four-ball run-out to claim the game at 8-2, which also secured the series at 2-0 in a dominant finish to the game. Game 3 was even more frustrating given its lack of implications for the series, but it did feature Lionel going on a four-ball run-out to take the 8-7 win again over Diddley in a 3-0 series sweep. Lionel will host the Lighton Prestige's Twinkie I at this venue in the next round.
I don't know if I'll play tomorrow, as the quality of play has reverted to what it was like just before the recent extended breaks.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Chelsea v. Twinkie II. The first series of the day is 9-ball with the red cue between these talented competitors. Harrison's Twinkie II had to hold on tight against a strong Chelsea of Eastside in game 1, but Chelsea couldn't keep control, and Twinkie II made the last two shots to win for a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II played better in game 2, surviving a shaky start that saw the Sharks' Chelsea pushing the play, and then Twinkie II burst out with a five-ball run-out to win, making it 2-0 in the series. Twinkie II completed the 3-0 sweep in game 3, battling in a loosely-shot game to defeat Chelsea once again, earning advancement to the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Solaris. The Torpedoes' highly-hyped rookie debuts in Accuracy with the blue cue against a Rockers veteran. Infinity's Solaris quickly learned hype is not enough all the time, as he struggled mightily against Westside's Midnight in game 1. Midnight kept a commanding pace early before fading her way to a 4-7 win over Solaris for the 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Solaris had a much better game 2, watching the Rockers' Midnight scratch on the break for the second game in a row. Unlike before, Midnight did not recover this time, collapsing to a 2-5 loss to Solaris, who tied the series at 1 with his more confident game. Game 3 would require overtime, as only a scratch by Midnight kept her from winning in regulation time. Still, it was quick enough, as Solaris got nothing from the overtime break, and Midnight scored to win 1-2 for a 2-1 series win to take into the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Taylor Swift v. Twinkie I. The red cue is back for a series of 7-ball between two stalwart players. Eastside's Taylor quickly shot down rumblings of her decline, blasting a four-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out on her second turn, shutting down Lighton's Twinkie I effectively for the 1-0 series lead with her win. The Sharks' Taylor left the 7 tantalizingly close to the top left in game 2 on the break, encouraging both herself and the Prestige's Twinkie I to make passes at it. None of these worked, and Taylor again dominated possession to pick up the win with a three-ball run-out for the 2-0 clincher in the series. Taylor produced two separate three-ball runs in game 3, but it wasn't enough to hold off Twinkie I, who tapped in Taylor's miss on the 7 for the win to make it a 2-1 series. Taylor still showed well to advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Stripes. The orange-and-black derby is back as the Spiders rookie meets a current Knight and former Spider to play Rotation with the red cue. Terrace City's Stripes thought she had game 1 under control, but Web City's Ted twice came back, once to tie the game at 4, and then with a four-ball run-out to win 8-7 after a three-ball run from Stripes went for naught. Ted leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Ted played great defense early in game 2, but he got blocked once, and this was all the Knights' Stripes needed to break free, going on a six-ball run and winning 8-5 on the next turn to tie the series at 1 with her quick strike. Ted broke out with a six-ball run deep in game 3, giving himself a lead that he backed up with the last two balls to win 8-3 and secure the series at 2-1, leaving Stripes a bit disappointed. Ted heads to the second round after the performance, where he'll host Lorde of the Commerce Tradewinds at this venue.