We're back for a new day of games. We'll likely play four series today unless fatigue sets in, as the pace of play has taken a toll this week. We begin with...
Potter v. Patches v. Avril Lavigne at Ford Forum, Pronger. Patches prevailed in game 1, most sternly challenged by Potter as they battled with the highs and the lows. Patches protected her lows well, and took out Avril on a five-ball run before knocking Potter out on the next turn for her first win. Potter provided a much better effort in game 2, working a five-ball run on his first turn as he chose to protect the highs again. Avril stepped in to take out Patches on her first turn, and Potter then made a three-ball run-out to get his first win over Avril. Patches got back into the swing of things for game 3, protecting the mediums this time after a good start to the game. Potter elected to secure a point for himself, quickly putting Avril on edge after she messed up her first turn, and Patches knocked her out. Patches took some time to get Potter out, but she succeeded for her second win. Game 4 saw another downturn for Patches, as she couldn't keep her highs on the table after two turns. Potter did most of the damage, but Avril dealt the final blow, and she managed to make her advantage count for a win two turns later when she beat Potter. Avril and Potter did more battle in game 5, after Avril had made a strong run on her second turn that left Potter in good position to knock out Patches. Potter would also beat Avril this time, but not as easily as he should have after a shaky turn. Avril brought the series to two wins for everybody when she made a six-ball run on her first turn and a three-ball run on her second turn, both plays combining to weaken Potter early and then eliminate him two shots before downing Patches' last ball. Patches broke the deadlock with an effective first turn in game 7, putting herself in defense of the lows. Potter took the medium set, and put a lot of pressure on Avril, who couldn't recover from the early attacks, allowing Patches to take her out on the second turn. Patches continued the run, and while Potter countered, Patches picked up the win, her third of the series. Potter had a dominant game 8 with an eight-ball run to establish himself. Avril's making of the 6 on her first turn relegated Patches to third place duties, but Potter made quick work of Avril's last two balls for his third win. Avril put in a similar effort in game 9 with an eight-ball run, and Patches did her part with a couple of shots to put Potter down. However, Avril scratched late in the game, sparking two turns of futility before Patches stepped up to down her and then Potter for her fourth win. Avril and Potter helped offset Patches' four-ball run from a thundering break in game 10. After the first turn, things looked even, but Avril took out Potter quickly, and then bested Patches through defensive positioning to get the win, her third of the series. Potter bounced back with a five-ball run in game 11 that did a lot of damage to the mediums that Avril held after Patches took lows and Potter grabbed highs. Patches made it interesting in the end, but Potter did a 12-5 combination to the top left for his fourth win in the series. Potter had an interesting dilemma on hand in game 12 near the end, with all three players fairly even. He ended up taking a beneficial strategy with a three-ball run-out that downed Patches and then Avril for his fifth win. Potter heads off the the second round, while Patches scored 15 points and Avril took 12 for qualifying.
Taylor Swift v. Vladimir Vasilyev v. Dewey at Nike Field Events Center, Commerce. Vladimir starred with big runs on his first two turns, leaving just three mediums on the board alongside his high set. Dewey accidentally revived Taylor with a scratch, and Taylor quickly betrayed him to earn a point, although that was all she got as Vladimir closed up the win. Taylor and Vladimir switched roles in game 2, as Taylor delivered a bruising second turn to everyone. She knocked out Dewey first, then had two collateral damage shots before wiping out Vladimir's 5 for the win on a huge run. Taylor attacked with force, making two balls on the break of game 3 and then potting her own medium to ignite the rest of the run. Vladimir stepped in to claim the lows, which proved a mistake at the end. Taylor got control after a lull, taking out Vladimir and Dewey in that order on the last two shots for her second win. Taylor made her big surge in game 4 on her third turn, after weathering a slight attack from Vladimir early on. Dewey and Vladimir had shaky performances on the whole in this game, and Taylor picked them off with a six-ball run-out, with Vladimir getting the second place finish. Taylor had a slow start in game 5, and Dewey and Vladimir nearly did enough to put her out of the game. Taylor didn't help her cause by scratching, but the extra balls on the table diverted her opponents' attentions to each other. Vladimir ended up ousting Dewey, and then Taylor battled two aside with Vladimir, before potting one of her own balls to get a clear shot at his for her fourth win in the series. Taylor didn't last very long in game 6 despite her strong break. When Dewey shot into a cluster, Taylor couldn't get anything out of the next shot, and Vladimir and Dewey combined to take her out. Vladimir followed up by knocking out Dewey two turns later for his second win. Dewey and Vladimir got established well in game 7, but Taylor starred with a five-ball run to make things close near the end of the game. She couldn't complete the effort, leaving Vladimir to knock her out before Dewey for his third win of the two-horse race of a series. Vladimir kept up the fight in game 8, using Dewey to help him weaken Taylor early on before betraying Dewey to face Taylor directly. Taylor nearly got the better of Vladimir, but the rookie held strong to pick up his fourth win, pulling even with Taylor on the brink of advancing. Dewey decided to have a say in game 9, picking up the low set and using it to great effect. In the end, he struck a four-ball run-out, downing Taylor and then Vladimir for his first win in the series. Dewey wasn't done yet, striking early in game 10 with a strong run to pick up the medium set. Vladimir took a few pot shots at Taylor, but couldn't take her out, and she managed to even things out a bit. Dewey still got his second win, taking out Vladimir first and then Taylor on his three-ball run-out. Dewey had another good break in game 11, claiming the lows with his play. Taylor took some time to establish herself with the highs, but both she and Dewey nearly got Vladimir knocked out. Vladimir fought back with a four-ball run, but Dewey prevailed again, taking out Vladimir and Taylor on consecutive shots for his third win. Dewey had something brewing in game 12, but Taylor snuffed it out pretty quickly. Vladimir had made it a mission to attack Taylor, but Dewey and Taylor fought him off. Dewey had a chance to win late, but rattled Taylor's 7 out, and she cut his 14 to the bottom side for her fifth win and the series. Vladimir finished with 16 points, while Dewey's late rally got him up to 13 points.
Midnight v. Dusky v. Leandra at BMW RockDome, Westside. Originally scheduled for Friday, this series and the next four after it went on Monday. Midnight didn't get a great start to game 1, but she started playing well from her second shot. She and Leandra combined strongly against Dusky, who didn't do much to defend herself. Leandra then got the upper hand on Midnight for her first win of the series. Leandra set the tone on the break of game 2, claiming the medium set again. Midnight showed the weakest in this game, but she still took a second place, as Dusky woke up with a three-ball run-out at the end for the win, her first. Dusky reverted back to poor shooting in game 3, and Midnight also had some struggles with her accuracy, but after Dusky went out thanks to Leandra's attack, Midnight barely held Leandra off for the win, putting all three players at one win. Leandra's success in game 4 stemmed from a very lucky five-ball run that saw Dusky benched rather abruptly. Midnight tried to fight back as she protected the highs, but she missed on Leandra's last ball, and Leandra made both of Midnight's for her second win. Leandra didn't get as much out of game 5, as Midnight launched the first attack and Dusky went deep on a four-ball run to damage Leandra later in the game. Leandra weakened both opponents, but quickly fell to Midnight, who would win her second game on a three-ball run-out. Dusky and Leandra each had big runs in game 6, quickly destroying the low set that belonged to Midnight. Seeking vengeance, Midnight instead scratched on her second turn, and Dusky soon put her out of her misery. Leandra would prevail in the end, making both of Dusky's remaining balls after Dusky couldn't clear Leandra off the table. The win was Leandra's third. Leandra and Dusky combined to take out Midnight again early in game 7, although Leandra did most of the heavy lifting this time as Dusky and Midnight both had struggles. Leandra eventually found her shot in a frustrating finish, taking out Dusky after awhile for her fourth win. Leandra had an abbreviated first turn in game 8, allowing Dusky to set the tone early in the game. Dusky did just that, putting Midnight in a tough position. Leandra's second turn left plenty to be desired as well, and Dusky took the win on a five-ball run-out that saw her end Midnight on the second shot before making three straight against Leandra for her second victory. Leandra and Dusky seemed to continue their casual partnership during game 9, working to pummel Midnight's mediums. Leandra turned first with a deep run that would have knocked Dusky out were it not for a scratch. This kept Dusky in the game, and she would pull off a five-ball run-out in the end, knocking out Leandra and then Midnight for her third win in the series. Dusky went on a crazy seven-ball run-out late in game 10 for her fourth win, pulling even in the series with Leandra, who had made the early push in this game. Dusky kept her highs on the table and attacked relentlessly, denying Leandra a point by taking her out first. Dusky switched over to lows for game 11, and managed to play off Leandra and Midnight against each other. Both were weakened by their personal rivalry too much to combat Dusky. Midnight took Leandra out somewhat selfishly, and Dusky then made Midnight's last ball to win the series with her fifth win. Leandra had 14 points in qualifying, while Midnight took 12.
Wings v. Lexi Woode v. Puff I at Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central. Wings made a good impression on his new home fans in game 1, keeping all of his balls on the table through two turns thanks to scratches by both of his opponents. Puff I was in trouble from the start, and Lexi had difficulty in attack, allowing Wings to oust Lexi and then Puff I with minimal resistance for his first win. Game 2 saw a dramatic drop in shot quality on all sides, mostly due to a cluster containing all three sets of balls. Puff I and Lexi managed to keep themselves in the game, while Wings fell to an early exit, and then Lexi beat Puff I when the latter missed a late shot. This was Lexi's first win. Lexi wouldn't get as lucky in game 3, as both of her opponents targeted what would become her medium suit early on. Lexi also scratched, hurting her cause, and Puff I made sure to take her out first. Puff I almost got the win, but her last shot ended her own high suit instead of Wings' lows, giving Wings his second win. Game 4 went even better for Wings, who claimed his highs at the start of the game with a firm break. Puff I and Lexi each had runs, Lexi going five balls to bring everything to an even level. Wings then struck with Lexi going out first, and then a tap-in on Puff I's 2 for Wings' third win of the series. Lexi established herself first with the mediums in game 5, and went on a significant run to damage her opponents. Wings then picked the lows to defend, after potting and a medium and a high to spark a six-ball run-out for his fourth win in a surge of brilliant shooting. Wings iced off the series with a firm break to take the lows in game 6. Lexi soon attacked his lows while defending the mediums, but her scratch gave Wings new life. Puff I had one weak turn, and then Wings finished Lexi off before ousting Puff I on the next turn for the series-clinching win. The quick series saw Puff I claim 5 points while Lexi took only 4, both already eliminated from a chance of reentering the competition in the second round.
Ms. Kitty v. Kayla v. Cassandra at Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific. Ms. Kitty knows this will be a tough series to get anything out of, going against good friends. Kayla and Cassandra didn't definitively work against Ms. Kitty, but they did knock her out first, with Cassandra dealing the death blow first to Ms. Kitty with collateral damage, and then to Kayla for her first win. Ms. Kitty managed to put both Cassandra and Kayla on the edge of defeat in game 2, but it didn't do any good, as Cassandra followed up her big opening run with a three-ball run-out, seating Ms. Kitty and then Kayla, for her second win. Ms. Kitty completed half of the job in game 3, earning herself a point when she knocked out Cassandra after scratching on the previous turn. Kayla still had a lot of strength and pinned Ms. Kitty in a bad spot before taking her out on the next turn, giving Kayla her first win of the series. Cassandra and Kayla found their partnership at an awkward spot after an eight-ball run by Ms. Kitty left both of them vulnerable. Cassandra opted to equalize things, but then denied Kayla a point as she let Ms. Kitty finish second in Cassandra's third win of the series in four games. Ms. Kitty finally struck for a win in game 5, driving a stake between Cassandra and Kayla after their lingering bitterness from the last game. Both took shots at each other, allowing Ms. Kitty's lows to stand longer, and then Ms. Kitty took out Cassandra's mediums and Kayla's highs on a four-ball run-out for her first win. Ms. Kitty kept the tensions between her opponents high, turning against Cassandra to pile on to what Kayla had done earlier in game 6. Cassandra didn't strike back well enough and found herself out fairly quickly. Ms. Kitty then beat Kayla head-to-head for her second win of the series. Ms. Kitty continued the divide and conquer technique in game 7, weathering a renewed attacked from Kayla and Cassandra at the start. Ms. Kitty managed to knock out Kayla first, and then held off Cassandra at the end to grab her third win of the series, pulling even with Cassandra in wins. Ms. Kitty came back from the dead for the win in game 8, as Cassandra's second scratch of the game came on what would have been the final shot. Kayla didn't get much done on her turn, but Ms. Kitty knocked Kayla back out of the game before downing Cassandra for her fourth win. Cassandra also went on the brink of advancing as she won game 9, with a renewed helpful effort from Kayla to keep Ms. Kitty away from the title as it becomes more obvious Kayla won't take the series. Cassandra still pushed Kayla around a bit, but took out Ms. Kitty first in her fourth win. Ms. Kitty went on a massive run on her first turn of game 10, forcing Kayla out of the game, and then going head-to-head with Cassandra. Ms. Kitty's run faded too soon, and Cassandra pulled off a three-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series in the process. Ms. Kitty took 15 points in qualifying, while Kayla's already done at just 8 points.
Mitchell v. Twinkie II v. Nightfur at Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison. Mitchell one-upped his future captain in game 1, running six balls from the break to make things tough. The true hometown hero, Twinkie II, did what she could with what was left, and Mitchell would knock out Nightfur on his second turn. Mitchell was slow to close out the game, but he did get his first win over Twinkie II. Mitchell again had a stunning break for a rookie in game 2, choosing to protect mediums this time. He and Twinkie II damaged Nightfur enough that her counterattack became unimportant, and Mitchell took Nightfur out on his second turn, and then Twinkie II thanks to some good defense on the next turn. Mitchell has two wins already in the series. Nightfur drew a point of the pair of Specters with her game 3 performance, following up Twinkie II's fierce attack against the lows. Nightfur kept Mitchell in the game in a weakened state, but took him out first on her three-ball run-out, and then benched Twinkie II for her first win. Nightfur furthered the divide between the teammates she's opposing, striking quickly against one set in game 4. Twinkie II and Mitchell were both dumbfounded by the move, and Nightfur did more on the second turn before Twinkie II threw Mitchell under the bus. Mitchell predictably exited first, and Nightfur wasted no time in completing a four-ball run-out to oust Twinkie II as well for her second win. Mitchell's only action in game 5 was a scratch that kept Twinkie II at full strength through the first turn. Nightfur didn't waste time in taking Mitchell out, and she put a bit of damage on Twinkie II during the four-ball run, but Twinkie II ousted Nightfur with a three-ball run-out to earn her first win. Twinkie II had a decent game going as she defended the highs in game 6 from the break, but a late scratch coupled with Mitchell's previous surge left Twinkie II in trouble. Nightfur would take her down, and then turned to Mitchell, with whom she had some trouble. Mitchell couldn't connect on Nightfur's last two balls either, and Nightfur did scoop up her third win of the series after an awkward phase of the game. Nightfur made it four wins in game 7 as she took out Twinkie II and Mitchell on a three-ball run-out, including a close double-pot of the 3 and 4 at the end of the game to put herself on the brink of advancing. Mitchell fought back in game 8, with the help of an early scratch by Nightfur that gave him and Twinkie II plenty of chances to bury Nightfur. The wily veteran Nightfur stayed in the game long enough to give Twinkie II trouble, but it was Mitchell taking out both of them, with Nightfur drawing the point for placing second in Mitchell's third win. Game 9 was very competitive for all of the players, with Twinkie II starting well, Nightfur surging in the middle, and Mitchell prevailing on a tough cut at the end for his fourth win, pulling even with Nightfur on the brink of advancing. Nightfur earned the series in game 10 with a massive seven-ball run-out, drilling Twinkie II's favored lows down first before tapping in the 12 to complete things against Mitchell despite ceding him a point. Mitchell finished at 15 points while Twinkie II had 7 as Nightfur advances for sure to the second round.
