Tournament 2018 - Round 3 Day 8

We're ready to go on another 10-series day in the Tournament. First up...

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Avril Lavigne. Coastal rivals battle it out in 15-ball for today's first series. Southern's Avril needed only two turns to make an impact, picking up the 1 and 2 on short shots before throwing the 3 into a crowd and pushing the 15 to the bottom side for a surprise win and 1-0 series lead over Oceanside's Celestia. The Waves' Celestia fought back with a strong game 2, starting with a four-ball run and then closing out with five of the last six balls over two turns to defeat the Monarchs' Avril, who did nothing to control the middle of the game. Celestia's win ties the series at 1. Neither player could replicate the pace of the previous games, although Avril did turn up the offense with a late three-ball run in game 3. She missed on the 15, wasting the run as Celestia buried it to the bottom right instead for the win that puts her ahead 2-1 in the series. Celestia struck quickly in game 4, making a pair on the break. Avril mostly kept pace on her turns, but Celestia shut things down on a three-ball run-out, ending by double-potting the 9 to the top right and the 15 on the deflection to the bottom right. This secured the series at 3-1 for Celestia. Game 5 saw Celestia do a good break, and then capitalize on Avril's miss on the 1 by sinking a 1-14-15 combination to the top right for the win. Celestia took the series 4-1, and she will host the Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine in the bracket quarterfinals. Avril's rookie year ends with her being the 28th player to exit the Tournament, and Celestia has her first kill of the year.

Sprint Hall, Victoria: Strawberry v. Twilight. The silver cue makes its first appearance today in this 10-ball series. Central's Twilight took her time to settle into game 1, but she rallied at the end to stun Victoria's Strawberry with a four-ball run-out for the win. Twilight leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Strawberry did most of the offense in game 2, but the Warriors' Twilight refused to quietly even after missing contact on the 8. Strawberry failed to convert on the 9, opening the chance for Twilight to make the last pairs of shots, which she did. Twilight's series lead moves to 2-0. Strawberry showed a more crafty style in game 3, making the 1 with a bit of luck early on. Twilight deferred possession, and she had some success in the middle of the game, but Strawberry won on a three-ball run-out ending with a deflected shot off the 7 to drain the 10 at the bottom side. Strawberry has cut the series to 2-1. Strawberry kept up her offense in game 4, making a three-ball run at one point early in the game and then capitalizing on a couple of poor shots from Twilight to line up and convert a 5-10 combination to the bottom right. Strawberry has tied the series at 2 games apiece. Strawberry began on a four-ball run in game 5, but Twilight soon answered with a three-ball run of her own. The ending got a little choppy, and Twilight was bailed out when Strawberry missed a tap-in on the 10. Twilight converted her second try, taking the series 3-2 on the pivotal final ball. Twilight will play in the bracket quarterfinals.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Mitchell v. Bandit. The blue cue returns after the break for some 12-ball. Harrison's Mitchell was a little too generous in game 1, giving up a wild-card ball in the middle of the game. Swordpoint's Bandit appreciated the flexibility, using it with ball-in-hand after another Mitchell error that gave Bandit the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Bandit created his own offense early in game 2, giving him a step on the Specters' Mitchell. This in-game deficit was too much for Mitchell to handle, and Bandit stormed away to the win for a 2-0 series lead. Bandit again struck first in game 3, and used questionable but effective defense to slow Mitchell in the middle of the game. Bandit then capitalized on good positioning to finish off the win, sealing the series at 3-0. Bandit scratched on the game 4 break, leading to a big five-ball run from Mitchell. This put him on the edge of a win, but a scratch on his last ball allowed Bandit to fight back. Ultimately, Mitchell took a long-range shot just in time to beat Bandit, cutting the series to 3-1. Bandit had a three-ball run from the break, and also gave Mitchell a wild-card ball. Mitchell would give it back, but he still had enough time to pick up the win with some smooth shooting that Bandit couldn't counter. Bandit won the series 3-2, and will visit the Southern Monarchs' Pounce in the bracket quarterfinals.