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Violetta. A falling star tries to correct course against a hotshot rookie in 7-ball with the silver cue. Tysini's Princess made quick work of game 1, leaving the 7 near the bottom right and then cashing in after Queens' Violetta missed on the 3. Violetta had made the 1 and 2, but left Princess poised for double-pot, sinking the 3 and the 7 with help from the 4 to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta played better in game 2, starting a four-ball run with a 1-2-5 combination to the bottom right. When the Hummingbirds' Princess later missed on the 6, Violetta cashed in with the last two shots to win, tying the series at 1 as well. Violetta left no doubt in game 3, starting a bit weak but ending with a five-ball run-out, including a hard bank on the 7 to the bottom left to seal the win and a 2-1 series win that sends her over Princess into the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Patches. We're back to Accuracy with the blue cue in this series between solid veterans. Boston's Patches fell behind early in game 1 and never came back from it, unable to navigate the leaves from Royal's Kayla as the host won 2-5 in an easy appearance for the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Patches got her game under control in game 2, holding a tie for much of the game before forcing the Crowns' Kayla into a miss on the last ball, allowing Patches to swoop in and grab the win 2-3, tying the series at 1 with a savvy veteran play. Game 3 came down to the last rotation of the cue ball, as a late miss by Patches put her behind. Had Kayla put a touch more power on her final shot, overtime would have commenced, but the cue stood and gave her a 1-2 win to make it a 2-1 series win for Kayla. She'll play on into the second round.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Hoppy v. Bear. The silver cue returns for 9-ball in this series, the last before a break. Southern's Hoppy had a nice break, but the rest of game 1 was a comedy of errors. Hoppy tried to do a 1-9 combination, coming up a bit short. Whitewater's Bear also tried a glancing shot, but he scratched while sinking the 9, giving Hoppy a win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was just as sloppy, but went full-length, and it was more favorable for the Shores' Bear, who was able to cue the 9 to the top center to get a win over the Monarchs' Hoppy, tying the series at 1. Game 3 went a bit faster and cleaner, with both players taking their chances. Bear had a good break, but didn't quite do as much to back it up, as Hoppy would take the win in the end, earning herself a place in the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Americus. The blue cue will be in play for 7-ball after the break. Atlantic's Americus came up with the win in game 1, starting off a bit slow after Modernistic's Daisy had an average break. Americus brought the heat late in the game, sinking a three-ball run-out to go ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 saw sloppiness on both sides, none more evident than the Union's Daisy missing the 6 at the top right, only for the Pirates' Americus to scratch while potting the 6 on the next turn. This made it an easy finish for Daisy to get the win, tying the so-far-unspectacular series at 1. Game 3 saw Americus come out with a blazing shot, going on a four-ball run early. Daisy nearly countered it for the win, but she missed on the 7, and Americus tapped it in at the top right to win and take the series 2-1. Americus heads to the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Zach. The blue cue also gets the first series of the night, playing 15-ball. The rest of today's games will also be played with the center light out. In game 1, neither player had a run of any note, and each missed on the 15. Pronger's Zach was the unlucky one, leaving the 15 at the top left for Golden's Charlton to tap in, giving her the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Charlton looked to be on pace for a similar game 2, facing little resistance from the Tridents' Zach but still failing to execute her shots until she put up a six-ball run-out to get the win and clinch the series at 2-0. Zach got lucky in game 3, overcoming the pressure from Charlton to use the 9 as a weapon, banking it to glance the 14 and bump the 15 to the top right for the win. Charlton took the series 2-1 despite the late misfortune.