Boots v. Panda v. Crystal at Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl. Game 1 took just one turn, as Boots made a couple of balls from the break to claim the lows for herself. Panda piled on in claiming mediums, but Crystal overcame the early deficit with a seven-ball run-out, gifting second place to Crystal on a shot decision in her first win. Game 2 went much slower but maintained a similar even keel between the players. No one was out early, and it took until Panda's late three-ball run to sit Boots on the bench. Crystal fired back, but while she made one of Panda's mediums, she also potted her last ball, securing just second place for herself as Panda got his first win. Crystal made up for things by getting a big run in game 3. Eventually, Boots was knocked out by Panda, who tried to turn on Crystal but ended up getting his last ball pinned at the top right. Crystal took care of it with a tap-in for her second win of the series. Boots had a big chance late in game 4 to make things interesting in the series after she took out Panda, but she missed on Crystal's 13 at the bottom left. Crystal shot back on the 3 at the top side, converting the shot for her third win in the series as she tries to pull away quickly. Crystal continued her surge in game 5, working to protect her lows after a slow first turn saw Panda take the mediums. Crystal gained the lows on her second turn, and Boots was quickly made a target with her depleted highs. Crystal would get the win a couple of turns later on a three-ball run-out, with Panda gaining second place this time. Crystal smacked a six-ball run in game 6, hungry for the series this time. Panda managed to claim the highs to combat Crystal's low, and Boots got a turn in before Crystal and Panda combined to end her game. Panda continued that late run and won the game on its fourth shot, taking out Crystal's last low for his second win. Crystal nabbed another six-ball run on her first turn of game 7, going after the mediums as she protected the highs. Boots didn't want to leave the game without a point, so she potted the last medium to end Panda's game, and then she made it a seven-ball run-out with one piece of collateral damage to earn her first win. Crystal unleashed an eight-ball run in game 8 in an attempt to clinch the series again, but Panda weakened Crystal and then Boots took both of them out for her second win to deny the Flames captain once again. Boots stayed composed in game 9, protecting the lows. Panda supported her cause with a larger attack on the highs to slow Crystal down, but Crystal kept things even on the counterattack. On the third turn, Boots finished both of them off on consecutive shots, dropping Panda first and then Crystal as Boots claimed her third win in a row. Crystal finally took the series in game 10, although Panda did everything he could to keep Boots involved in the process, reviving her twice to prevent Crystal from attacking him directly. Boots ended up getting a point from her second place finish as Crystal turned on Panda before taking Boots out. Crystal advances to the second round, while Boots hit 12 points and Panda is out with 9 points.
That's all for a big post. Tomorrow, we want to do four or five series of games.
Monday, October 16, 2017
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 6
Just three series today as we adjust the schedule for more even games over the rest of the round. We begin with...
Kyle v. Rudolph v. Neopolitan at Ebay Center, Queens. Rudolph got off to a great start with an eight-ball run in game 1, which allowed Neopolitan to pot the last high ball to bench Kyle. Neopolitan continued a slow build by playing defense to keep her ball on the table, which worked in the end as she beat Rudolph head-to-head for her first win. Game 2 saw Rudolph improve on his previous effort with a ten-ball run-out, giving half a point to each of Neopolitan and Kyle, the latter not even getting a chance to take a shot. Rudolph had another good run in game 3, going four balls on his second turn, which damaged Kyle in particular. Neopolitan ended up taking Kyle out to face Rudolph directly, and once again, she got the better of him, taking out his four balls before he could get her last one. Neopolitan can be proud with two wins in the series so far. Kyle didn't do himself any favors in game 4, scratching on his second turn to give each of his opponents an extra ball. They promptly eliminated him, with Rudolph dealing the last blow, and Rudolph also managed to hold off Neopolitan in a slow battle for his second win. Rudolph made a five-ball run in game 5, heavily targeting the medium set as he defended the lows. Neopolitan and Kyle each had a miss, but Neopolitan claimed the highs by knocking Kyle out on her second turn, and she once again bested Rudolph despite his advantage. Neopolitan earned her third win so far. Game 6 saw Kyle get more involved in the attack after Rudolph built a five-ball run. Kyle also struck a deep run, putting Rudolph in trouble. Neopolitan finished him off, and then held on against Kyle despite his late advantage. Neopolitan made Kyle's last two balls for her fourth win. Kyle made his presence felt again in game 7, pulling strings in the middle and late parts of the game, including with a three-ball run-out to settle a close finish after Neopolitan came up short. Kyle's balanced attack helped him get a win, and he left second place to Rudolph this time. Neopolitan appeared to be out of game 8 as well, as Kyle had taken her out on a late run, but his scratch let her back in, and she would win with a three-ball run-out for her clinching fifth victory, taking out Rudolph and then Kyle. Rudolph qualified at 11 points, while Kyle is already out of the running with his 4.5 points.
Mario v. Prism v. Ms. Puppy at Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central. Mario started well in game 1, attacking the highs while defending the lows, but Prism stole the show with her run on her first turn, wiping out Mario's lows. Prism then left Ms. Puppy an awkward shot, and took her out on the next turn for her first win. Prism had an awful break in game 2, leading to a painfully slow process in the end. Prism wasn't a part of this, getting knocked out by Mario early on, but Ms. Puppy's lack of shooting precision caused her to take a tough loss again, as Mario picks up his first win of the series. In game 3, Mario and Ms. Puppy again had the clear advantage, taking out Prism before her second turn. At the end, both players had chances to win, but it was Ms. Puppy prevailing on the second try for her first win. Prism figured things out again in game 4, pummeling a five-ball run on her second turn to take out Ms. Puppy before turning her attention to a close battle she ultimately won over Mario for her second win. Prism had another poor break to lead off game 5, and it led to a bit of confusion. Ms. Puppy ended up defending the high suit against Mario and the lows, and they worked to take out Prism first. Then, Mario finally got the better of Ms. Puppy after a slow battle that saw each of them miss twice on the other player's last ball. Mario took his second win of the series. Mario had all the makings of a good performance with his game 6 break, but an early scratch reversed that. He oddly selected highs from the break, which became a favored target of Ms. Puppy and Prism over the next two turns, the latter wiping him out at the end of turn 2. Prism did this to start a three-ball run, which left just one of Ms. Puppy's lows on the table. Ms. Puppy fired back but couldn't take out Prism, who finished the job at the bottom side for her third win. Ms. Puppy showed a bit more poise in game 7, responding to a strong break by Prism with a nice opening run. Mario and Prism each got their shots in after that, but Ms. Puppy had a four-ball run-out in the end, taking out Mario and Prism in turn for her second win of the close series. Prism had the chance to go on a deep run in game 8, but she couldn't make an early shot. She chose to defend the lows, while Ms. Puppy took the highs. Mario was in trouble early, but managed to pull even before Ms. Puppy ousted him and Prism on the last two shots for her third win. Ms. Puppy seemed to have a good grip on game 9 at first, but both Prism and Mario pushed her medium down. Mario took over the advantage late, holding four on the table, and while Prism knocked out three of them, he shot back to take out Ms. Puppy first and then Prism to even things at three wins apiece. Prism had a huge five-ball run to start game 10, burying the high set very quickly. Ms. Puppy made sure that set belonged to Mario before attacking Prism's lows, and despite another deep run from Prism, she would end up finishing last for the game. The cringe-worthy finish saw Mario take out Prism but fail to hit Ms. Puppy's ball, and Ms. Puppy then knocked Mario out for her fourth win. Prism ensured at least one more game after a crazy game 11. Ms. Puppy scratched on the break, leading to chaos as Mario had an early miss and Prism took the mediums. This balance existed to the end, where Prism broke out on a three-ball run-out to take out Mario and then Ms. Puppy to earn her fourth win. Mario forced the series into a decisive game after game 12 opened in poor form for all of the players. Ms. Puppy eventually claimed the lows, and Mario protected the mediums, while Prism took the highs and was eliminated in due time. Mario and Ms. Puppy then battled, with Ms. Puppy's miss on the 10 from short range allowing Mario to bank the 4 to the bottom side for his fourth win. Game 13 was a little bit of everything, as Mario took the lows to defend. Ms. Puppy got the mediums, and played well, but a five-ball run from Prism gave her a late advantage. Mario couldn't stop Prism, but Ms. Puppy took her out and then Mario on a three-ball run-out to secure the series with her fifth win. Mario ended up with 16 points for qualifying, while Prism scored 15.
Hoppy v. Chelsea v. Zach at House of 10 Windows, Del Sur. Hoppy had a decent start in game 1, partially mitigated by a scratch from Chelsea on her first turn that kept Zach hanging around. Chelsea was later punished for the scratch, as Hoppy and Zach worked together to get her out of the game. Hoppy would get the knockout, and then managed to hold off Zach until she won on the next turn. Game 2 belonged firmly to Zach and Chelsea, as they each used their first turns to pummel the highs, weakening Hoppy immediately. Hoppy got a couple of shots in, but Zach dealt the death blow to her and damaged Chelsea in the process, giving him his winning advantage a couple of turns later after exchanging short runs. Zach earned his first win of the series. Chelsea had an early mistake in game 3, costing her a chance to pressure Hoppy. Instead, Hoppy earned the chance, taking highs to bully Chelsea's lows. It worked, as Hoppy knocked Chelsea out to go head-to-head with Zach, which was a battle Hoppy won readily with her advantage in balls on the table. Hoppy has two wins now. Zach got back in game 4, battling with Hoppy again at the end and prevailing this time after a disappointing effort from Chelsea. This pulled Zach even with Hoppy at two wins. Zach had a poor break in game 5, but he made it work out in the end, as Hoppy and Chelsea casually attacked his mediums while more ferociously going after each other. Zach swooped in with a six-ball run-out at the end, taking out Chelsea before Hoppy for his third win. Zach had a similar break to lead off game 6, getting few positive results from it. The shooting was poorer this time, until Chelsea unleashed her four-ball run-out to take out Zach and Hoppy within shots of each other for her first win. Zach had to hold on tight in game 7, although he did force Chelsea to take the medium set when he selected highs after Hoppy took lows. Hoppy later scratched to revive Chelsea, but Zach assembled a three-ball run-out from the kitchen, sinking Chelsea and then Hoppy for his fourth win. Zach only got the break shot in game 8, as Hoppy erupted for a nine-ball run, and Chelsea claimed the remaining high ball to earn herself a point. Chelsea did make three of Hoppy's five balls, but Hoppy responded with one more shot on her second turn for the win, her third of the series. Chelsea had a beastly six-ball run in game 9 that put Zach and Hoppy on edge. Hoppy finally betrayed Zach on her third turn, making both highs to keep herself alive with the mediums. She made it a five-ball run to put herself even with Chelsea, and it was a battle Hoppy would win, as Chelsea couldn't get clear looks and ended up gifting a great final shot to Hoppy. The win put Hoppy back on par with Zach at four apiece, with Chelsea far behind at one win. Chelsea didn't want to let the series end yet, putting on another strong run to get the early advantage. Chelsea then knocked out Hoppy to face a reeling Zach head-to-head, where she would get the win with a nice pair of shots two turns later. Chelsea has her second win in the series. Zach made an assurance of game 11 being the deciding game, taking out Chelsea early on with a four-ball run. He didn't account for the home fans rallying Hoppy into a remarkable five-ball run-out, taking Zach from perfect to second place as Hoppy secured the fifth win to advance. Zach qualifies at 16 points, while Chelsea is already out with 9.
That's all for today. There should be four series tomorrow before potentially some action over the weekend.
Kyle v. Rudolph v. Neopolitan at Ebay Center, Queens. Rudolph got off to a great start with an eight-ball run in game 1, which allowed Neopolitan to pot the last high ball to bench Kyle. Neopolitan continued a slow build by playing defense to keep her ball on the table, which worked in the end as she beat Rudolph head-to-head for her first win. Game 2 saw Rudolph improve on his previous effort with a ten-ball run-out, giving half a point to each of Neopolitan and Kyle, the latter not even getting a chance to take a shot. Rudolph had another good run in game 3, going four balls on his second turn, which damaged Kyle in particular. Neopolitan ended up taking Kyle out to face Rudolph directly, and once again, she got the better of him, taking out his four balls before he could get her last one. Neopolitan can be proud with two wins in the series so far. Kyle didn't do himself any favors in game 4, scratching on his second turn to give each of his opponents an extra ball. They promptly eliminated him, with Rudolph dealing the last blow, and Rudolph also managed to hold off Neopolitan in a slow battle for his second win. Rudolph made a five-ball run in game 5, heavily targeting the medium set as he defended the lows. Neopolitan and Kyle each had a miss, but Neopolitan claimed the highs by knocking Kyle out on her second turn, and she once again bested Rudolph despite his advantage. Neopolitan earned her third win so far. Game 6 saw Kyle get more involved in the attack after Rudolph built a five-ball run. Kyle also struck a deep run, putting Rudolph in trouble. Neopolitan finished him off, and then held on against Kyle despite his late advantage. Neopolitan made Kyle's last two balls for her fourth win. Kyle made his presence felt again in game 7, pulling strings in the middle and late parts of the game, including with a three-ball run-out to settle a close finish after Neopolitan came up short. Kyle's balanced attack helped him get a win, and he left second place to Rudolph this time. Neopolitan appeared to be out of game 8 as well, as Kyle had taken her out on a late run, but his scratch let her back in, and she would win with a three-ball run-out for her clinching fifth victory, taking out Rudolph and then Kyle. Rudolph qualified at 11 points, while Kyle is already out of the running with his 4.5 points.
Mario v. Prism v. Ms. Puppy at Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central. Mario started well in game 1, attacking the highs while defending the lows, but Prism stole the show with her run on her first turn, wiping out Mario's lows. Prism then left Ms. Puppy an awkward shot, and took her out on the next turn for her first win. Prism had an awful break in game 2, leading to a painfully slow process in the end. Prism wasn't a part of this, getting knocked out by Mario early on, but Ms. Puppy's lack of shooting precision caused her to take a tough loss again, as Mario picks up his first win of the series. In game 3, Mario and Ms. Puppy again had the clear advantage, taking out Prism before her second turn. At the end, both players had chances to win, but it was Ms. Puppy prevailing on the second try for her first win. Prism figured things out again in game 4, pummeling a five-ball run on her second turn to take out Ms. Puppy before turning her attention to a close battle she ultimately won over Mario for her second win. Prism had another poor break to lead off game 5, and it led to a bit of confusion. Ms. Puppy ended up defending the high suit against Mario and the lows, and they worked to take out Prism first. Then, Mario finally got the better of Ms. Puppy after a slow battle that saw each of them miss twice on the other player's last ball. Mario took his second win of the series. Mario had all the makings of a good performance with his game 6 break, but an early scratch reversed that. He oddly selected highs from the break, which became a favored target of Ms. Puppy and Prism over the next two turns, the latter wiping him out at the end of turn 2. Prism did this to start a three-ball run, which left just one of Ms. Puppy's lows on the table. Ms. Puppy fired back but couldn't take out Prism, who finished the job at the bottom side for her third win. Ms. Puppy showed a bit more poise in game 7, responding to a strong break by Prism with a nice opening run. Mario and Prism each got their shots in after that, but Ms. Puppy had a four-ball run-out in the end, taking out Mario and Prism in turn for her second win of the close series. Prism had the chance to go on a deep run in game 8, but she couldn't make an early shot. She chose to defend the lows, while Ms. Puppy took the highs. Mario was in trouble early, but managed to pull even before Ms. Puppy ousted him and Prism on the last two shots for her third win. Ms. Puppy seemed to have a good grip on game 9 at first, but both Prism and Mario pushed her medium down. Mario took over the advantage late, holding four on the table, and while Prism knocked out three of them, he shot back to take out Ms. Puppy first and then Prism to even things at three wins apiece. Prism had a huge five-ball run to start game 10, burying the high set very quickly. Ms. Puppy made sure that set belonged to Mario before attacking Prism's lows, and despite another deep run from Prism, she would end up finishing last for the game. The cringe-worthy finish saw Mario take out Prism but fail to hit Ms. Puppy's ball, and Ms. Puppy then knocked Mario out for her fourth win. Prism ensured at least one more game after a crazy game 11. Ms. Puppy scratched on the break, leading to chaos as Mario had an early miss and Prism took the mediums. This balance existed to the end, where Prism broke out on a three-ball run-out to take out Mario and then Ms. Puppy to earn her fourth win. Mario forced the series into a decisive game after game 12 opened in poor form for all of the players. Ms. Puppy eventually claimed the lows, and Mario protected the mediums, while Prism took the highs and was eliminated in due time. Mario and Ms. Puppy then battled, with Ms. Puppy's miss on the 10 from short range allowing Mario to bank the 4 to the bottom side for his fourth win. Game 13 was a little bit of everything, as Mario took the lows to defend. Ms. Puppy got the mediums, and played well, but a five-ball run from Prism gave her a late advantage. Mario couldn't stop Prism, but Ms. Puppy took her out and then Mario on a three-ball run-out to secure the series with her fifth win. Mario ended up with 16 points for qualifying, while Prism scored 15.