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Hannah. Southeastern foes tangle in 15-ball with the blue cue. Boston's Gradley made a pair on the break despite a scratch, and added other three-ball runs in game 1 to pace the attack. He missed his shot on the 15, and Queens' Hannah made him bank, kicking it to the top left for the win and a fortunate 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Hannah made a ball on the break in game 2 and sparred more evenly with the Swifts' Gradley this time. Gradley lacked the short runs he had before, and Hannah picked up the win on a three-ball run to pull herself to a 2-0 series lead. In game 3, a poor break left things a bit more contentious. Hannah had trouble making legal contact at times, but Gradley's illegal contact foul on the 8 that led to the 15 sinking at the top right was the worst. This gifted Hannah the last win she needed to clinch the series at 3-0. Gradley avoided the sweep with a lucky win in a sloppy game 4, as neither player put much effort in. Hannah tried to reverse that theme with a six-ball run, but she scratched, giving Gradley the win as he made the last pair of shots to make it a 3-1 series. Gradley came forth with purpose in game 5, attacking relentlessly. Hannah almost stole this win away, but her 5-15 play ended up short at the bottom right, and Gradley converted that combination himself to make it a 3-2 series win for Hannah. The visitor Hannah will play in the bracket quarterfinals.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Citrus. Players having differing seasons meet for a series of Accuracy as the red cue steps in to play. Game 1 saw both players have a couple of misses during the regulation rack, leading to overtime. Maplewood's Whiskers controlled most of the extra rack, but one miss allowed Diamond's Citrus to claim a 2-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Citrus stayed strong in game 2, matching a miss from the Lumberjacks' Whiskers in the middle of the game and then converting after Whiskers' kick play on the 3 failed. Citrus held on to win 1-2, moving up to a 2-0 series lead. Whiskers buckled down under pressure in game 3, performing perfectly this time while Citrus had a couple of unlucky misses to put her behind. Whiskers closed out the game as a 0-2 win, cutting the series to 2-1 in the process. All resemblance of good play abandoned the players in game 4, as Citrus just managed to hold on long enough to force overtime before missing three times on the extra rack. Whiskers had used a great soft break, but still dangled dangerously close to the edge before Citrus lost the game, with the 8-9 Whiskers win tying the series at 2. Whiskers stayed steady in game 5, returning to form after the previous effort. Citrus kept it close throughout the game, but a late miss paved the way for Whiskers to win 1-2, and this gave the host a 3-2 series win. Whiskers will visit the Web City Spiders' Shiny in the bracket quarterfinals for a Northeastern Derby series.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Vincent Sullivan v. Mitchell. The red cue stays in action for a rookie battle in 10-ball. Both players started slowly in game 1, but Harrison's Mitchell found a four-ball run late in the game. He did miss on the 10, allowing Viewpoint Sound's Vincent to poach the win with a good shot to the top right to go up 1-0 in the series. The Specters' Mitchell had a stronger grip on game 2, with a three-ball run and a five-ball run on consecutive turns, but his miss on the 9 again allowed a late stretch of shots from the Meteors' Vincent. This time, it was a pair by Vincent to earn him the win and 2-0 series lead. Mitchell had a five-ball run early in game 3, and controlled fragments of the rest of the game, but he missed a straight shot on the 10, and Vincent would tap this in to get the win to secure the series at 3-0. Mitchell finally found his finishing touch early in game 4, playing off the 2 to tap the 10 into the top right as called, with the 2 falling in the bottom right for the double-pot. Vincent maintains a 3-1 series lead. Mitchell had a four-ball run to bring the game to near-completion, and it was one of his best efforts, but again Vincent made the last ball on his second try to take the win away from the visitor. Vincent won the series 4-1, and will play as a visitor in the bracket quarterfinals.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Slinks. A 15-ball specialist rookie takes on a veteran returning to form, with the silver cue used here. Oceanside's Jason didn't play at his best for most of game 1, but Westside's Slinks was equally as bad. Jason made it a quick finish, potting the 2 and then a 3-15 combination to the bottom right for the win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Waves' Jason did better in game 2, driving the offense effectively. The Rockers' Slinks made a couple of shots, but appeared to be waiting to strike until late. Slinks barely missed scratching on the 9, which Jason then used to deflect a shot that knocked the 15 into the top right for the win and 2-0 series lead. Much to the chagrin of the fans, game 3 more closely resembled game 1 at first. Slinks got hot after a slow start, making six balls on her last two turns of the game, but she allowed Jason to pick up the final two balls for the win, which seals the series in his favor at 3-0. Jason pushed the offense a bit more in game 4, certainly outplaying Slinks even before he made a six-ball run-out capped by the 8-15 combination to the top right. Jason is up to 4-0 in the series, living up to the top-seeded hype once again. In game 5, Jason paced things early on, but Slinks did more of the later work. It didn't matter, as the game slowed to a crawl on the 11 before Jason eventually made the last two balls. Jason swept the series 5-0, and will host a bracket quarterfinals series.