Intel Center, Diamond: Rosalina v. Klaus. A pair of rookies go to battle in 12-ball with the silver cue. Diamond's Rosalina had a three-ball run early in game 1, but that would be the best of her play, as Atlantic's Klaus kept her away from her final pocket, slowly setting himself up to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw the Gems' Rosalina again in control of picking the suit, only to watch the Pirates' Klaus come back to get the win. This wasn't a pretty process for him, as he needed multiple shots on his last ball to get the job done, but he would win, moving to a 2-0 lead in the series. In game 3, Klaus made things even more difficult for himself, giving away a wild-card ball to Rosalina. She had position to win the game, but she failed to execute her shots, giving up her defense and allowing Klaus to win in the end. Klaus advances to the second round in a 3-0 series sweep.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Twilight. A strong Predators rookie faces the Warriors captain in this 9-ball series with the blue cue. Midland's Fuchsia did fine early on, making a couple of shots with no trouble, but she left the 2-9 combination for Central's Twilight to convert on her only shot of the game, giving the visitor a 1-0 series lead. Defense carried the day in game 2, as both players kept each other on the perimeter with unclear shots throughout. Things got simpler at the end, as the Predators' Fuchsia went on a bit of a run. She couldn't make it hold, as she rattled the 9 out at the top left so hard that the Warriors' Twilight made it in the bottom left to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw frustrations rise a bit as the shots failed to go down consistently. Twilight would mess up late in the game, allowing Fuchsia to get her first win in what was a 2-1 series win for Twilight. She will advance to the second round, facing Defenders rookie Bianca at GE Stadium Events Center in Southridge.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Diddley. A classic battle between strong players takes place in a series of Rotation with the red cue. Maplewood's Diddley was first to overcome a tough start to game 1, rallying to the brink of victory with a four-ball run. Commerce's Lionel shut him down, taking the last two balls for an 8-7 win to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was going toward a sloppy stretch as well, but the Tradewinds' Lionel pumped the brakes on that, shutting down the Lumberjacks' Diddley with a four-ball run-out to claim the game at 8-2, which also secured the series at 2-0 in a dominant finish to the game. Game 3 was even more frustrating given its lack of implications for the series, but it did feature Lionel going on a four-ball run-out to take the 8-7 win again over Diddley in a 3-0 series sweep. Lionel will host the Lighton Prestige's Twinkie I at this venue in the next round.
I don't know if I'll play tomorrow, as the quality of play has reverted to what it was like just before the recent extended breaks.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Tournament 2017: B-level 1st Round - Day 6
We're back with more pool for today, beginning with a rematch from yesterday...
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Twinkie III. The Defenders rookie advanced in their meeting yesterday, but this one is 10-ball with the red cue. Southridge's Bianca played the better game in game 1, and was rewarded as Whitewater's Twinkie III couldn't convert on a kick attempt. Bianca shot long-distance to the top right on the 10, sinking it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Bianca outplayed the Shores' Twinkie III again in game 2, forcing the visitor into a couple of misses and making multiple balls on most of her turns. Bianca secured the series at 2-0 by making the 10 on her second try for the win. Game 3 was the sloppiest of the series, with both players leaving some shots in the open with aggressive tactics. Twinkie III had a three-ball run late in the game, but Bianca would be the one cleaning up the last two shots to win, sweeping the series 3-0 to advance again.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Midnight. Staying on the same red cue 10-ball bracket, we play our second series of the day. Victoria's Yekaterina had a huge five-ball run in game 1, the highlight for her, but a late fade allowed Westside's Midnight to make the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina recovered in game 2, as a defensive game early turned into quite the battle late with the Rockers' Midnight challenging. She missed on the 9, allowing Yekaterina a chance to finish the game, which she did, tying the series at 1 in the process. Game 3 came down to the final shot, but it was Yekaterina scratching while shooting the 10 that turned the tide in favor of Midnight, who tapped in the 10 to win and take the series 2-1. Midnight advances to the second round, traveling to Pronger's Ford Forum to face the Tridents' Zach.