Hoppy v. Chelsea v. Zach at House of 10 Windows, Del Sur. Hoppy had a decent start in game 1, partially mitigated by a scratch from Chelsea on her first turn that kept Zach hanging around. Chelsea was later punished for the scratch, as Hoppy and Zach worked together to get her out of the game. Hoppy would get the knockout, and then managed to hold off Zach until she won on the next turn. Game 2 belonged firmly to Zach and Chelsea, as they each used their first turns to pummel the highs, weakening Hoppy immediately. Hoppy got a couple of shots in, but Zach dealt the death blow to her and damaged Chelsea in the process, giving him his winning advantage a couple of turns later after exchanging short runs. Zach earned his first win of the series. Chelsea had an early mistake in game 3, costing her a chance to pressure Hoppy. Instead, Hoppy earned the chance, taking highs to bully Chelsea's lows. It worked, as Hoppy knocked Chelsea out to go head-to-head with Zach, which was a battle Hoppy won readily with her advantage in balls on the table. Hoppy has two wins now. Zach got back in game 4, battling with Hoppy again at the end and prevailing this time after a disappointing effort from Chelsea. This pulled Zach even with Hoppy at two wins. Zach had a poor break in game 5, but he made it work out in the end, as Hoppy and Chelsea casually attacked his mediums while more ferociously going after each other. Zach swooped in with a six-ball run-out at the end, taking out Chelsea before Hoppy for his third win. Zach had a similar break to lead off game 6, getting few positive results from it. The shooting was poorer this time, until Chelsea unleashed her four-ball run-out to take out Zach and Hoppy within shots of each other for her first win. Zach had to hold on tight in game 7, although he did force Chelsea to take the medium set when he selected highs after Hoppy took lows. Hoppy later scratched to revive Chelsea, but Zach assembled a three-ball run-out from the kitchen, sinking Chelsea and then Hoppy for his fourth win. Zach only got the break shot in game 8, as Hoppy erupted for a nine-ball run, and Chelsea claimed the remaining high ball to earn herself a point. Chelsea did make three of Hoppy's five balls, but Hoppy responded with one more shot on her second turn for the win, her third of the series. Chelsea had a beastly six-ball run in game 9 that put Zach and Hoppy on edge. Hoppy finally betrayed Zach on her third turn, making both highs to keep herself alive with the mediums. She made it a five-ball run to put herself even with Chelsea, and it was a battle Hoppy would win, as Chelsea couldn't get clear looks and ended up gifting a great final shot to Hoppy. The win put Hoppy back on par with Zach at four apiece, with Chelsea far behind at one win. Chelsea didn't want to let the series end yet, putting on another strong run to get the early advantage. Chelsea then knocked out Hoppy to face a reeling Zach head-to-head, where she would get the win with a nice pair of shots two turns later. Chelsea has her second win in the series. Zach made an assurance of game 11 being the deciding game, taking out Chelsea early on with a four-ball run. He didn't account for the home fans rallying Hoppy into a remarkable five-ball run-out, taking Zach from perfect to second place as Hoppy secured the fifth win to advance. Zach qualifies at 16 points, while Chelsea is already out with 9.
That's all for today. There should be four series tomorrow before potentially some action over the weekend.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 5
We're back with likely four series again today, beginning with...
Waluigi v. Chimpy v. Ruby at Pepsi Arena, Lighton. Ruby had all but won game 1 after making five balls over two turns, but her scratch revived both of her opponents, who tried to target her. Waluigi didn't have much success, but Chimpy damaged Ruby before taking out Waluigi. Ruby would fall on Chimpy's next turn, giving the wily returning veteran his first win. Waluigi attacked with more intent in game 2, making a five-ball run to deeply damage Chimpy's chances at another win. Ruby had an early scratch that derailed her effort, and by the time she went directly against Waluigi after he ousted Chimpy, the advantage was too much to overcome. Waluigi cruised to his first win with an easy final turn. Chimpy and Waluigi struggled at the start of game 3, allowing Ruby to build up a nice lead, and Chimpy felt no loyalty to keep Waluigi in the game, taking him out first. Ruby had a chance to take the win but missed her shot, and Chimpy made a three-ball run-out for his second win of the series. Chimpy set the tone in game 4 with a nice opening run, and Ruby struggled at first, allowing Waluigi to pick lows. Ruby didn't get better until a four-ball run-out at the end, as the other players kept her in the game and she made them pay, taking out Chimpy and then Waluigi for her first win. Ruby never got a chance to defend her highs in game 5, as Waluigi claimed the lows and Chimpy took the mediums while combining to take her out on the first turn. Head-to-head, Waluigi damaged Chimpy a bit, but Chimpy fired back with a four-ball run-out for the win, his third of the series. Chimpy attacked well from the game 6 break again, making things difficult for himself when he had to choose a suit, eventually taking highs. Waluigi followed to claim lows, and they put Ruby at the brink of elimination. She tried a counterattack, but it fell short, and Chimpy offed her, only to be on the wrong end of Waluigi's three-ball run-out for his second win of the series. Ruby had her chances to get back in the series with game 7, but she couldn't defend her medium set against Waluigi, who took her out on his second turn before ousting Chimpy on the next turn after Chimpy couldn't make Waluigi's 5. Waluigi picked up his third win of the series. Game 8 saw Chimpy and Ruby team up to slow down Waluigi's recent momentum, quickly wiping him out on the first turn. Chimpy then dipped into a defensive posture, which successfully prevented Ruby from making a move. Chimpy won on his next turn for his fourth win. Ruby put up another floundering performance early in game 9, and she nearly got knocked out, but Waluigi and Chimpy decided to fight among themselves later in the game. Ruby woke up with a four-ball run-out at the end, offing Chimpy and then Waluigi with the effort for her second win. Waluigi made a strategic error in game 10, targeting Ruby rather than Chimpy, who had a poor start to the game but still a healthy complement of balls on the table. Ruby was first out, and Chimpy turned on Waluigi head-to-head, taking him out on the next turn to clinch the series on his fifth win. Waluigi took 13 points for qualifying, while Ruby scored 10.
Snuggle v. Smudge v. Puff III at AT&T Hall, Oceanside. Smudge got off to a fierce start to game 1, attacking the mediums as she defended the highs. Puff III missed her first shot, allowing Snuggle to claim lows and pressure the mediums as well. They briefly tried to take down Smudge, but she was too strong, eliminating Puff III and Snuggle on consecutive turns for her first win. None of the three players had a good game 2, but it was particularly rough for Puff III, who combined poor shooting with a lack of defense that allowed Snuggle to bump her late in the game. Smudge then countered with a precise kick on the 12 to the top left for her second win to oust Snuggle. Smudge didn't get anything on the break in game 3 either, and Snuggle decided to protect highs. He wasn't great at this, as Puff III quickly buried him by taking the medium set, and Smudge then embarked on a five-ball run-out in the end, benching Snuggle before Puff III this time for her third win. Game 4 saw more twists and turns than a mystery thriller, as two scratches revived people just as they were ousted. Puff III brought Snuggle back from the dead, and Smudge did the same for Puff III soon after. Snuggle would seat Puff III once again, and he managed to hold off Smudge long enough to take her out too, earning his first win in the series. Smudge had a four-ball run early in game 5, hurting the mediums that would be Puff III's suit eventually. Snuggle struggled a bit during the game, and quickly lost his defense, while Puff III burst forward with a six-ball run-out for the win, her first. Smudge settled for second in this appearance. Smudge did well in game 6 to put herself on the brink of advancing with a four-ball run early on and another one to close out the game after Puff III and Snuggle failed to stop her. Snuggle was the first to fall, as Smudge picked off his lows before taking Puff III's mediums to earn her fourth win. Snuggle and Puff III seemed to align their attacks better in game 7, targeting Smudge's low set frequently. This worked to take her out first, and Snuggle kept his run moving with a seven-ball run-out in total, using collateral damage to clear the way to take out Puff III. The unity between Puff III and Snuggle waned late in game 8, as clear shots on Smudge's balls were not present, so they attacked each other. Smudge exploited this to great effect, making a four-ball run-out by downing Snuggle and then Puff III for her fifth win. Smudge gets an easy pass thru to the second round. Snuggle recorded 8 points, and Puff III had 7, both of which mark poor performances.
Pounce v. Precious v. Shelley at House of 10 Windows, Del Sur. Pounce couldn't get anything off the break in game 1, allowing Precious to build a good start defending the mediums. Pounce then roared forward on his second turn with a six-ball run. Precious did the rest to take out Shelley, but she couldn't get Pounce, who won with a three-ball run-out for his first victory. Precious felt hard done by game 2, as her nine-ball run on her first turn, which kept Pounce sidelined for most of the game, ended up being wasted when she scratched. Shelley made sure to take out Precious first, and Pounce then knocked out Shelley with a pair of tough shots to steal his second win. Pounce wouldn't make it three despite his good start in game 3, as he couldn't keep the lows on the table. Shelley had a scratch at one point that made things more difficult, but she kept her composure with the mediums, and ended up taking out Pounce and then Precious on a three-ball run-out for the win, her first. Precious went on another deep run, eight balls this time, on her first turn of game 4. It appeared the effort would be met with similar failures as last time, but neither Pounce nor Shelley could get Precious' last ball down, and Precious fired back with a three-ball run-out, taking Pounce out first and then Shelley in her first win. Precious opted to save her critical run for the end of game 5, instead letting Pounce and Shelley carry the offensive load early in the game. This they did, weakening Precious and each other quite a bit in the even game, until Precious turned things around with a four-ball run-out that offed Pounce's lows before Shelley's mediums for Precious' second win. Shelley adopted the early-run style of Precious in game 6, using a six-ball run to pit Precious and Pounce against each other. Both missed on their first turns, and Precious missed a second time to allow Shelley to further weaken them. Pounce decided one point was better than none, taking out Precious before quickly succumbing to Shelley's brutal reign in her second win. Shelley didn't help herself by scratching on the break of game 7. Pounce and Precious quickly pummeled the medium set as the scraps Shelley would take, and Pounce wiped them out on his second turn to go head-to-head with Precious. Pounce had the early advantage, but he couldn't corral her last ball, and she stole the win away, her third in the series. Precious and Pounce both started slow in game 8, allowing Shelley to return to dominance. Pounce abandoned the fledgling partnership with Precious to save his own hide, making her a quick out by his own work. He had the framework of a run, but he couldn't convert against Shelley, who quickly ousted him for her third win. Shelley continued her good shooting into game 9 with a seven-ball run that induced a scratch from Pounce. Precious betrayed him on the next turn, leaving him to be dispatched by Shelley, who took Precious out on the next shot to secure her fourth win. Precious smashed a quick seven-ball run in game 10, forcing Pounce into a relatively easy decision. He chose to take out Shelley by potting the last low ball, and then surrendered to Precious, who took her fourth win as the series now has two players on the brink of victory. Pounce went on a deep run in game 11, making seven in a row and leaving Shelley to knock out Precious almost immediately. Shelley then dueled with Pounce, and nearly bested him, but Pounce made Shelley's last ball on his third try to secure his third win of the series. Shelley and Precious seemed to have more urgency to end the series in game 12, but neither one could sink Pounce's last ball, and Pounce made them both pay with a three-ball run-out, offing Precious and then Shelley with the effort for his fourth win. Game 13 laid it all on the line for this series, and it started well for Shelley. Pounce had a deep run at one point, making six in a row, but Precious soon targeted him and Shelley finished him off. Precious then beat Shelley head to head for the critical fifth win to advance.
Jennifer Livilotti v. Lize v. Strut at Audi Hall, Terrace City. Lize didn't let a sore shoulder get her down in game 1, finessing her way through the game. Strut thought he had a coup with getting lows, but Lize took him out first before calmly and slowly banking Jennifer's last high 12 to the top left for her first win. Strut had his grip on game 2, having successfully engineered a four-ball run to wipe out Lize and Jennifer, but a scratch changed things. Lize quickly took him out from the kitchen, but she couldn't knock out Jennifer, who would counter more effectively for her first win at the end. Game 3 went remarkably close throughout, as Lize made the first decision on suit, taking lows, but all three players had two balls left when Lize executed a four-ball run-out for the win, her second. Lize took out Jennifer's two first, and then knocked in Strut's two mediums for her second win. Strut made a huge impact in game 4, blasting a seven-ball run to establish himself quickly with the medium set. Jennifer took no hesitation to knock out Lize by making the last high ball, and Jennifer nearly got the better of Strut, but he made Jennifer's last two balls for his first win. Strut and Jennifer did a lot of damage against Lize's lows before she got into game 5, but she dished some back, doing enough to weaken both of them. Jennifer would deal the killing blow to Lize's game, but she couldn't get Strut's last ball, and Strut beat Jennifer for his second straight win. Game 6 returned to the very close form of prior battles. Strut took a four-ball run on the break, but Jennifer and Lize parried him back and each player had one of the last three balls on the table. Lize shone brightest in this late moment, offing Strut before sneaking Jennifer's 9 around her own 13 for her third win with the shot at the top right. Lize continued to do well in game 7 with a short arm motion to preserve her shoulder. Her five-ball run this time, combined with Jennifer's support, quickly sent Strut out of the game. Jennifer and Lize each had a ball left late, and Jennifer's extra strength lifted her to her second win in the series. Lize continued to get things done in game 8, establishing herself with the highs early on. Strut chose the lows on his turn, but Jennifer and Lize combined to get him out of the game rather quickly. Lize ended with a three-ball run-out to finish off Jennifer again, taking her fourth win in the process. Lize kept her offense going with a small run early in game 9, and then another push on her second turn. Strut backed her up pretty well, and they combined to wipe out Jennifer early on. Lize couldn't handle Strut's attack near the end, and Strut won his third game in the series with a three-ball run-out. Strut blasted a nine-ball run on the break in game 10, and Lize put down one of Strut's lows to secure a point for herself. She ended up making a four-ball run, but Strut hit her last ball in when she faltered on his fifth. The win puts Strut and Lize level with four wins each as the series comes close to its end. Jennifer made her presence felt in game 11, attacking viciously against both lows and mediums to weaken Lize and Strut. As the game progressed, Strut did a little damage to Lize and a lot to Jennifer, but Lize took Strut out before potting her own last ball to gift the win to Jennifer in an act of diplomacy. Jennifer and Lize kept their unspoken agreement going in game 12, and it was working perfectly, with Strut out of the game early. Jennifer then scratched, and Lize couldn't put Strut away before his turn. Strut stormed his way to a four-ball run-out, denying Lize a point while ceding one to Jennifer as he took the series with his fifth win. Lize actually scored better than Strut with 17 points to his 16, and Jennifer added 15 in a good series for all involved.