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Mitchell. A Northeastern Derby sees the visitor in his third series of the day, playing 7-ball with the red cue. Central's Noelle started well, but her offense soon dried up. Harrison's Mitchell picked up the pace on a late three-ball run, only for Noelle to take the win with a tap-in on the 7 at the bottom side when Mitchell failed to convert. Noelle leads the series 1-0. The Warriors' Noelle had a pair of balls on the game 2 break, but didn't push play much after that. The Specters' Mitchell needed two tries to pot the 7, but he did get it for the win, tying the series at 1. Noelle chose to be more aggressive on the 7 in game 3, taking a couple of swipes at it while Mitchell played a more straightforward game. Noelle's plans worked when she deflected a shot off the 5 to drive the 7 into the top left for the win, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Noelle secured the series in game 4, playing the ending much like game as Mitchell came in on a three-ball run he couldn't finish. Noelle cleaned up the 7 to the top left to put herself at 3-1 ahead in the series. Noelle didn't do a whole lot in game 5, as Mitchell completed a five-ball run-out for a dominant win. Noelle advances on a 3-2 series win, and will visit the Stonebridge Wolves rookie Vladimir in the bracket quarterfinals. Mitchell went from three bids to none today, the 29th player eliminated, and Noelle picked up her second kill of the year.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Josie v. Sierra. A Coastal Derby takes place after another short break, using the silver cue in Rotation. Todavía's Sierra had a little bit of a delayed start, but she worked a six-ball run that Oceanside's Josie had no answer for. Sierra capped the 8-1 win with a kicked and deflected 9-15 combination to the bottom side that gave her a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sierra took a little more time to get going in game 2, matching the Waves' Josie initially but slipping behind after Josie made a three-ball run. Sierra continued to pressure, but Josie shut the door to win 8-6, tying the series at 1. Sierra bounced back with a dominant game 3, a defiant six-ball run-out helping her to win 8-1, which restored her series lead at 2-1. Josie battled back in game 4, fighting with Sierra on many shots. Josie's five-ball run put her on the fringe of a victory, and she eventually capped it at 8-6 to retie the series at 2. Sierra never found comfort in game 5, as Josie used a decent run early on and pressure for the rest of the game to win 8-4 after Sierra had a bad error. Josie won the series 3-2, but will be on the road against the Terrace City Knights' Jennifer in the bracket quarterfinals. Sierra is the 30th player to exit the Tournament, and Josie's first career kill as well.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Precious. The day ends with 7-ball and the red cue between these two veterans. Modernistic's Puff I had a fantastic start in game 1 with two balls on the break, but her offense faded fast. Pronger's Precious didn't have much to work with, but made the last two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious had to settle for a pair of shots sandwiched between a three-ball run and the final pair that gave the Union's Puff I the win, equalizing the series at 1 game apiece. Precious got a bit more aggressive in game 3, making a four-ball run over the middle, but her next turn was empty, and Puff I made the final two balls again to get the win. Puff I pulled ahead to a 2-1 series lead. Puff I attacked with a three-ball run in game 4, making a threat to Precious. Puff I then got the win after Precious committed illegal contact, giving Puff I the last two balls from ball-in-hand. Puff I sealed the series at 3-1. Puff I couldn't replicate the effort in game 5, as Precious did knock the 7 in to complete a short run at the end of the game. Puff I will be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals, facing the Web City Spiders' Ted.

We've got one more 10-series day before we take a shorter set on Wednesday.

Tournament 2018 - Round 3 Day 7

We're back on a Sunday with a new day of Tournament action. We begin with...