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Spice v. Waluigi. This is the second series in a venue doubleheader, with the players shooting 15-ball with the silver cue, and the winner will face Eastside Shark Paps in the second round. Victoria's Spice made a couple of difficult shots in game 1, keeping Maplewood's Waluigi behind her in a skill sense. Things got tricky around the 7, which eventually went in combination for Spice to take the game 1 win and a 1-0 series lead as she hit the 15 to the top left. Game 2 was quite forgettable for both players, as the poor break from the Spurs' Spice led to minutes of poor and sloppy shooting, culminating in a miss on the 15 by the Lumberjacks' Waluigi. Spice tapped it in to win, clinching the series at 2-0 despite her iffy shooting. Spice iced the series at 3-0 in game 3, having two close calls on the 15 before a 5-10-15 combination sank it in the top side to get the win over an overwhelmed Waluigi, sending Spice to host Paps next round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Panda. One of the historically worst players meets this year's worst qualifier in 8-ball with the silver cue. Atlantic's Delila showed promise with a five-ball run from the break, but she couldn't get any more after that, hitting a wall that saw Southern's Panda rally all the way back to take the win with short runs for a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Delila was concerned of a game 2 collapse as well, as she worked a seven-ball run only to see the Monarchs' Panda answer with a four-ball run. Delila made the 8 to the top side to end the scare, tying the series at 1. Delila went deep on a six-ball run in game 3, including making three stripes on the break. Panda answered with a five-ball run, and while Delila did make the last stripe, she missed on the 8. Panda buried a three-ball run-out to swipe the series 2-1, earning him a trip to Cisco Arena in Tysini to face the Hummingbirds' Charli.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Salmo v. Sally. The red cue returns to action for 9-ball, with a rookie going against a longtime star. Archtown's Sally held off a strong start from the Lighton Prestige rookie Salmo, answering in the end with a four-ball run-out to give Sally the win and a 1-0 advantage in the series. Game 2 went much the same, with the Prestige's Salmo getting in a few shots early on, but the Arrows' Sally had other plans for the finish. Using remarkable foresight and positioning, Sally made the end very easy in her five-ball run-out, clinching the series at 2-0 with the victory. Sally couldn't quite keep up the routine in game 3, leaving the 9 available for Salmo to bank to the top side on an impressive shot that make it a 2-1 series overall. Sally heads to the second round with the win.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Panda v. Misty. The blue cue gets its first series of the day, playing Accuracy. Game 1 was very tight, with Southern's Panda inducing a miss onto Westside's Misty early on. She returned the favor late, forcing overtime, and Panda missed again, giving Misty the 1-2 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda played a bit tougher in game 2, forcing the Rockers' Misty to take three straight misses that would prove too much for her to come back from. Panda did fade at the end with a tough spread of shots, but he held on for a 3-5 win to tie the series at 1. Panda thrilled the crowd in game 3, falling behind early only to quickly put Misty down by multiple shots. The final favored Panda 2-5, giving him the series at 2-1 and sending him into the second round for a second time today.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Patches. The silver cue is back for more 8-ball, with the winner of this series set to face Roxy in the next round. North Modernistic's Cheddar had a bit of a slow start, but Boston's Patches couldn't make an impact, and Cheddar used short runs in the middle and late stages of the game to get the win, ending on a sweet kick of the 8 to the top right for the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, both players had four-ball runs to start their effort. The Nighthawks' Cheddar back it up with a three-ball run, while the Swifts' Patches only made two and fouled, giving Cheddar a tap-in on the 8 to get the win and clinch the series at 2-0. Patches had the early advantage in game 3, but Cheddar wiped it out with a five-ball run, ending on a scratch but also with a highlight double-pot of the 9 to the bottom side and 13 to the bottom right. Cheddar recovered enough to make a three-ball run-out with excellent positioning to secure the sweep at 3-0, sending her to the next round to face Roxy at this venue.