Tomorrow, we'll do another four series or so.
Waluigi v. Chimpy v. Ruby at Pepsi Arena, Lighton. Ruby had all but won game 1 after making five balls over two turns, but her scratch revived both of her opponents, who tried to target her. Waluigi didn't have much success, but Chimpy damaged Ruby before taking out Waluigi. Ruby would fall on Chimpy's next turn, giving the wily returning veteran his first win. Waluigi attacked with more intent in game 2, making a five-ball run to deeply damage Chimpy's chances at another win. Ruby had an early scratch that derailed her effort, and by the time she went directly against Waluigi after he ousted Chimpy, the advantage was too much to overcome. Waluigi cruised to his first win with an easy final turn. Chimpy and Waluigi struggled at the start of game 3, allowing Ruby to build up a nice lead, and Chimpy felt no loyalty to keep Waluigi in the game, taking him out first. Ruby had a chance to take the win but missed her shot, and Chimpy made a three-ball run-out for his second win of the series. Chimpy set the tone in game 4 with a nice opening run, and Ruby struggled at first, allowing Waluigi to pick lows. Ruby didn't get better until a four-ball run-out at the end, as the other players kept her in the game and she made them pay, taking out Chimpy and then Waluigi for her first win. Ruby never got a chance to defend her highs in game 5, as Waluigi claimed the lows and Chimpy took the mediums while combining to take her out on the first turn. Head-to-head, Waluigi damaged Chimpy a bit, but Chimpy fired back with a four-ball run-out for the win, his third of the series. Chimpy attacked well from the game 6 break again, making things difficult for himself when he had to choose a suit, eventually taking highs. Waluigi followed to claim lows, and they put Ruby at the brink of elimination. She tried a counterattack, but it fell short, and Chimpy offed her, only to be on the wrong end of Waluigi's three-ball run-out for his second win of the series. Ruby had her chances to get back in the series with game 7, but she couldn't defend her medium set against Waluigi, who took her out on his second turn before ousting Chimpy on the next turn after Chimpy couldn't make Waluigi's 5. Waluigi picked up his third win of the series. Game 8 saw Chimpy and Ruby team up to slow down Waluigi's recent momentum, quickly wiping him out on the first turn. Chimpy then dipped into a defensive posture, which successfully prevented Ruby from making a move. Chimpy won on his next turn for his fourth win. Ruby put up another floundering performance early in game 9, and she nearly got knocked out, but Waluigi and Chimpy decided to fight among themselves later in the game. Ruby woke up with a four-ball run-out at the end, offing Chimpy and then Waluigi with the effort for her second win. Waluigi made a strategic error in game 10, targeting Ruby rather than Chimpy, who had a poor start to the game but still a healthy complement of balls on the table. Ruby was first out, and Chimpy turned on Waluigi head-to-head, taking him out on the next turn to clinch the series on his fifth win. Waluigi took 13 points for qualifying, while Ruby scored 10.
Snuggle v. Smudge v. Puff III at AT&T Hall, Oceanside. Smudge got off to a fierce start to game 1, attacking the mediums as she defended the highs. Puff III missed her first shot, allowing Snuggle to claim lows and pressure the mediums as well. They briefly tried to take down Smudge, but she was too strong, eliminating Puff III and Snuggle on consecutive turns for her first win. None of the three players had a good game 2, but it was particularly rough for Puff III, who combined poor shooting with a lack of defense that allowed Snuggle to bump her late in the game. Smudge then countered with a precise kick on the 12 to the top left for her second win to oust Snuggle. Smudge didn't get anything on the break in game 3 either, and Snuggle decided to protect highs. He wasn't great at this, as Puff III quickly buried him by taking the medium set, and Smudge then embarked on a five-ball run-out in the end, benching Snuggle before Puff III this time for her third win. Game 4 saw more twists and turns than a mystery thriller, as two scratches revived people just as they were ousted. Puff III brought Snuggle back from the dead, and Smudge did the same for Puff III soon after. Snuggle would seat Puff III once again, and he managed to hold off Smudge long enough to take her out too, earning his first win in the series. Smudge had a four-ball run early in game 5, hurting the mediums that would be Puff III's suit eventually. Snuggle struggled a bit during the game, and quickly lost his defense, while Puff III burst forward with a six-ball run-out for the win, her first. Smudge settled for second in this appearance. Smudge did well in game 6 to put herself on the brink of advancing with a four-ball run early on and another one to close out the game after Puff III and Snuggle failed to stop her. Snuggle was the first to fall, as Smudge picked off his lows before taking Puff III's mediums to earn her fourth win. Snuggle and Puff III seemed to align their attacks better in game 7, targeting Smudge's low set frequently. This worked to take her out first, and Snuggle kept his run moving with a seven-ball run-out in total, using collateral damage to clear the way to take out Puff III. The unity between Puff III and Snuggle waned late in game 8, as clear shots on Smudge's balls were not present, so they attacked each other. Smudge exploited this to great effect, making a four-ball run-out by downing Snuggle and then Puff III for her fifth win. Smudge gets an easy pass thru to the second round. Snuggle recorded 8 points, and Puff III had 7, both of which mark poor performances.
Pounce v. Precious v. Shelley at House of 10 Windows, Del Sur. Pounce couldn't get anything off the break in game 1, allowing Precious to build a good start defending the mediums. Pounce then roared forward on his second turn with a six-ball run. Precious did the rest to take out Shelley, but she couldn't get Pounce, who won with a three-ball run-out for his first victory. Precious felt hard done by game 2, as her nine-ball run on her first turn, which kept Pounce sidelined for most of the game, ended up being wasted when she scratched. Shelley made sure to take out Precious first, and Pounce then knocked out Shelley with a pair of tough shots to steal his second win. Pounce wouldn't make it three despite his good start in game 3, as he couldn't keep the lows on the table. Shelley had a scratch at one point that made things more difficult, but she kept her composure with the mediums, and ended up taking out Pounce and then Precious on a three-ball run-out for the win, her first. Precious went on another deep run, eight balls this time, on her first turn of game 4. It appeared the effort would be met with similar failures as last time, but neither Pounce nor Shelley could get Precious' last ball down, and Precious fired back with a three-ball run-out, taking Pounce out first and then Shelley in her first win. Precious opted to save her critical run for the end of game 5, instead letting Pounce and Shelley carry the offensive load early in the game. This they did, weakening Precious and each other quite a bit in the even game, until Precious turned things around with a four-ball run-out that offed Pounce's lows before Shelley's mediums for Precious' second win. Shelley adopted the early-run style of Precious in game 6, using a six-ball run to pit Precious and Pounce against each other. Both missed on their first turns, and Precious missed a second time to allow Shelley to further weaken them. Pounce decided one point was better than none, taking out Precious before quickly succumbing to Shelley's brutal reign in her second win. Shelley didn't help herself by scratching on the break of game 7. Pounce and Precious quickly pummeled the medium set as the scraps Shelley would take, and Pounce wiped them out on his second turn to go head-to-head with Precious. Pounce had the early advantage, but he couldn't corral her last ball, and she stole the win away, her third in the series. Precious and Pounce both started slow in game 8, allowing Shelley to return to dominance. Pounce abandoned the fledgling partnership with Precious to save his own hide, making her a quick out by his own work. He had the framework of a run, but he couldn't convert against Shelley, who quickly ousted him for her third win. Shelley continued her good shooting into game 9 with a seven-ball run that induced a scratch from Pounce. Precious betrayed him on the next turn, leaving him to be dispatched by Shelley, who took Precious out on the next shot to secure her fourth win. Precious smashed a quick seven-ball run in game 10, forcing Pounce into a relatively easy decision. He chose to take out Shelley by potting the last low ball, and then surrendered to Precious, who took her fourth win as the series now has two players on the brink of victory. Pounce went on a deep run in game 11, making seven in a row and leaving Shelley to knock out Precious almost immediately. Shelley then dueled with Pounce, and nearly bested him, but Pounce made Shelley's last ball on his third try to secure his third win of the series. Shelley and Precious seemed to have more urgency to end the series in game 12, but neither one could sink Pounce's last ball, and Pounce made them both pay with a three-ball run-out, offing Precious and then Shelley with the effort for his fourth win. Game 13 laid it all on the line for this series, and it started well for Shelley. Pounce had a deep run at one point, making six in a row, but Precious soon targeted him and Shelley finished him off. Precious then beat Shelley head to head for the critical fifth win to advance.
Jennifer Livilotti v. Lize v. Strut at Audi Hall, Terrace City. Lize didn't let a sore shoulder get her down in game 1, finessing her way through the game. Strut thought he had a coup with getting lows, but Lize took him out first before calmly and slowly banking Jennifer's last high 12 to the top left for her first win. Strut had his grip on game 2, having successfully engineered a four-ball run to wipe out Lize and Jennifer, but a scratch changed things. Lize quickly took him out from the kitchen, but she couldn't knock out Jennifer, who would counter more effectively for her first win at the end. Game 3 went remarkably close throughout, as Lize made the first decision on suit, taking lows, but all three players had two balls left when Lize executed a four-ball run-out for the win, her second. Lize took out Jennifer's two first, and then knocked in Strut's two mediums for her second win. Strut made a huge impact in game 4, blasting a seven-ball run to establish himself quickly with the medium set. Jennifer took no hesitation to knock out Lize by making the last high ball, and Jennifer nearly got the better of Strut, but he made Jennifer's last two balls for his first win. Strut and Jennifer did a lot of damage against Lize's lows before she got into game 5, but she dished some back, doing enough to weaken both of them. Jennifer would deal the killing blow to Lize's game, but she couldn't get Strut's last ball, and Strut beat Jennifer for his second straight win. Game 6 returned to the very close form of prior battles. Strut took a four-ball run on the break, but Jennifer and Lize parried him back and each player had one of the last three balls on the table. Lize shone brightest in this late moment, offing Strut before sneaking Jennifer's 9 around her own 13 for her third win with the shot at the top right. Lize continued to do well in game 7 with a short arm motion to preserve her shoulder. Her five-ball run this time, combined with Jennifer's support, quickly sent Strut out of the game. Jennifer and Lize each had a ball left late, and Jennifer's extra strength lifted her to her second win in the series. Lize continued to get things done in game 8, establishing herself with the highs early on. Strut chose the lows on his turn, but Jennifer and Lize combined to get him out of the game rather quickly. Lize ended with a three-ball run-out to finish off Jennifer again, taking her fourth win in the process. Lize kept her offense going with a small run early in game 9, and then another push on her second turn. Strut backed her up pretty well, and they combined to wipe out Jennifer early on. Lize couldn't handle Strut's attack near the end, and Strut won his third game in the series with a three-ball run-out. Strut blasted a nine-ball run on the break in game 10, and Lize put down one of Strut's lows to secure a point for herself. She ended up making a four-ball run, but Strut hit her last ball in when she faltered on his fifth. The win puts Strut and Lize level with four wins each as the series comes close to its end. Jennifer made her presence felt in game 11, attacking viciously against both lows and mediums to weaken Lize and Strut. As the game progressed, Strut did a little damage to Lize and a lot to Jennifer, but Lize took Strut out before potting her own last ball to gift the win to Jennifer in an act of diplomacy. Jennifer and Lize kept their unspoken agreement going in game 12, and it was working perfectly, with Strut out of the game early. Jennifer then scratched, and Lize couldn't put Strut away before his turn. Strut stormed his way to a four-ball run-out, denying Lize a point while ceding one to Jennifer as he took the series with his fifth win. Lize actually scored better than Strut with 17 points to his 16, and Jennifer added 15 in a good series for all involved.
Tomorrow, we'll do another four series or so.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 4
We're back with more games today, likely reaching at least four series again with the possibility of a fifth. First up...
Hoot v. Citrus v. Princess at Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound. Game 1 stayed even at first, as Citrus selected mediums and Princess took highs on their first turns. Hoot struck back, but couldn't weather their combined storm against him. Princess ousted Hoot, and then Citrus took out Princess for her first win. Citrus couldn't make anything on the break in game 2, and Princess showed no mercy with a hot start. Hoot supported that with more damage to Citrus, who also wasted her second turn. Princess would get the win on a four-ball run-out, dispatching Citrus on the second shot and Hoot two shots later for her first win. Citrus bounced back in game 3, facing a stern challenge from Hoot's good start to the game. Citrus elected to knock out Princess early, and then played excellent defense before getting two pairs of shots to fall to defeat Hoot for her second win. Citrus targeted the mediums on her opening run in game 4, choosing to protect the highs, which backfired against a seven-ball run from Hoot that featured collateral damage. Hoot wouldn't get the last laugh either, as Princess picked up the win on a three-ball run-out after Hoot's take-down of Citrus couldn't extend to Princess. The strong finish gave Princess her second win of the series. Citrus used her first turn in game 5 to put Hoot in deep trouble after he started well attacking against what would be Princess' highs. Princess recovered after that, helping to bury Hoot before Citrus finished him off. Princess then made a three-ball run-out to take out Citrus, earning her third win in the series. Hoot made a good choice to take lows on his first turn, as he held the advantage late in the game against Princess and Citrus, who had battled each other to a weakness for both. Hoot swooped in and knocked out Citrus and then Princess for his first win to conclude game 6. Citrus and Hoot had decent starts in game 7, but they couldn't sustain their offense in the later stages of the game. Both Citrus and Hoot had short second turns, and this gave way to a three-ball run-out from Princess, taking out Citrus and then Hoot for her fourth win. Hoot seemed to have a good start in game 8, but he couldn't put up a similar result on his second turn. Citrus and Princess quickly attacked against him, and he was out when Princess made his final low ball. Princess struggled to get Citrus out, but Citrus missed a tap-in, gifting Princess the win, her fifth and final of the series. Princess heads off to the second round, while Citrus qualifies with 8 points and Hoot takes 7 points.
Paps v. Bells v. Niki at Cisco Arena, Tysini. Paps and Bells both shot well on their opening turns in game 1, combining to take out Niki before she could take a shot. Bells did a lot of damage to herself in the process of keeping her turn going, and Paps just made the 9 on his second turn for the win, his first. Niki promptly got revenge in game 2, using an effective first turn to protect her highs quite well. Paps found himself in a bit of trouble later in the second turn, but Niki took out Bells first and then Paps on the last turn for her first win. Paps and Niki worked hard to put Bells in a deep hole early in game 3, as she had just the 3 on the table after Niki's second turn. Bells held on as Paps and Niki turned to fight each other, and Bells would take out Niki on the second shot of a six-ball run-out that ended with Paps getting knocked out. Bells recorded her first win of the series. Each player had a surge in game 4, with Niki doing well at the start, Bells starring in the middle of the game, and Paps cranking a four-ball run-out to take out Bells and then Niki for the win, his second of the series. Game 5 saw more strategy than usual, as the players tried to balance offense and defense after Niki's scratch. In the end, Bells compromised with Niki, taking out Paps on a three-ball run before offing Niki on the next turn for Bells' second win. Bells and Niki failed to close out Paps in game 6 after leaving him deeply damaged, and he struck back, double-potting the 9 and 10 to take out Bells before offing Niki on the next turn for his third win. Bells and Niki feuded a bit in game 7 after Niki tried to take out Bells. Paps was already deep behind at this point, but Bells made sure to take him out before attacking Niki, which would be a failure. Niki shot back with the last two shots for the win, her second of the series. Game 8 featured quite the battle for Niki, who managed to hold onto her last ball long enough to earn second place, while Bells did the heavy lifting to beat Paps and then Niki for her third win in the series. Game 9 got off to a slow start, which benefited Bells quite a bit as she made an eight-ball run to pressure both of her opponents. In need of points, Niki would betray Paps at her first chance, and she would have to settle for second place when Bells offed her in turn for her fourth win. Niki got established first in game 10, but it would lead to her being the first to exit against Bells, who carried that momentum a little farther to get the win on a six-ball run-out. She ended by banking the 7 of Paps into the top side for her fifth win to advance to the second round. Paps took 12 points in qualifying, while Niki holds 11 points for her efforts.