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Mario. A longtime captain starts the day off against a sophomore in 12-ball with the blue cue. Lighton's Acorn managed to pick up the win in game 1, working a four-ball run early and a pair of shots late after positioning well enough to hold off Central's Mario on his last ball. Acorn leads the series at 1-0. The Warriors' Mario looked a little more confident in game 2 until the Prestige's Acorn knocked in an unexpected four-ball run. This put Mario into a defensive position, and while he managed to get down to his last ball, Acorn was faster to capitalize on Mario's vanishing defense. Acorn's win puts him at a 2-0 series lead. Acorn put more pressure on in game 3, making two on the break before scratching. Mario had good positioning for a four-ball run, but couldn't get deeper than that. Acorn made his last five balls over two turns to get the win, sealing the series at 3-0. Mario had his best start in game 4, pushing immediately against a slightly reduced attack from Acorn. Mario got derailed by a scratch, never finding clear positioning as Acorn picked off his last three shots patiently to get another win for a 4-0 series lead. Mario had two balls in good position near the end of game 5, but he couldn't make both of them, losing his patience in a frustrating finish. Acorn would poke a three-ball run, and then eventually make his last ball to the top side for the win and 5-0 series sweep, sending him to a hosting position in the bracket quarterfinals. Mario is the 23rd player out of this year's Tournament, and he is Acorn's first kill as well.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shadow v. Sparkles. Two veterans are set to battle after the lunch break in 9-ball with the blue cue. Golden's Sparkles didn't do much in game 1, letting Web City's Shadow set the tone on offense. Shadow dropped off at the end, and Sparkles converted the 8-9 bank combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow played with more of an edge to his game in game 2, causing him to rattle a couple of shots out. The Pilots' Sparkles stayed composed, but couldn't make the 9 at the end, allowing Shadow to tie the series at 1 as he potted it in the bottom side for the win. Both players looked good in game 3, each working a three-ball run near the end of the game. Sparkles had the win in her hands when she cut the 9 to the top right, but she scratched at the bottom side to gift Shadow the win and 2-1 series lead. Sparkles had a pair of three-ball runs in game 4, but a foul while making the 6 made it realistic for Shadow to finish the game. He failed to, missing the 9 at the bottom side, which Sparkles cleaned up at the top left for the win to retie the series at 2. Sparkles had some good shots in game 5, but not enough to stall Shadow in the end, as he made a bank on the 8 to the bottom right and a cut on the 9 to the top right to take the win and 3-2 series win. Shadow will be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals. Sparkles is the 24th player to exit this year's Tournament, and Shadow now has his first kill.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Max. Players on new teams take us out of the break in 12-ball with the silver cue. Capital City's Lorde made a pair of balls on the game 1 break, but went empty from that point on. Atlantic's Max had to find positioning, but he ended with a pair of shots to get the win for a 1-0 series lead after a strong outing. The Sharpshooters' Lorde had an impressive game 2, waiting until her third turn to strike for a six-ball run-out after using the earlier ones for positioning. The Pirates' Max had no choice but to watch as Lorde got the win, tying the series at 1. Lorde continued to play a threatening style in game 3, pushing on Max very early on. Lorde did get slowed by a scratch, but Max couldn't make anything of it, and Lorde won with a pair of clean shots to take a 2-1 series lead. Max started game 4 with strength, and used solid defense at the top left to hold off a later counterattack from Lorde. Both players slowed down with a scratch, but Max recovered faster to sink a pair of shots at the end of the game for the win, retying the series at 2. Max had an error early in game 5, leading Lorde to work another six-ball run-out on her first turn this time, enough to clinch the series at 3-2. Lorde will host the Terrace City Knights' Jennifer in the bracket quarterfinals. Lorde recorded her first kill of the year, making Max the 25th player eliminated from the Tournament.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Beth. A captain takes on a returning veteran in 7-ball, also using the silver cue. Game 1 started pretty evenly until Pearl's Beth made illegal contact while aiming at the 2. Maplewood's Diddley ignited a five-ball run-out from this, picking up the win and 1-0 series rather easily. The Lumberjacks' Diddley dominated in game 2, making a pair from the break and then a four-ball run-out capped by a double-rail bank on the 7 to the top side to go up 2-0 against the Surfers' Beth. Diddley changed styles for game 3, employing more defensive positioning after a weak break. Beth couldn't break down the defense very well, making only a couple of shots before Diddley took a pair of shots to win the game. Diddley will advance after moving to 3-0 in the series. Beth had her best effort of the series in game 4, making a three-ball run over the middle. Her miss on the 6 proved costly late in the game, as Diddley made the final pair of shots to extend his series lead to 4-0. Diddley couldn't complete the sweep in game 5, missing contact on the 5 that helped Beth make a three-ball run-out to poach a win. Diddley did have a 4-1 series win, and will visit a club-mate, the Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy, for a bracket quarterfinals series.