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Leonardo. The last series before the break has the silver cue up for Accuracy. Game 1 saw Midland's Leonardo fall behind early on, and while he tried to make things difficult for Web City's Dani, she proved slippery and he couldn't keep up with her. The final score favored Dani 3-6, giving her a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 appeared to be heading down the same path, but a critical bank of the 5 to the bottom side put the Predators' Leonardo in control. The Spiders' Dani reeled for two misses in a row, and she would take the 2-4 loss in the end, allowing Leonardo to tie the series at 1 with his win. Dani had Leonardo on the ropes for much of game 3, with only a scratch causing her trouble late in the game. Leonardo failed to pressure her, and Dani won 2-4 to take the series 2-1 and advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Nikolai. The Spiders newcomer will stay in action, leading off the night with 15-ball and the red cue in the second half of her doubleheader. Web City's Dani had quite the break, sending the cue ball flying off the table. Small errors piled up for her in the game, which allowed Freedom's Nikolai to have free reign in the end, as he put up a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a bit sloppy, with the Cascades' Nikolai producing a soft break that proved troublesome for most of the game. In the end, the Spiders' Dani missed on the 15, and it fell in line for Nikolai to take, giving him the series as well as he went up 2-0 in the series. Nikolai had a four-ball run to pace his game 3 attack, and while Dani kept things competitive, her late miss on the 15 gave away another game to Nikolai, as he advanced on a 3-0 sweep. Nikolai will face the Meteors' Nibbles in Viewpoint Sound's Volkswagen Stadium Events Center in the next round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Hannah v. Lorde. Inexperienced players go head-to-head in this series of Rotation with the red cue. Commerce's Lorde had to weather a heavy early attack from Royal's Hannah in game 1, but she came out just fine, rallying to tie and eventually win the game 8-5 for a 1-0 lead in the series for Lorde. In game 2, the Tradewinds' Lorde started on a four-ball run, only to be caught immediately by a four-ball run from the Crowns' Hannah. Lorde got away on the second escape, as a miss by Hannah led to Lorde kicking the 9 into the bottom left and then banking the 10 to the bottom side for the 8-4 win, sealing the series at 2-0 with the victory. Lorde should have had game 3 as well, dominating early only to give up a four-ball run-out to Hannah at the end of an 8-7 loss. The series still favored Lorde 2-1, sending her to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Max. The silver cue ends its 8-ball obligations for the round with this series. Game 1 went horribly wrong for Harrison's Twinkie II, as she was already behind when she illegally potted the 8, giving Queens' Max an expedited win and a 1-0 series lead in embarrassing fashion. The Flames' Max came out with a four-ball run from the break, answered directly with a four-ball run from the Specters' Twinkie II on what was her only turn in game 2. Max shot right back with a four-ball run-out to seal the game, using clever shot selection and execution to get the win and a 2-0 series lead. Twinkie II applied a lot of pressure in game 3, working her way to a six-ball run early on. Max made somewhat of a comeback, but Twinkie II banked the 8 to the bottom left to get the win, making it a 2-1 series. Max will travel Westside's BMW RockDome to face the Rockers' Goatee in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dominic v. Leandra. The last series of the day is a battle between brother and sister in 7-ball with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Dominic seemed to have the edge in game 1, but a late miss on the 7 ruined the game, as Tysini's Leandra cashed in on a bank to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. Leandra fared very well in game 2 as well, as the Hummingbirds' star used the Meteors' Dominic missing on the 2 as the catalyst for her quick finish. Leandra needed only two shots, making a 3-7 combination to the top left to secure the game and clinch the series at 2-0. Leandra completed the 3-0 sweep of her brother with a three-ball run-out in game 3, with two tough cuts and a bank of the 7 to the top side to end it effectively. Leandra is through to the second round.
We'll continue to play at approximately this pace as long as the shooting is passable.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Twinkie III. The Defenders rookie advanced in their meeting yesterday, but this one is 10-ball with the red cue. Southridge's Bianca played the better game in game 1, and was rewarded as Whitewater's Twinkie III couldn't convert on a kick attempt. Bianca shot long-distance to the top right on the 10, sinking it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Bianca outplayed the Shores' Twinkie III again in game 2, forcing the visitor into a couple of misses and making multiple balls on most of her turns. Bianca secured the series at 2-0 by making the 10 on her second try for the win. Game 3 was the sloppiest of the series, with both players leaving some shots in the open with aggressive tactics. Twinkie III had a three-ball run late in the game, but Bianca would be the one cleaning up the last two shots to win, sweeping the series 3-0 to advance again.