Puff II v. Wild Thing v. Slinks at Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston. Puff II got off to a big start with a seven-ball run to pressure her opposition. Wild Thing further made things worse for Slinks, but the wily veteran hung around and ended up winning on her second turn, offing Puff II and then Wild Thing. Wild Thing had a sloppy game 2 as well, scratching on his second turn. This made him an easy target, and his highs were quickly off the table thanks to Slinks. Puff II then battled with Slinks, and got the win with a two-rail bank on the 3 to the bottom side for her first win. Wild Thing eased up on his shooting force in game 3, and while Puff II and Slinks battled among themselves, he sat in wait. Wild Thing went head-to-head with Slinks and got the win through solid shooting, his first win in the series. Game 4 saw Wild Thing establish himself early on, but Slinks did the bulk of the offense as the protect of the medium set. Puff II worked with Slinks to take Wild Thing out, but Slinks scratched to revive him. Puff II then continued her attack, and Wild Thing weakened Puff II. This left Slinks to make two shots in the end for the win, her second of the series, with Puff II finishing second. An even start to game 5 gave way to a big five-ball run-out by Puff II in the end, as she started with collateral damage to get position on Slinks' remaining pair of balls before taking out Wild Thing's last two for her second win in the series. Slinks successfully defended the highs in game 6 after a rocky start to the game on Puff II's poor break. Puff II was the first out as Wild Thing downed her, only to be taken out by Slinks in her third win. Puff II countered in game 7, defending the highs after Wild Thing had a bit of a slow start. Wild Thing would pick up the second place as Puff II took him out on the last shot of her five-ball run, right after bouncing Slinks to pick up her third win. Puff II had a huge six-ball run-out on her second turn of game 8, after Wild Thing had claimed highs on his first turn. Slinks had a rough turn, and never got to truly defend her lows, as Puff II wiped her out first before taking down Wild Thing in her fourth win. Wild Thing seemed a bit more determined in game 9, protecting his highs quite well. Slinks did well to keep the lows on the table as well, and they survived a single-handed push by Puff II. Wild Thing would get the win over Slinks after taking out Puff II on an earlier turn. Slinks stepped up again in game 10, challenging right from the start as she claimed the lows to protect. Puff II took the highs, and successfully pushed back at both opponents, but Wild Thing and Puff II had a mutual protection clause with their 6 and 14 frozen. Slinks did what she could around the rest of the table, and then took out Wild Thing's 6 on the combination before glancing Puff II's 14 off her own 5 and into the top right on a long deflection play. This was Slinks' fourth win, putting two players on the brink of advancing. Wild Thing, in a must-win situation in game 11, did just that despite Puff II having a remarkably hot start. Slinks struggled for a bit of the game, but picked up the pace later. Wild Thing also had a scratch to complicate the game, but a cluster-buster on his next turn helped continue his run to eventually end the game. He made seven in a row for the win, ousting Puff II and then Slinks for his third victory. Slinks took over the offensive driving with an eight-ball run on her first turn of game 12, taking highs completely out of the game. Puff II had a chance to assure the series be decided in this game, but she missed on the 5, and Wild Thing made it to take out Puff II. Slinks wouldn't back down even as Wild Thing made a four-ball run, and Slinks eventually poked around for the last pair of balls she needed to take her fifth win. Slinks advances to the second round, while Wild Thing took 15 points and Puff II scored another 14 in the tight series.
Marsell v. Stealth v. Dreamy at Samsung Arena, Whitewater. Marsell has the distinction of being the first to face league teammates, but that didn't bother him in game 1. He promptly selected highs and weakened lows, which led to Dreamy finishing third. Stealth fought well in response, but had to settle for second as Marsell made a four-ball run-out for his first win. Marsell appears to be attacking one suit fiercely as his strategy, this time going after highs in game 2. Stealth and Dreamy combined to fight him off, although Dreamy was briefly out of the game until Stealth forced Marsell into a scratch. This proved too much for him, as Stealth took out Marsell and then Dreamy for his first win. Dreamy and Stealth switched roles a bit in game 3, as Dreamy took the mediums and had to bunker down for much of the game. Stealth provided a strong attack against Marsell, who lashed out at the two players but couldn't eliminate either one of them. Dreamy dealt the final blow to Marsell and then took out Stealth for her first win. Dreamy kept up well in game 4, as Stealth established himself with the medium set. Marsell tried a different strategy, trying to fly under the radar by taking the damaged lows, and while Dreamy did inflict damage on Stealth and vice versa, Dreamy's final turn was a three-ball run-out that saw Marsell seated before Stealth once again in Dreamy's second win. Marsell had some success playing Dreamy and Stealth against each other early in game 5, but a scratch from Marsell ruined that. Dreamy and Stealth used their next three turns combined to wipe out Marsell, with Stealth ending on a four-ball run-out that also beat Dreamy in the end for his second win. Stealth made an executive decision on his second turn in game 6, electing to wipe out Dreamy's highs first before tackling Marsell's mediums on his six-ball run-out. Marsell had done well to damage Dreamy on his turn after she started the picking, but Stealth took the win, his third. Marsell pulled a lot of the strings in game 7, and he thought it would nearly work, but after he took out Stealth, he couldn't make Dreamy's last ball. Dreamy fought back with the final pair of shots including a difficult bank of the 5 to the top side for the win, her third of the series. Game 8 saw Marsell again choose his suit, taking lows, which led Stealth to take highs. Stealth did quite a bit of damage to Dreamy's mediums, but Dreamy recovered just fine in the end, helping take down Marsell first and then finishing her three-ball run-out against Stealth for her fourth win. Dreamy did brilliantly to betray Stealth at the end of the series, going on a huge eight-ball run from the break at first. Stealth claimed his suit but also scratched, and this kept Marsell in the game. He couldn't do enough on his run, and Dreamy took him out before also ending Stealth in her fifth win. Dreamy heads to the second round, while Stealth qualified at 14 points and Marsell had only 5 after being successfully double-teamed.
Expect more of the same for playing time tomorrow and going forward.
Hoot v. Citrus v. Princess at Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound. Game 1 stayed even at first, as Citrus selected mediums and Princess took highs on their first turns. Hoot struck back, but couldn't weather their combined storm against him. Princess ousted Hoot, and then Citrus took out Princess for her first win. Citrus couldn't make anything on the break in game 2, and Princess showed no mercy with a hot start. Hoot supported that with more damage to Citrus, who also wasted her second turn. Princess would get the win on a four-ball run-out, dispatching Citrus on the second shot and Hoot two shots later for her first win. Citrus bounced back in game 3, facing a stern challenge from Hoot's good start to the game. Citrus elected to knock out Princess early, and then played excellent defense before getting two pairs of shots to fall to defeat Hoot for her second win. Citrus targeted the mediums on her opening run in game 4, choosing to protect the highs, which backfired against a seven-ball run from Hoot that featured collateral damage. Hoot wouldn't get the last laugh either, as Princess picked up the win on a three-ball run-out after Hoot's take-down of Citrus couldn't extend to Princess. The strong finish gave Princess her second win of the series. Citrus used her first turn in game 5 to put Hoot in deep trouble after he started well attacking against what would be Princess' highs. Princess recovered after that, helping to bury Hoot before Citrus finished him off. Princess then made a three-ball run-out to take out Citrus, earning her third win in the series. Hoot made a good choice to take lows on his first turn, as he held the advantage late in the game against Princess and Citrus, who had battled each other to a weakness for both. Hoot swooped in and knocked out Citrus and then Princess for his first win to conclude game 6. Citrus and Hoot had decent starts in game 7, but they couldn't sustain their offense in the later stages of the game. Both Citrus and Hoot had short second turns, and this gave way to a three-ball run-out from Princess, taking out Citrus and then Hoot for her fourth win. Hoot seemed to have a good start in game 8, but he couldn't put up a similar result on his second turn. Citrus and Princess quickly attacked against him, and he was out when Princess made his final low ball. Princess struggled to get Citrus out, but Citrus missed a tap-in, gifting Princess the win, her fifth and final of the series. Princess heads off to the second round, while Citrus qualifies with 8 points and Hoot takes 7 points.
Paps v. Bells v. Niki at Cisco Arena, Tysini. Paps and Bells both shot well on their opening turns in game 1, combining to take out Niki before she could take a shot. Bells did a lot of damage to herself in the process of keeping her turn going, and Paps just made the 9 on his second turn for the win, his first. Niki promptly got revenge in game 2, using an effective first turn to protect her highs quite well. Paps found himself in a bit of trouble later in the second turn, but Niki took out Bells first and then Paps on the last turn for her first win. Paps and Niki worked hard to put Bells in a deep hole early in game 3, as she had just the 3 on the table after Niki's second turn. Bells held on as Paps and Niki turned to fight each other, and Bells would take out Niki on the second shot of a six-ball run-out that ended with Paps getting knocked out. Bells recorded her first win of the series. Each player had a surge in game 4, with Niki doing well at the start, Bells starring in the middle of the game, and Paps cranking a four-ball run-out to take out Bells and then Niki for the win, his second of the series. Game 5 saw more strategy than usual, as the players tried to balance offense and defense after Niki's scratch. In the end, Bells compromised with Niki, taking out Paps on a three-ball run before offing Niki on the next turn for Bells' second win. Bells and Niki failed to close out Paps in game 6 after leaving him deeply damaged, and he struck back, double-potting the 9 and 10 to take out Bells before offing Niki on the next turn for his third win. Bells and Niki feuded a bit in game 7 after Niki tried to take out Bells. Paps was already deep behind at this point, but Bells made sure to take him out before attacking Niki, which would be a failure. Niki shot back with the last two shots for the win, her second of the series. Game 8 featured quite the battle for Niki, who managed to hold onto her last ball long enough to earn second place, while Bells did the heavy lifting to beat Paps and then Niki for her third win in the series. Game 9 got off to a slow start, which benefited Bells quite a bit as she made an eight-ball run to pressure both of her opponents. In need of points, Niki would betray Paps at her first chance, and she would have to settle for second place when Bells offed her in turn for her fourth win. Niki got established first in game 10, but it would lead to her being the first to exit against Bells, who carried that momentum a little farther to get the win on a six-ball run-out. She ended by banking the 7 of Paps into the top side for her fifth win to advance to the second round. Paps took 12 points in qualifying, while Niki holds 11 points for her efforts.
Puff II v. Wild Thing v. Slinks at Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston. Puff II got off to a big start with a seven-ball run to pressure her opposition. Wild Thing further made things worse for Slinks, but the wily veteran hung around and ended up winning on her second turn, offing Puff II and then Wild Thing. Wild Thing had a sloppy game 2 as well, scratching on his second turn. This made him an easy target, and his highs were quickly off the table thanks to Slinks. Puff II then battled with Slinks, and got the win with a two-rail bank on the 3 to the bottom side for her first win. Wild Thing eased up on his shooting force in game 3, and while Puff II and Slinks battled among themselves, he sat in wait. Wild Thing went head-to-head with Slinks and got the win through solid shooting, his first win in the series. Game 4 saw Wild Thing establish himself early on, but Slinks did the bulk of the offense as the protect of the medium set. Puff II worked with Slinks to take Wild Thing out, but Slinks scratched to revive him. Puff II then continued her attack, and Wild Thing weakened Puff II. This left Slinks to make two shots in the end for the win, her second of the series, with Puff II finishing second. An even start to game 5 gave way to a big five-ball run-out by Puff II in the end, as she started with collateral damage to get position on Slinks' remaining pair of balls before taking out Wild Thing's last two for her second win in the series. Slinks successfully defended the highs in game 6 after a rocky start to the game on Puff II's poor break. Puff II was the first out as Wild Thing downed her, only to be taken out by Slinks in her third win. Puff II countered in game 7, defending the highs after Wild Thing had a bit of a slow start. Wild Thing would pick up the second place as Puff II took him out on the last shot of her five-ball run, right after bouncing Slinks to pick up her third win. Puff II had a huge six-ball run-out on her second turn of game 8, after Wild Thing had claimed highs on his first turn. Slinks had a rough turn, and never got to truly defend her lows, as Puff II wiped her out first before taking down Wild Thing in her fourth win. Wild Thing seemed a bit more determined in game 9, protecting his highs quite well. Slinks did well to keep the lows on the table as well, and they survived a single-handed push by Puff II. Wild Thing would get the win over Slinks after taking out Puff II on an earlier turn. Slinks stepped up again in game 10, challenging right from the start as she claimed the lows to protect. Puff II took the highs, and successfully pushed back at both opponents, but Wild Thing and Puff II had a mutual protection clause with their 6 and 14 frozen. Slinks did what she could around the rest of the table, and then took out Wild Thing's 6 on the combination before glancing Puff II's 14 off her own 5 and into the top right on a long deflection play. This was Slinks' fourth win, putting two players on the brink of advancing. Wild Thing, in a must-win situation in game 11, did just that despite Puff II having a remarkably hot start. Slinks struggled for a bit of the game, but picked up the pace later. Wild Thing also had a scratch to complicate the game, but a cluster-buster on his next turn helped continue his run to eventually end the game. He made seven in a row for the win, ousting Puff II and then Slinks for his third victory. Slinks took over the offensive driving with an eight-ball run on her first turn of game 12, taking highs completely out of the game. Puff II had a chance to assure the series be decided in this game, but she missed on the 5, and Wild Thing made it to take out Puff II. Slinks wouldn't back down even as Wild Thing made a four-ball run, and Slinks eventually poked around for the last pair of balls she needed to take her fifth win. Slinks advances to the second round, while Wild Thing took 15 points and Puff II scored another 14 in the tight series.
Marsell v. Stealth v. Dreamy at Samsung Arena, Whitewater. Marsell has the distinction of being the first to face league teammates, but that didn't bother him in game 1. He promptly selected highs and weakened lows, which led to Dreamy finishing third. Stealth fought well in response, but had to settle for second as Marsell made a four-ball run-out for his first win. Marsell appears to be attacking one suit fiercely as his strategy, this time going after highs in game 2. Stealth and Dreamy combined to fight him off, although Dreamy was briefly out of the game until Stealth forced Marsell into a scratch. This proved too much for him, as Stealth took out Marsell and then Dreamy for his first win. Dreamy and Stealth switched roles a bit in game 3, as Dreamy took the mediums and had to bunker down for much of the game. Stealth provided a strong attack against Marsell, who lashed out at the two players but couldn't eliminate either one of them. Dreamy dealt the final blow to Marsell and then took out Stealth for her first win. Dreamy kept up well in game 4, as Stealth established himself with the medium set. Marsell tried a different strategy, trying to fly under the radar by taking the damaged lows, and while Dreamy did inflict damage on Stealth and vice versa, Dreamy's final turn was a three-ball run-out that saw Marsell seated before Stealth once again in Dreamy's second win. Marsell had some success playing Dreamy and Stealth against each other early in game 5, but a scratch from Marsell ruined that. Dreamy and Stealth used their next three turns combined to wipe out Marsell, with Stealth ending on a four-ball run-out that also beat Dreamy in the end for his second win. Stealth made an executive decision on his second turn in game 6, electing to wipe out Dreamy's highs first before tackling Marsell's mediums on his six-ball run-out. Marsell had done well to damage Dreamy on his turn after she started the picking, but Stealth took the win, his third. Marsell pulled a lot of the strings in game 7, and he thought it would nearly work, but after he took out Stealth, he couldn't make Dreamy's last ball. Dreamy fought back with the final pair of shots including a difficult bank of the 5 to the top side for the win, her third of the series. Game 8 saw Marsell again choose his suit, taking lows, which led Stealth to take highs. Stealth did quite a bit of damage to Dreamy's mediums, but Dreamy recovered just fine in the end, helping take down Marsell first and then finishing her three-ball run-out against Stealth for her fourth win. Dreamy did brilliantly to betray Stealth at the end of the series, going on a huge eight-ball run from the break at first. Stealth claimed his suit but also scratched, and this kept Marsell in the game. He couldn't do enough on his run, and Dreamy took him out before also ending Stealth in her fifth win. Dreamy heads to the second round, while Stealth qualified at 14 points and Marsell had only 5 after being successfully double-teamed.
Expect more of the same for playing time tomorrow and going forward.
Monday, October 9, 2017
Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 3
We've got a new day of games as we continue our preseason adventures. We should play at least four series today, beginning with...
Dani v. Hughbert v. Sparkles at Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound. Hughbert applied instant pressure with a deep run on his first turn of game 1. On the second turn, Dani claimed highs, putting Sparkles in an uncomfortable spot. Hughbert offed Sparkles, but nearly succumbed to Dani's late rally. A jammed top right saved Hughbert long enough for him to get his first win. Hughbert rallied with an eight-ball run early in game 2, and Dani took lows to keep Sparkles away from the table. No scratches revived Sparkles, but Dani got the better of Hughbert again late to take her first win in comeback fashion. Hughbert again made an early impression in game 3, and this time he worked more effectively with Sparkles to take Dani out of the game quickly. From there, Hughbert used solid defense to slow Sparkles down until he could take out her last two balls for his second win. Game 4 featured a weaker start from Hughbert, which allowed Sparkles to damage his suit of lows before Dani knocked him out on her second turn. Dani then battled with Sparkles at the end, using collateral damage and a four-ball run-out to claim her second win in a bold statement. Dani didn't give either player a chance to make an impression in game 5, instead making ten shots in a row to take out both of their suits for the win, her third of the series. Game 6 went very strangely toward the end, as Dani dispatched Hughbert early on to battle Sparkles. What was supposed to be the last shot of the game saw Sparkles pot both her final ball and Dani's final ball at the same time, but a scratch would put Sparkles in third place. Dani and Hughbert then battled, with Dani winning to earn her fourth win of the series. Dani didn't get anything on the break in game 7, and she was very close to being knocked out against a six-ball run from Sparkles, but she put her last ball in good position for safety. Hughbert and Sparkles mainly battled themselves, leaving Dani to take both of them out on a four-ball run-out for her fifth win. Dani will head to the second round, while Hughbert enters the draw with 9.5 points and Sparkles took just 2.5 points in a tough series from the third position.
Jeremias v. Mr. Snowman v. Kiwi at Kraft Forum, Royal. Jeremias got things going in game 1, but play was shaky both early on and toward the end. Mr. Snowman provided a big run on his second turn, but Kiwi stayed alive long enough to help take Jeremias out. Mr. Snowman finally knocked out Kiwi on his third attempt for his first win. Things were a bit smoother and a lot closer in game 2, with each player holding one ball on the table late. Mr. Snowman tried to take Kiwi out first, but missed his shot, and Kiwi fired back by knocking him out before ousting Jeremias for her first win. Game 3 didn't see much separation for the players. Kiwi made a big run at one point to establish herself better, but she peaked too early. Mr. Snowman took out Jeremias on one turn, and then Kiwi knocked herself out after a failed deflection shot attempt to give Mr. Snowman his second win. Mr. Snowman had a hot start with a four-ball run in game 4, and Kiwi backed him up by pushing Jeremias down the list quite a bit. Jeremias did last for awhile, but Kiwi took him out after Mr. Snowman set her up. In the end, Mr. Snowman had the better positioning and picked up a gritty win over Kiwi, his third in the series. Game 5 returned to close play, as each player lost ground in even portions. Kiwi took out Mr. Snowman first, and then beat Jeremias on the next turn after he missed his chance to get the win against her. Kiwi has her second win of the series. Kiwi messed up early in game 6, but it ended up working out for the better, as her miss on the 2 allowed Jeremias to scratch later. Kiwi had lows when it was all settled, and Jeremias was knocked out by Mr. Snowman, who couldn't quite hang on against Kiwi at the end as she picked up her third in of the series. Mr. Snowman looked to be making a lethal start to game 7, striking eight balls over two turns as Kiwi and Jeremias battled to pick up the scraps. Jeremias won that battle, promptly taking Kiwi out on the second of what became a comeback six-ball run-out for the win, his first in the series. Game 8 saw Mr. Snowman take another hot start, his trademark in this series so far, but it wouldn't matter. Kiwi protected her lows well and wiped out Mr. Snowman before striking in Jeremias' last ball for the win, her fourth in the series. Kiwi intended to ramp up the pressure at a minimum with her game 9 performance, weathering some push-back after selecting the medium set early on. Both Mr. Snowman and Jeremias fought back well, but Kiwi simplified the game by taking Jeremias out. Mr. Snowman, fighting for his series life, couldn't pot Kiwi's lone ball, and she took his two for her clinching fifth win to get to the next round. Mr. Snowman will enter qualifying with 12 points, while Jeremias has only 6 points.
Salmo v. Fluffina v. Brownie at FedEx Forum, Eastside. Fluffina was the first to establish herself in game 1, attempting to protect lows. This worked well at first, as she and Salmo teamed up against Brownie early on to get her out of the picture. Head to head, Salmo pulled away, using beneficial positioning to knock out Fluffina for his first win. Salmo attacked with even more force in game 2, making a seven-ball run from the break. Fluffina added on with a three-ball run that shut Brownie out before she could get to the table, but Salmo shot back on his second turn, making his last two balls for his second win. Brownie had the first burst in game 3, pushing the highs off the table fairly quickly. This proved to be bad for Fluffina, who succumbed to a run by Salmo later in the game. In the head-to-head portion of the game, Brownie couldn't solve Salmo's defensive play, and ended up taking herself out as Salmo recorded his third win. Brownie had a better performance in game 4, establishing herself as the defender of the lows. Fluffina selected highs on her first turn, and Salmo found himself in trouble, but Brownie settled the game on her second turn with a four-ball run-out that saw Fluffina exit first. Brownie finished Salmo off with a wicked kick on the 8 to the bottom left for her first win. Brownie tightened the series a bit more in game 5, selecting lows from her successful break. Salmo challenged by taking highs and pressuring against Fluffina, who would find herself out just before her second turn thanks to Salmo. His joy was short-lived, as Brownie made a three-ball run-out to beat him for her second win. Brownie couldn't establish herself immediately, but she ended up with lows in game 6, after Salmo claimed the medium set and Fluffina took highs. Fluffina proved dangerous early on, but a five-ball run from Brownie knocked out Salmo and mostly disarmed Fluffina. On her next turn, Brownie finished off Fluffina for her third win. Salmo got himself back on track with a big seven-ball run in game 7, taking out Fluffina early on as it continues to be a two-player series for the most part. Brownie tried to counter, but missed contact on her second turn, and Salmo won from ball-in-hand for his fourth victory. Fluffina thought game 8 would be different as she made a six-ball run on her first turn, but it would be her only chance to impact the game. Salmo shot back with a six-ball run of his own, knocking out Fluffina and leaving Brownie deeply damaged. Salmo went with a collateral damage play to clear his second turn, where he finished off Brownie for his fifth win. Salmo will play in the second round, while Brownie takes 12 points and Fluffina gets just 3 points.
Twilight v. Bright v. Debby Ryan at Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central. Twilight scratched on the break in game 1, ceding control of the early surge to Bright, who attacked well and claimed the medium set. Debby struck quickly to earn the highs, but they didn't stay on the table for long, as Debby found herself out first. Twilight tried to get around Bright's defense to no avail, as the muscly veteran took the first win after his defense held her back. Twilight countered nicely in game 2, attacking with the highs as her suit as she kept both of her opponents at bay. Debby seemed to have a good start, but she lost a lot against Bright, and Twilight took both of them out on the same turn for her first win. Bright went on a devastating eight-ball run early in game 3 to establish himself with the lows, and Debby followed up with a confirmation shot to put Twilight on the bench. Debby played defense with her last ball, and it worked, drawing a scratch from Bright that brought Twilight back in. Twilight dealt the last blow to Bright, but Debby beat her in the end for the narrow win, her first in the series. Debby made the big run in game 4, keeping her lows on the table while putting pressure on Twilight and Bright. Twilight had a chance to take Bright out but she missed the shot, and Bright would eventually knock Twilight out instead. Bright persisted against Debby and got the win when the latter couldn't strike a long shot well enough. Bright earned his second win. Twilight fought back with a vengeance in game 5, putting up a four-ball run to defend her lows. Bright selected highs despite a disadvantage, and he would pay for it on Twilight's second turn, as he was the first out. Twilight then offed Debby with a kick on the 7 to the bottom side from a tough angle, a perfect play from the host for her second win. Twilight scratched on the break in game 6, opening the door for a hot start by Debby. She selected highs after a successful start, but it was her second turn that really proved her talents, as she made a six-ball run-out, dispatching Twilight and then Bright on the last two shots to retie the series at 2-all. Debby started well with a fierce break in game 7, and Bright helped on his first turn to assure that Twilight would not participate in this game. Going head to head, Debby came out on top on her third turn with a three-ball run-out to knock out Bright. Twilight stormed back into the series after a poor break from Debby and a lack of offense from Bright. Twilight needed some time to get the other players out of the picture, but she knocked off Debby and then Bright for the win, her third of the series. Game 9 went favorably for Debby, who got to select the low set. Bright challenged at one point in the game, but Twilight dispatched him with a shot on the 11. Debby then took Twilight out by making her last middle ball, and Debby also potted her 4 to prevent a scratch on her four-ball run-out. Debby has four wins now, on the edge of advancing. Debby nearly did all the work she needed on the break turn, with a seven-ball run that completely wiped out the highs. Twilight made sure to pot a ball to keep Bright on the bench, and then she played defensively, striking cautiously at Debby's remaining balls. Twilight would complete the comeback in the end, sending the 2 a long distance to the top left for the win, her fourth of the series, which puts her even with Debby. Twilight and Debby resolved to end the series in game 11, combining to quickly take out Bright. Twilight thought this would be a good thing, but Debby made a big three-ball run-out to end Twilight's chances of taking the series. Debby goes on with her fifth win, while Twilight takes 16 points and Bright scores 10 in the qualifying pool.
That's it for today. We'll have four or five more series tomorrow.
Dani v. Hughbert v. Sparkles at Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound. Hughbert applied instant pressure with a deep run on his first turn of game 1. On the second turn, Dani claimed highs, putting Sparkles in an uncomfortable spot. Hughbert offed Sparkles, but nearly succumbed to Dani's late rally. A jammed top right saved Hughbert long enough for him to get his first win. Hughbert rallied with an eight-ball run early in game 2, and Dani took lows to keep Sparkles away from the table. No scratches revived Sparkles, but Dani got the better of Hughbert again late to take her first win in comeback fashion. Hughbert again made an early impression in game 3, and this time he worked more effectively with Sparkles to take Dani out of the game quickly. From there, Hughbert used solid defense to slow Sparkles down until he could take out her last two balls for his second win. Game 4 featured a weaker start from Hughbert, which allowed Sparkles to damage his suit of lows before Dani knocked him out on her second turn. Dani then battled with Sparkles at the end, using collateral damage and a four-ball run-out to claim her second win in a bold statement. Dani didn't give either player a chance to make an impression in game 5, instead making ten shots in a row to take out both of their suits for the win, her third of the series. Game 6 went very strangely toward the end, as Dani dispatched Hughbert early on to battle Sparkles. What was supposed to be the last shot of the game saw Sparkles pot both her final ball and Dani's final ball at the same time, but a scratch would put Sparkles in third place. Dani and Hughbert then battled, with Dani winning to earn her fourth win of the series. Dani didn't get anything on the break in game 7, and she was very close to being knocked out against a six-ball run from Sparkles, but she put her last ball in good position for safety. Hughbert and Sparkles mainly battled themselves, leaving Dani to take both of them out on a four-ball run-out for her fifth win. Dani will head to the second round, while Hughbert enters the draw with 9.5 points and Sparkles took just 2.5 points in a tough series from the third position.
Jeremias v. Mr. Snowman v. Kiwi at Kraft Forum, Royal. Jeremias got things going in game 1, but play was shaky both early on and toward the end. Mr. Snowman provided a big run on his second turn, but Kiwi stayed alive long enough to help take Jeremias out. Mr. Snowman finally knocked out Kiwi on his third attempt for his first win. Things were a bit smoother and a lot closer in game 2, with each player holding one ball on the table late. Mr. Snowman tried to take Kiwi out first, but missed his shot, and Kiwi fired back by knocking him out before ousting Jeremias for her first win. Game 3 didn't see much separation for the players. Kiwi made a big run at one point to establish herself better, but she peaked too early. Mr. Snowman took out Jeremias on one turn, and then Kiwi knocked herself out after a failed deflection shot attempt to give Mr. Snowman his second win. Mr. Snowman had a hot start with a four-ball run in game 4, and Kiwi backed him up by pushing Jeremias down the list quite a bit. Jeremias did last for awhile, but Kiwi took him out after Mr. Snowman set her up. In the end, Mr. Snowman had the better positioning and picked up a gritty win over Kiwi, his third in the series. Game 5 returned to close play, as each player lost ground in even portions. Kiwi took out Mr. Snowman first, and then beat Jeremias on the next turn after he missed his chance to get the win against her. Kiwi has her second win of the series. Kiwi messed up early in game 6, but it ended up working out for the better, as her miss on the 2 allowed Jeremias to scratch later. Kiwi had lows when it was all settled, and Jeremias was knocked out by Mr. Snowman, who couldn't quite hang on against Kiwi at the end as she picked up her third in of the series. Mr. Snowman looked to be making a lethal start to game 7, striking eight balls over two turns as Kiwi and Jeremias battled to pick up the scraps. Jeremias won that battle, promptly taking Kiwi out on the second of what became a comeback six-ball run-out for the win, his first in the series. Game 8 saw Mr. Snowman take another hot start, his trademark in this series so far, but it wouldn't matter. Kiwi protected her lows well and wiped out Mr. Snowman before striking in Jeremias' last ball for the win, her fourth in the series. Kiwi intended to ramp up the pressure at a minimum with her game 9 performance, weathering some push-back after selecting the medium set early on. Both Mr. Snowman and Jeremias fought back well, but Kiwi simplified the game by taking Jeremias out. Mr. Snowman, fighting for his series life, couldn't pot Kiwi's lone ball, and she took his two for her clinching fifth win to get to the next round. Mr. Snowman will enter qualifying with 12 points, while Jeremias has only 6 points.