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Midnight. Staying on the same red cue 10-ball bracket, we play our second series of the day. Victoria's Yekaterina had a huge five-ball run in game 1, the highlight for her, but a late fade allowed Westside's Midnight to make the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina recovered in game 2, as a defensive game early turned into quite the battle late with the Rockers' Midnight challenging. She missed on the 9, allowing Yekaterina a chance to finish the game, which she did, tying the series at 1 in the process. Game 3 came down to the final shot, but it was Yekaterina scratching while shooting the 10 that turned the tide in favor of Midnight, who tapped in the 10 to win and take the series 2-1. Midnight advances to the second round, traveling to Pronger's Ford Forum to face the Tridents' Zach.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Spice v. Waluigi. This is the second series in a venue doubleheader, with the players shooting 15-ball with the silver cue, and the winner will face Eastside Shark Paps in the second round. Victoria's Spice made a couple of difficult shots in game 1, keeping Maplewood's Waluigi behind her in a skill sense. Things got tricky around the 7, which eventually went in combination for Spice to take the game 1 win and a 1-0 series lead as she hit the 15 to the top left. Game 2 was quite forgettable for both players, as the poor break from the Spurs' Spice led to minutes of poor and sloppy shooting, culminating in a miss on the 15 by the Lumberjacks' Waluigi. Spice tapped it in to win, clinching the series at 2-0 despite her iffy shooting. Spice iced the series at 3-0 in game 3, having two close calls on the 15 before a 5-10-15 combination sank it in the top side to get the win over an overwhelmed Waluigi, sending Spice to host Paps next round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Panda. One of the historically worst players meets this year's worst qualifier in 8-ball with the silver cue. Atlantic's Delila showed promise with a five-ball run from the break, but she couldn't get any more after that, hitting a wall that saw Southern's Panda rally all the way back to take the win with short runs for a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Delila was concerned of a game 2 collapse as well, as she worked a seven-ball run only to see the Monarchs' Panda answer with a four-ball run. Delila made the 8 to the top side to end the scare, tying the series at 1. Delila went deep on a six-ball run in game 3, including making three stripes on the break. Panda answered with a five-ball run, and while Delila did make the last stripe, she missed on the 8. Panda buried a three-ball run-out to swipe the series 2-1, earning him a trip to Cisco Arena in Tysini to face the Hummingbirds' Charli.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Salmo v. Sally. The red cue returns to action for 9-ball, with a rookie going against a longtime star. Archtown's Sally held off a strong start from the Lighton Prestige rookie Salmo, answering in the end with a four-ball run-out to give Sally the win and a 1-0 advantage in the series. Game 2 went much the same, with the Prestige's Salmo getting in a few shots early on, but the Arrows' Sally had other plans for the finish. Using remarkable foresight and positioning, Sally made the end very easy in her five-ball run-out, clinching the series at 2-0 with the victory. Sally couldn't quite keep up the routine in game 3, leaving the 9 available for Salmo to bank to the top side on an impressive shot that make it a 2-1 series overall. Sally heads to the second round with the win.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Panda v. Misty. The blue cue gets its first series of the day, playing Accuracy. Game 1 was very tight, with Southern's Panda inducing a miss onto Westside's Misty early on. She returned the favor late, forcing overtime, and Panda missed again, giving Misty the 1-2 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda played a bit tougher in game 2, forcing the Rockers' Misty to take three straight misses that would prove too much for her to come back from. Panda did fade at the end with a tough spread of shots, but he held on for a 3-5 win to tie the series at 1. Panda thrilled the crowd in game 3, falling behind early only to quickly put Misty down by multiple shots. The final favored Panda 2-5, giving him the series at 2-1 and sending him into the second round for a second time today.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Patches. The silver cue is back for more 8-ball, with the winner of this series set to face Roxy in the next round. North Modernistic's Cheddar had a bit of a slow start, but Boston's Patches couldn't make an impact, and Cheddar used short runs in the middle and late stages of the game to get the win, ending on a sweet kick of the 8 to the top right for the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, both players had four-ball runs to start their effort. The Nighthawks' Cheddar back it up with a three-ball run, while the Swifts' Patches only made two and fouled, giving Cheddar a tap-in on the 8 to get the win and clinch the series at 2-0. Patches had the early advantage in game 3, but Cheddar wiped it out with a five-ball run, ending on a scratch but also with a highlight double-pot of the 9 to the bottom side and 13 to the bottom right. Cheddar recovered enough to make a three-ball run-out with excellent positioning to secure the sweep at 3-0, sending her to the next round to face Roxy at this venue.