Salmo v. Fluffina v. Brownie at FedEx Forum, Eastside. Fluffina was the first to establish herself in game 1, attempting to protect lows. This worked well at first, as she and Salmo teamed up against Brownie early on to get her out of the picture. Head to head, Salmo pulled away, using beneficial positioning to knock out Fluffina for his first win. Salmo attacked with even more force in game 2, making a seven-ball run from the break. Fluffina added on with a three-ball run that shut Brownie out before she could get to the table, but Salmo shot back on his second turn, making his last two balls for his second win. Brownie had the first burst in game 3, pushing the highs off the table fairly quickly. This proved to be bad for Fluffina, who succumbed to a run by Salmo later in the game. In the head-to-head portion of the game, Brownie couldn't solve Salmo's defensive play, and ended up taking herself out as Salmo recorded his third win. Brownie had a better performance in game 4, establishing herself as the defender of the lows. Fluffina selected highs on her first turn, and Salmo found himself in trouble, but Brownie settled the game on her second turn with a four-ball run-out that saw Fluffina exit first. Brownie finished Salmo off with a wicked kick on the 8 to the bottom left for her first win. Brownie tightened the series a bit more in game 5, selecting lows from her successful break. Salmo challenged by taking highs and pressuring against Fluffina, who would find herself out just before her second turn thanks to Salmo. His joy was short-lived, as Brownie made a three-ball run-out to beat him for her second win. Brownie couldn't establish herself immediately, but she ended up with lows in game 6, after Salmo claimed the medium set and Fluffina took highs. Fluffina proved dangerous early on, but a five-ball run from Brownie knocked out Salmo and mostly disarmed Fluffina. On her next turn, Brownie finished off Fluffina for her third win. Salmo got himself back on track with a big seven-ball run in game 7, taking out Fluffina early on as it continues to be a two-player series for the most part. Brownie tried to counter, but missed contact on her second turn, and Salmo won from ball-in-hand for his fourth victory. Fluffina thought game 8 would be different as she made a six-ball run on her first turn, but it would be her only chance to impact the game. Salmo shot back with a six-ball run of his own, knocking out Fluffina and leaving Brownie deeply damaged. Salmo went with a collateral damage play to clear his second turn, where he finished off Brownie for his fifth win. Salmo will play in the second round, while Brownie takes 12 points and Fluffina gets just 3 points.
Twilight v. Bright v. Debby Ryan at Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central. Twilight scratched on the break in game 1, ceding control of the early surge to Bright, who attacked well and claimed the medium set. Debby struck quickly to earn the highs, but they didn't stay on the table for long, as Debby found herself out first. Twilight tried to get around Bright's defense to no avail, as the muscly veteran took the first win after his defense held her back. Twilight countered nicely in game 2, attacking with the highs as her suit as she kept both of her opponents at bay. Debby seemed to have a good start, but she lost a lot against Bright, and Twilight took both of them out on the same turn for her first win. Bright went on a devastating eight-ball run early in game 3 to establish himself with the lows, and Debby followed up with a confirmation shot to put Twilight on the bench. Debby played defense with her last ball, and it worked, drawing a scratch from Bright that brought Twilight back in. Twilight dealt the last blow to Bright, but Debby beat her in the end for the narrow win, her first in the series. Debby made the big run in game 4, keeping her lows on the table while putting pressure on Twilight and Bright. Twilight had a chance to take Bright out but she missed the shot, and Bright would eventually knock Twilight out instead. Bright persisted against Debby and got the win when the latter couldn't strike a long shot well enough. Bright earned his second win. Twilight fought back with a vengeance in game 5, putting up a four-ball run to defend her lows. Bright selected highs despite a disadvantage, and he would pay for it on Twilight's second turn, as he was the first out. Twilight then offed Debby with a kick on the 7 to the bottom side from a tough angle, a perfect play from the host for her second win. Twilight scratched on the break in game 6, opening the door for a hot start by Debby. She selected highs after a successful start, but it was her second turn that really proved her talents, as she made a six-ball run-out, dispatching Twilight and then Bright on the last two shots to retie the series at 2-all. Debby started well with a fierce break in game 7, and Bright helped on his first turn to assure that Twilight would not participate in this game. Going head to head, Debby came out on top on her third turn with a three-ball run-out to knock out Bright. Twilight stormed back into the series after a poor break from Debby and a lack of offense from Bright. Twilight needed some time to get the other players out of the picture, but she knocked off Debby and then Bright for the win, her third of the series. Game 9 went favorably for Debby, who got to select the low set. Bright challenged at one point in the game, but Twilight dispatched him with a shot on the 11. Debby then took Twilight out by making her last middle ball, and Debby also potted her 4 to prevent a scratch on her four-ball run-out. Debby has four wins now, on the edge of advancing. Debby nearly did all the work she needed on the break turn, with a seven-ball run that completely wiped out the highs. Twilight made sure to pot a ball to keep Bright on the bench, and then she played defensively, striking cautiously at Debby's remaining balls. Twilight would complete the comeback in the end, sending the 2 a long distance to the top left for the win, her fourth of the series, which puts her even with Debby. Twilight and Debby resolved to end the series in game 11, combining to quickly take out Bright. Twilight thought this would be a good thing, but Debby made a big three-ball run-out to end Twilight's chances of taking the series. Debby goes on with her fifth win, while Twilight takes 16 points and Bright scores 10 in the qualifying pool.
That's it for today. We'll have four or five more series tomorrow.
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 2
We'll get a little more of the Cutthroat Tournament played today as we ease back into regular playing time. We begin with...
Celestia v. Snowball v. Peach at AT&T Hall, Oceanside. Game 1 saw Snowball produce a good start and finish in her first win of the series. Peach was the beneficiary of Snowball's lapse in the middle of the game, as she put up a six-ball run to ensure Celestia's third-place finish this time. Snowball had no hesitation to claim lows in game 2, and with another big six-ball run from Peach on her first turn, Celestia's game was over without a shot. Snowball got the upper hand late against Peach to take her second win of the series. Snowball made it three in a row with a brilliant five-ball run-out in game 3, taking out Celestia early again before wiping Peach's last three balls out. The game ended with Snowball banking the 7 to the bottom left in perfect form for the third win. Snowball used her advantage in game 4 to full effect, after a nice run to take out Celestia after her scratch. Peach shot back on the next turn, but Snowball had the upper hand and used it with a collateral damage play on the last shot to get the win, her fourth of the series. Peach and Celestia managed to put aside their early differences to keep the series going in game 5. They combined, albeit a bit clumsily, to take out Snowball in three turns, and then Peach grabbed the win by giving Celestia an unwinnable shooting position. It was Peach's first win of the series. Peach and Celestia flipped roles a bit in game 6, as Peach's early five-ball run represented an early peak. Snowball fought back to put both players in danger, but Celestia's third turn resulted in a win as she took out Peach, who had just taken Snowball out a shot before. In game 7, Celestia couldn't get anything on the break, and she ended up with highs after Peach took lows and Snowball got mediums. Peach betrayed Celestia late in the game, taking her out first, and that left Snowball with a cut on the 2 and a cut-deflection on the 4 to take out Peach. This was Snowball's fifth win, earning her an automatic pass to the second round. Peach finished with 9 points, and Celestia had only 4.
Violetta v. Charli XCX v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva at Ebay Center, Queens. Things did not start well for Violetta in game 1, but she held on well on her second turn to knock out Yekaterina. In a head-to-head battle with Charli, Violetta came close but couldn't quite hold on, as Charli deposited the 2 in the bottom side for her first win. Yekaterina recovered, playing with urgency in game 2. She closed out the game with a five-ball run-out, first eliminating Charli before turning her attention to Violetta's last two balls. Yekaterina recorded her first win with the effort. Violetta found herself out of game 3 rather quickly, but a scratch by Yekaterina reopened her campaign, and she and Charli combined to take Yekaterina out. Charli had a chance to get the win, but couldn't convert, and Violetta made things level with her first win on the next turn. Violetta stayed on the table for the whole of game 4, but she had trouble with finishing off Yekaterina at first, and then she couldn't knock out Charli after she was revived by Violetta's scratch. Charli took both of them out in revenge for her second win. Violetta made things tough on both Charli and Yekaterina early in game 5 with her five-ball run, but she couldn't produce another big run. Instead, Charli made a three-ball run-out, taking out Yekaterina quite vindictively before pushing Violetta aside to take her third win. In game 6, Charli got to set the tone despite an empty break, and she chose lows. Her third turn proved intriguing, as she scratched, allowing Violetta to promptly eliminate Yekaterina. Violetta couldn't follow up, and Charli's three-ball run-out netted her a fourth win in the series. In game 7, none of the players could really get a grip on the game. Charli had the best look, and she made it count later in the game, pushing Yekaterina out of the way before beating Violetta head-to-head again for her fifth and final win to advance. Violetta took 9 points, while Yekaterina had just 3 points from her one win.
Klaus v. Kodiak v. Caitlin Woode at McDonald's Hall, Atlantic. Klaus did well in game 1, although Kodiak had the better start. He had Caitlin on the ropes almost immediately, but a scratch brought her back into the game, and she would actually finish second. Klaus took out Kodiak first before using a deflected shot to beat Caitlin for the win. In game 2, Caitlin was the only player not to get knocked out at some point. Klaus had taken Kodiak out before a scratch on his second turn, and then Kodiak returned fire later, only to also scratch. Kodiak would be taken out first when Caitlin assembled her last run, and she won with a bank on the 3 to the top side, her first win in the series. Klaus and Caitlin dominated in game 3, combining to shut down Kodiak relatively fast. Klaus dealt the final blow there, but couldn't follow up on Caitlin on the next shot, and she instead potted his 8 for her second win. Caitlin got nothing out of the break in game 4, allowing Klaus and Kodiak to do a lot of work with establishing themselves early on. Kodiak would take Caitlin out on his second turn, and then he returned fire against Klaus a turn later to pick up his first win of the series. Klaus worked well on his second turn of game 5 to take Kodiak out of the game, but Caitlin made a two-turn rally to get close before her scratch revived Kodiak. He promptly paid her back by knocking her out, and then he dueled with and won against Klaus for his second win of the series. Klaus got revenge on Caitlin in game 6 after her win three games prior. The two players quickly knocked out Kodiak, much like in the last game. Caitlin didn't scratch this time, but she also couldn't put pressure on Klaus, who eventually corralled her 3 for the win, his second of the even series. Game 7 would be pivotal for all involved, which almost meant bad news when Klaus took an early exit at the hands of Caitlin. This would be undone by Kodiak's scratch, and Klaus stayed under the radar for the rest of the game. Caitlin took out Kodiak, but couldn't get a shot on Klaus' 8, and he picked off her remaining four balls over three turns for his third win of the series. Game 8 was a battle of runs, with Caitlin going six deep early on to leave both of her opponents in trouble. Kodiak piled onto Klaus with a four-ball run, but Klaus stayed alive and took Kodiak and then Caitlin down with a four-ball run-out for his fourth win of the series. Klaus used his second turn in game 9 to go on a mean eight-ball run, taking Caitlin out after she had carefully selected the medium set. Kodiak kept the series going with a four-ball run-out, wiping Klaus' lows off the table for Kodiak's third win in the series. Klaus did the majority of the damage in game 10, nearly claiming the series without a true second place decision. Caitlin saved herself some trouble, claiming highs after lows were off the table, but her scratch revived Kodiak. Klaus would be the first one out for good, thanks to Kodiak, but Caitlin sealed the deal with a shot on the 3 to get the win, her third of the series. Kodiak and Caitlin worked together well to get Klaus out of game 11, ensuring at least one more game for the series. In the end, Kodiak made his shot after Caitlin missed hers, giving him his fourth win of the series. Caitlin had to navigate unfriendly waters in game 12, but she took highs early. Kodiak chose mediums on his first good shot, after a failed play by Klaus, and it would not work out for him. As Caitlin took her fourth turn, the play was even, but she made a four-ball run-out to win, knocking Kodiak out before Klaus to earn her fourth win and set up a decisive final game. The even series came down to an even game 13, as each player had just one ball standing when Klaus came up for the last turn. Caitlin had pushed it to this point, and she was rewarded with second place as Klaus dispatched Kodiak first, and then Caitlin, for his fifth and final win. Klaus advances with the series win, while Caitlin goes with 18 points and Kodiak owns 13 at the end.
That's all for today. The plan for tomorrow is four series or 40 games, whichever takes longer.
Celestia v. Snowball v. Peach at AT&T Hall, Oceanside. Game 1 saw Snowball produce a good start and finish in her first win of the series. Peach was the beneficiary of Snowball's lapse in the middle of the game, as she put up a six-ball run to ensure Celestia's third-place finish this time. Snowball had no hesitation to claim lows in game 2, and with another big six-ball run from Peach on her first turn, Celestia's game was over without a shot. Snowball got the upper hand late against Peach to take her second win of the series. Snowball made it three in a row with a brilliant five-ball run-out in game 3, taking out Celestia early again before wiping Peach's last three balls out. The game ended with Snowball banking the 7 to the bottom left in perfect form for the third win. Snowball used her advantage in game 4 to full effect, after a nice run to take out Celestia after her scratch. Peach shot back on the next turn, but Snowball had the upper hand and used it with a collateral damage play on the last shot to get the win, her fourth of the series. Peach and Celestia managed to put aside their early differences to keep the series going in game 5. They combined, albeit a bit clumsily, to take out Snowball in three turns, and then Peach grabbed the win by giving Celestia an unwinnable shooting position. It was Peach's first win of the series. Peach and Celestia flipped roles a bit in game 6, as Peach's early five-ball run represented an early peak. Snowball fought back to put both players in danger, but Celestia's third turn resulted in a win as she took out Peach, who had just taken Snowball out a shot before. In game 7, Celestia couldn't get anything on the break, and she ended up with highs after Peach took lows and Snowball got mediums. Peach betrayed Celestia late in the game, taking her out first, and that left Snowball with a cut on the 2 and a cut-deflection on the 4 to take out Peach. This was Snowball's fifth win, earning her an automatic pass to the second round. Peach finished with 9 points, and Celestia had only 4.
Violetta v. Charli XCX v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva at Ebay Center, Queens. Things did not start well for Violetta in game 1, but she held on well on her second turn to knock out Yekaterina. In a head-to-head battle with Charli, Violetta came close but couldn't quite hold on, as Charli deposited the 2 in the bottom side for her first win. Yekaterina recovered, playing with urgency in game 2. She closed out the game with a five-ball run-out, first eliminating Charli before turning her attention to Violetta's last two balls. Yekaterina recorded her first win with the effort. Violetta found herself out of game 3 rather quickly, but a scratch by Yekaterina reopened her campaign, and she and Charli combined to take Yekaterina out. Charli had a chance to get the win, but couldn't convert, and Violetta made things level with her first win on the next turn. Violetta stayed on the table for the whole of game 4, but she had trouble with finishing off Yekaterina at first, and then she couldn't knock out Charli after she was revived by Violetta's scratch. Charli took both of them out in revenge for her second win. Violetta made things tough on both Charli and Yekaterina early in game 5 with her five-ball run, but she couldn't produce another big run. Instead, Charli made a three-ball run-out, taking out Yekaterina quite vindictively before pushing Violetta aside to take her third win. In game 6, Charli got to set the tone despite an empty break, and she chose lows. Her third turn proved intriguing, as she scratched, allowing Violetta to promptly eliminate Yekaterina. Violetta couldn't follow up, and Charli's three-ball run-out netted her a fourth win in the series. In game 7, none of the players could really get a grip on the game. Charli had the best look, and she made it count later in the game, pushing Yekaterina out of the way before beating Violetta head-to-head again for her fifth and final win to advance. Violetta took 9 points, while Yekaterina had just 3 points from her one win.