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Leonardo. The last series before the break has the silver cue up for Accuracy. Game 1 saw Midland's Leonardo fall behind early on, and while he tried to make things difficult for Web City's Dani, she proved slippery and he couldn't keep up with her. The final score favored Dani 3-6, giving her a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 appeared to be heading down the same path, but a critical bank of the 5 to the bottom side put the Predators' Leonardo in control. The Spiders' Dani reeled for two misses in a row, and she would take the 2-4 loss in the end, allowing Leonardo to tie the series at 1 with his win. Dani had Leonardo on the ropes for much of game 3, with only a scratch causing her trouble late in the game. Leonardo failed to pressure her, and Dani won 2-4 to take the series 2-1 and advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Nikolai. The Spiders newcomer will stay in action, leading off the night with 15-ball and the red cue in the second half of her doubleheader. Web City's Dani had quite the break, sending the cue ball flying off the table. Small errors piled up for her in the game, which allowed Freedom's Nikolai to have free reign in the end, as he put up a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a bit sloppy, with the Cascades' Nikolai producing a soft break that proved troublesome for most of the game. In the end, the Spiders' Dani missed on the 15, and it fell in line for Nikolai to take, giving him the series as well as he went up 2-0 in the series. Nikolai had a four-ball run to pace his game 3 attack, and while Dani kept things competitive, her late miss on the 15 gave away another game to Nikolai, as he advanced on a 3-0 sweep. Nikolai will face the Meteors' Nibbles in Viewpoint Sound's Volkswagen Stadium Events Center in the next round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Hannah v. Lorde. Inexperienced players go head-to-head in this series of Rotation with the red cue. Commerce's Lorde had to weather a heavy early attack from Royal's Hannah in game 1, but she came out just fine, rallying to tie and eventually win the game 8-5 for a 1-0 lead in the series for Lorde. In game 2, the Tradewinds' Lorde started on a four-ball run, only to be caught immediately by a four-ball run from the Crowns' Hannah. Lorde got away on the second escape, as a miss by Hannah led to Lorde kicking the 9 into the bottom left and then banking the 10 to the bottom side for the 8-4 win, sealing the series at 2-0 with the victory. Lorde should have had game 3 as well, dominating early only to give up a four-ball run-out to Hannah at the end of an 8-7 loss. The series still favored Lorde 2-1, sending her to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Max. The silver cue ends its 8-ball obligations for the round with this series. Game 1 went horribly wrong for Harrison's Twinkie II, as she was already behind when she illegally potted the 8, giving Queens' Max an expedited win and a 1-0 series lead in embarrassing fashion. The Flames' Max came out with a four-ball run from the break, answered directly with a four-ball run from the Specters' Twinkie II on what was her only turn in game 2. Max shot right back with a four-ball run-out to seal the game, using clever shot selection and execution to get the win and a 2-0 series lead. Twinkie II applied a lot of pressure in game 3, working her way to a six-ball run early on. Max made somewhat of a comeback, but Twinkie II banked the 8 to the bottom left to get the win, making it a 2-1 series. Max will travel Westside's BMW RockDome to face the Rockers' Goatee in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dominic v. Leandra. The last series of the day is a battle between brother and sister in 7-ball with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Dominic seemed to have the edge in game 1, but a late miss on the 7 ruined the game, as Tysini's Leandra cashed in on a bank to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. Leandra fared very well in game 2 as well, as the Hummingbirds' star used the Meteors' Dominic missing on the 2 as the catalyst for her quick finish. Leandra needed only two shots, making a 3-7 combination to the top left to secure the game and clinch the series at 2-0. Leandra completed the 3-0 sweep of her brother with a three-ball run-out in game 3, with two tough cuts and a bank of the 7 to the top side to end it effectively. Leandra is through to the second round.
We'll continue to play at approximately this pace as long as the shooting is passable.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)