Klaus v. Kodiak v. Caitlin Woode at McDonald's Hall, Atlantic. Klaus did well in game 1, although Kodiak had the better start. He had Caitlin on the ropes almost immediately, but a scratch brought her back into the game, and she would actually finish second. Klaus took out Kodiak first before using a deflected shot to beat Caitlin for the win. In game 2, Caitlin was the only player not to get knocked out at some point. Klaus had taken Kodiak out before a scratch on his second turn, and then Kodiak returned fire later, only to also scratch. Kodiak would be taken out first when Caitlin assembled her last run, and she won with a bank on the 3 to the top side, her first win in the series. Klaus and Caitlin dominated in game 3, combining to shut down Kodiak relatively fast. Klaus dealt the final blow there, but couldn't follow up on Caitlin on the next shot, and she instead potted his 8 for her second win. Caitlin got nothing out of the break in game 4, allowing Klaus and Kodiak to do a lot of work with establishing themselves early on. Kodiak would take Caitlin out on his second turn, and then he returned fire against Klaus a turn later to pick up his first win of the series. Klaus worked well on his second turn of game 5 to take Kodiak out of the game, but Caitlin made a two-turn rally to get close before her scratch revived Kodiak. He promptly paid her back by knocking her out, and then he dueled with and won against Klaus for his second win of the series. Klaus got revenge on Caitlin in game 6 after her win three games prior. The two players quickly knocked out Kodiak, much like in the last game. Caitlin didn't scratch this time, but she also couldn't put pressure on Klaus, who eventually corralled her 3 for the win, his second of the even series. Game 7 would be pivotal for all involved, which almost meant bad news when Klaus took an early exit at the hands of Caitlin. This would be undone by Kodiak's scratch, and Klaus stayed under the radar for the rest of the game. Caitlin took out Kodiak, but couldn't get a shot on Klaus' 8, and he picked off her remaining four balls over three turns for his third win of the series. Game 8 was a battle of runs, with Caitlin going six deep early on to leave both of her opponents in trouble. Kodiak piled onto Klaus with a four-ball run, but Klaus stayed alive and took Kodiak and then Caitlin down with a four-ball run-out for his fourth win of the series. Klaus used his second turn in game 9 to go on a mean eight-ball run, taking Caitlin out after she had carefully selected the medium set. Kodiak kept the series going with a four-ball run-out, wiping Klaus' lows off the table for Kodiak's third win in the series. Klaus did the majority of the damage in game 10, nearly claiming the series without a true second place decision. Caitlin saved herself some trouble, claiming highs after lows were off the table, but her scratch revived Kodiak. Klaus would be the first one out for good, thanks to Kodiak, but Caitlin sealed the deal with a shot on the 3 to get the win, her third of the series. Kodiak and Caitlin worked together well to get Klaus out of game 11, ensuring at least one more game for the series. In the end, Kodiak made his shot after Caitlin missed hers, giving him his fourth win of the series. Caitlin had to navigate unfriendly waters in game 12, but she took highs early. Kodiak chose mediums on his first good shot, after a failed play by Klaus, and it would not work out for him. As Caitlin took her fourth turn, the play was even, but she made a four-ball run-out to win, knocking Kodiak out before Klaus to earn her fourth win and set up a decisive final game. The even series came down to an even game 13, as each player had just one ball standing when Klaus came up for the last turn. Caitlin had pushed it to this point, and she was rewarded with second place as Klaus dispatched Kodiak first, and then Caitlin, for his fifth and final win. Klaus advances with the series win, while Caitlin goes with 18 points and Kodiak owns 13 at the end.
That's all for today. The plan for tomorrow is four series or 40 games, whichever takes longer.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 1
We're back with a mini-Tournament beginning today, as UPCL players participate in the three-person brand of pool known as Cutthroat. In the first round, 60 series will be played, with the winners and an additional 21 runners-up earning passage to the second round. We begin with...
Starlight v. Roxy v. Juno at Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific. Roxy and Juno combined for a good start, getting Starlight down to her final ball on the table, but Starlight struck back with a five-ball run to take Juno out of the game. Roxy would reply in kind, ending Starlight's bid, as Roxy takes the first win of the series. Game 2 saw a bit of a reversal of fortunes for Starlight and Roxy, as the two combined to take out Juno rather quickly. Roxy dealt the final blow to Juno, but Starlight returned fire by making the 1 to the bottom left to grab the win, her first. Juno joined the party with a dominant effort in game 3, which saw her engage a five-ball run after questionably choosing the high set of balls. The strategy paid off when she took out Roxy on the second turn, and then battled efficiently to beat Starlight head-to-head. The win brought Juno level with 1 win in an even series so far. Juno kept the momentum going in game 4, as she and Starlight worked quickly to get Roxy out of the game. However, scratches by both players revived Roxy in the game, and she tipped the scales in favor of Juno. Starlight picked off Roxy on her turn, but missed on Juno's ball, and Juno knocked Starlight out for her second win. Juno overcame a troubled start in game 5, as Starlight and Roxy combined against her at first. Starlight was first to fall as Juno struck back with a five-ball run, and while Roxy held on for awhile, Juno claimed the win with a clean finishing shot to the bottom left for her third win. Roxy took a more aggressive approach in game 6, claiming the lows and allowing Starlight to protect the highs with an early surge. Juno was quickly buried, but held on until Roxy took her out first in a three-ball run-out that also knocked out Starlight. Roxy now has two wins in the series. Starlight did more of the tone-setting in game 7, selecting lows as her suit. Juno had to take out of her own highs to officially claim the set, and it turned out to be no benefit to her in the long run, as Roxy knocked Juno out before Starlight took her second win. Roxy elected to protect the highs in game 8, and she did so efficiently, quickly combining with Juno to take out Starlight. Going into the latter stages of the game even, Roxy would pot Juno's last two balls faster for her third win. Things changed very quickly for Juno in game 9, as she had a chance to go on a deep run to damage both of her opponents. A scratch allowed Starlight enough leverage to build a three-ball run-out, offing Juno and then Roxy to complete her third win. Starlight got onto the verge of the series win with her fourth win in game 10. Juno did a lot of the work, with a five-ball run that eliminated the medium set. Starlight stepped up and made one of Juno's high balls to confirm Roxy's third-place finish, and then Starlight held on to beat Juno head to head. Starlight tried to play strong at the start of the game, but Juno successfully pressured both her and Roxy in game 11. Neither Starlight nor Roxy had a commanding effort, and Juno was able to keep all of her balls on the table before her three-ball run-out ended Roxy and then Starlight for her fourth win. Starlight and Juno decided to end the series in game 12, combining to take out Roxy. Juno had a scratch that briefly revived Roxy, but Juno took her out again. Starlight then kicked Juno's 9 to the top right for her fifth win. Juno ended with 15 points to Roxy's 13 for the purposes of secondary second-round qualification.
Beth v. Leonette v. Ice Cream at Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl. Backstabbing ran amok in game 1, as Beth started with a three-ball run and claimed the medium set. Leonette rallied with a seven-ball run in response, claiming highs and eliminating Beth, only to see Ice Cream win with a four-ball run-out as she kept her last ball, the 2, standing for her first win. Leonette built up a bit of a lead in game 2 early on, but Beth and Ice Cream quickly brought her back to earth. Ice Cream then betrayed Beth by taking out her last high ball, before battling and winning over Leonette at the end. Ice Cream has been sneaky in winning both games so far. It was more of the same in game 3, although Leonette needed a scratch to be revived. Ice Cream obliged with that, and Beth also scratched to keep Leonette in the game. Leonette repaid Beth by knocking her out, only to crumble as she was outmatched by Ice Cream, who took her third win in commanding form. Leonette finally cracked the code on Ice Cream in game 4, as the two players combined again to knock out Beth early. Ice Cream though she had the advantage again, but Leonette put up a three-ball run-out in the end to snag her first win of the series. Leonette retained her possession well in game 5, but it was Ice Cream with a big run in the early part of the game to set the tone. Ice Cream's run put Beth in trouble, and on her next turn, Ice Cream knocked Beth out of the game early again. Leonette battled a bit with Ice Cream before getting the upper hand for her second win. Ice Cream regained control of the series in game 6, setting Leonette and Beth against each other early on. Beth had a bad miss that gave Leonette the edge in their battle, but Beth would be responsible for Leonette's exit from the game, only to fall to Ice Cream on her next turn. Ice Cream has four wins, one away from advancing. Ice Cream went all out at the start of game 7, making a seven-ball run that had Leonette out of the game before she took a shot. A scratch later in the game brought Leonette back, and she worked with Beth to force Ice Cream out, but Beth would get the win in the end, her first of the series. Beth continued her surge on offense in game 8, striking early and putting both opponents in trouble. Ice Cream got the better of this at the end, as she and Leonette stuck together to combat the effort. Beth took out Leonette first, and then Ice Cream with her last two shots for the win, her second. Beth kept things going with a win in game 9, again waiting until late to deny Ice Cream with her five-ball run-out. Beth took out Leonette first again, and then Ice Cream, ceding a point but keeping the series going with her third straight win. Leonette finally produced her third win in game 10, successfully working with a potent run by Ice Cream to take out Beth early on. Going head to head, Leonette had easier shots to shut down Ice Cream for the win. Beth and Leonette combined for the greater good, targeting Ice Cream early in game 11. The game still was close at the end, but Beth was able to take out Ice Cream, just in time for Leonette to snag the win, her fourth of the series. Leonette and Ice Cream decided to end the series in game 12, mostly with Leonette's effective offense. Ice Cream quickly betrayed Beth, taking her out of the game, and Leonette, with a huge advantage, sacrificed one of her balls before finishing off Ice Cream for her fifth win. Ice Cream did tally 18 points in the series, while Beth mid-series surge only got her up to 11 points.
That's it for today. We should have more of this over the weekend, and we'll get up to a more typical pace by the start of next week.
Starlight v. Roxy v. Juno at Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific. Roxy and Juno combined for a good start, getting Starlight down to her final ball on the table, but Starlight struck back with a five-ball run to take Juno out of the game. Roxy would reply in kind, ending Starlight's bid, as Roxy takes the first win of the series. Game 2 saw a bit of a reversal of fortunes for Starlight and Roxy, as the two combined to take out Juno rather quickly. Roxy dealt the final blow to Juno, but Starlight returned fire by making the 1 to the bottom left to grab the win, her first. Juno joined the party with a dominant effort in game 3, which saw her engage a five-ball run after questionably choosing the high set of balls. The strategy paid off when she took out Roxy on the second turn, and then battled efficiently to beat Starlight head-to-head. The win brought Juno level with 1 win in an even series so far. Juno kept the momentum going in game 4, as she and Starlight worked quickly to get Roxy out of the game. However, scratches by both players revived Roxy in the game, and she tipped the scales in favor of Juno. Starlight picked off Roxy on her turn, but missed on Juno's ball, and Juno knocked Starlight out for her second win. Juno overcame a troubled start in game 5, as Starlight and Roxy combined against her at first. Starlight was first to fall as Juno struck back with a five-ball run, and while Roxy held on for awhile, Juno claimed the win with a clean finishing shot to the bottom left for her third win. Roxy took a more aggressive approach in game 6, claiming the lows and allowing Starlight to protect the highs with an early surge. Juno was quickly buried, but held on until Roxy took her out first in a three-ball run-out that also knocked out Starlight. Roxy now has two wins in the series. Starlight did more of the tone-setting in game 7, selecting lows as her suit. Juno had to take out of her own highs to officially claim the set, and it turned out to be no benefit to her in the long run, as Roxy knocked Juno out before Starlight took her second win. Roxy elected to protect the highs in game 8, and she did so efficiently, quickly combining with Juno to take out Starlight. Going into the latter stages of the game even, Roxy would pot Juno's last two balls faster for her third win. Things changed very quickly for Juno in game 9, as she had a chance to go on a deep run to damage both of her opponents. A scratch allowed Starlight enough leverage to build a three-ball run-out, offing Juno and then Roxy to complete her third win. Starlight got onto the verge of the series win with her fourth win in game 10. Juno did a lot of the work, with a five-ball run that eliminated the medium set. Starlight stepped up and made one of Juno's high balls to confirm Roxy's third-place finish, and then Starlight held on to beat Juno head to head. Starlight tried to play strong at the start of the game, but Juno successfully pressured both her and Roxy in game 11. Neither Starlight nor Roxy had a commanding effort, and Juno was able to keep all of her balls on the table before her three-ball run-out ended Roxy and then Starlight for her fourth win. Starlight and Juno decided to end the series in game 12, combining to take out Roxy. Juno had a scratch that briefly revived Roxy, but Juno took her out again. Starlight then kicked Juno's 9 to the top right for her fifth win. Juno ended with 15 points to Roxy's 13 for the purposes of secondary second-round qualification.
Beth v. Leonette v. Ice Cream at Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl. Backstabbing ran amok in game 1, as Beth started with a three-ball run and claimed the medium set. Leonette rallied with a seven-ball run in response, claiming highs and eliminating Beth, only to see Ice Cream win with a four-ball run-out as she kept her last ball, the 2, standing for her first win. Leonette built up a bit of a lead in game 2 early on, but Beth and Ice Cream quickly brought her back to earth. Ice Cream then betrayed Beth by taking out her last high ball, before battling and winning over Leonette at the end. Ice Cream has been sneaky in winning both games so far. It was more of the same in game 3, although Leonette needed a scratch to be revived. Ice Cream obliged with that, and Beth also scratched to keep Leonette in the game. Leonette repaid Beth by knocking her out, only to crumble as she was outmatched by Ice Cream, who took her third win in commanding form. Leonette finally cracked the code on Ice Cream in game 4, as the two players combined again to knock out Beth early. Ice Cream though she had the advantage again, but Leonette put up a three-ball run-out in the end to snag her first win of the series. Leonette retained her possession well in game 5, but it was Ice Cream with a big run in the early part of the game to set the tone. Ice Cream's run put Beth in trouble, and on her next turn, Ice Cream knocked Beth out of the game early again. Leonette battled a bit with Ice Cream before getting the upper hand for her second win. Ice Cream regained control of the series in game 6, setting Leonette and Beth against each other early on. Beth had a bad miss that gave Leonette the edge in their battle, but Beth would be responsible for Leonette's exit from the game, only to fall to Ice Cream on her next turn. Ice Cream has four wins, one away from advancing. Ice Cream went all out at the start of game 7, making a seven-ball run that had Leonette out of the game before she took a shot. A scratch later in the game brought Leonette back, and she worked with Beth to force Ice Cream out, but Beth would get the win in the end, her first of the series. Beth continued her surge on offense in game 8, striking early and putting both opponents in trouble. Ice Cream got the better of this at the end, as she and Leonette stuck together to combat the effort. Beth took out Leonette first, and then Ice Cream with her last two shots for the win, her second. Beth kept things going with a win in game 9, again waiting until late to deny Ice Cream with her five-ball run-out. Beth took out Leonette first again, and then Ice Cream, ceding a point but keeping the series going with her third straight win. Leonette finally produced her third win in game 10, successfully working with a potent run by Ice Cream to take out Beth early on. Going head to head, Leonette had easier shots to shut down Ice Cream for the win. Beth and Leonette combined for the greater good, targeting Ice Cream early in game 11. The game still was close at the end, but Beth was able to take out Ice Cream, just in time for Leonette to snag the win, her fourth of the series. Leonette and Ice Cream decided to end the series in game 12, mostly with Leonette's effective offense. Ice Cream quickly betrayed Beth, taking her out of the game, and Leonette, with a huge advantage, sacrificed one of her balls before finishing off Ice Cream for her fifth win. Ice Cream did tally 18 points in the series, while Beth mid-series surge only got her up to 11 points.
That's it for today. We should have more of this over the weekend, and we'll get up to a more typical pace by the start of next week.
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