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Rosemary v. Shadow. A rookie hosts a borderline legendary captain in 15-ball with the silver cue. Web City's Shadow had some shaky play early in game 1, but he settled down, countering a three-ball run by Commerce's Rosemary with a four-ball run-out of his own to get the win. Shadow leads the series 1-0. The Tradewinds' Rosemary learned from her mistakes in game 2, keeping things close with the Spiders' Shadow at first and then converting an eight-ball run-out when the chance presented itself. Rosemary's big finish tied the series at 1. Quick and choppy runs defined a quick game 3, with Rosemary pacing the play early on before she watched Shadow make the last five balls over two turns for the win. Shadow regained the series lead at 2-1. Rosemary kept herself in good favor in game 4, battling with Shadow in an ugly start to the game before making seven of the last eight balls, including a four-ball run-out for the win. Rosemary has retied the series again at 2 games apiece. Rosemary wouldn't get discouraged by the pattern of the series, employing the same strategy in game 5 and getting a three-ball run and four-ball run-out on consecutive turns to defeat Shadow for the 3-2 series win. Rosemary will visit the Freedom Cascades veteran and her club-mate Roxy in the bracket quarterfinals.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Goldy. A pair of Eagles teammates will put on a show for their home fans, playing as club rivals instead in this Rotation series using the red cue. Cleo started with a four-ball run on her second turn, but Goldy fired back with a five-ball run to take the lead. Cleo did tie it again, but after some troubles on the 10, Goldy won 8-5 with a three-ball run-out. Goldy leads the series 1-0. Cleo wasted no time in trying again, using a six-ball run to grab a game 2 lead. Goldy didn't have a clever counterattack this time, and Cleo eventually won 8-2 to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Neither player could build a big run in game 3, instead opting for a choppy start. Cleo began to pull away around the middle of the rack, and when Goldy scratched, Cleo took the last shot to win 8-4, putting her ahead 2-1 in the series. Goldy would not go quietly, making a five-ball run early in game 4. Cleo pulled back over two turns, and nearly got the win on a five-ball run, but she scratched as she potted the 14. Goldy took it from ball-in-hand on the next shot, winning 8-7 to retie the series at 2. Goldy never had a chance in game 5, getting buried by Cleo's defensive positioning. Cleo stalled until the offense came around, then charged to an 8-1 win to secure the series at 3-2. Cleo will be the Eagles' representative on the road in the bracket quarterfinals. This did result in friendly fire, as Goldy is the 26th player to exit this year's tournament at the hands of Cleo in her first kill.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Jack v. Chicky Phil. Two journeymen players meet in 15-ball with the silver cue. Web City's Jack started and ended game 1 with a pair of shots, sandwiching a rough middle patch in which neither he nor Pacific's Chicky Phil could find easy offense. Jack's strong finish gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Jack didn't have much offense in game 2 at all, allowing a six-ball run by the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil. Later on, Chicky Phil made a three-ball run, but missed on the 15, which Jack tapped to the bottom side for the win to push ahead to a 2-0 series lead. The offense dropped to pitiful levels in game 3, as neither player had an important run until Jack's five-ball stretch near the end of the game. Chicky Phil had a chance to poach the 15 for a win, but he missed badly, and Jack buried it to secure the series at 3-0. Chicky Phil picked up the game 4 win out of virtually thin air, converting a surprising 6-15 kick combination to the bottom right that even stunned Jack. The series is now at 3-1 in Jack's favor. Game 5 looked to be going slowly for awhile as well, but Chicky Phil picked up a five-ball run to make things interesting. Jack answered on a four-ball run-out, denying the visitor another win as Jack goes on to win the series 4-1 to earn his bracket quarterfinals spot. Jack took his first kill of the year to make Chicky Phil the 27th eliminated player in this Tournament.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Cassie. Inexperienced players get the silver cue in hand for their 7-ball series. Stonebridge's Cobalt punished Royal's Cassie for a scratch on her only shot in game 1, as Cobalt then made the 1-7 combination from ball-in-hand for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Cassie bounced back as the Wolves' Cobalt wasted most of his possession in game 2. Cassie charged at the end, making a four-ball run-out to cover up her two earlier errors. The win tied the series at 1. Cobalt wouldn't stay down for long, controlling at the end of game 3 with five balls over his last two turns to regain a 2-1 series lead over a weak effort from Cassie. In game 4, Cassie led off with a five-ball run on her first turn, but she couldn't pot another ball. Cobalt scrapped with Cassie for awhile before making the final pair he needed to seal the series at 3-1 with the win. Cobalt started with a pair of shots on his second turn and won with a three-ball run-out, making it a 4-1 series win over Cassie in the end. Cobalt is set to be the visitor in a Rivalry series in the bracket quarterfinals.

Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Beth. The silver cue continues its day-ending burst with this 10-ball series. Victoria's Yekaterina started quietly in game 1, lulling Pearl's Beth into a false sense of security. When Beth made a mid-game error, Yekaterina struck for a five-ball run-out to get the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Beth put up a three-ball run early in game 2, and then made a three-ball run-out with a deflected shot off the 6 to pot the 10 in the bottom right after the Spurs' Yekaterina failed to produce any counterattack. This win by Beth tied the series at 1. Yekaterina tried to bounce back early in game 3, but the effort was short-lived. Beth paced the attack mostly, save for a late three-ball run from Yekaterina. Beth answered that with a pair of shots for the win and a 2-1 series lead. Beth started strong in game 4 as well, putting Yekaterina under significant pressure. Yekaterina broke out at the end of the game for a four-ball run-out, her win retying the series at 2 in dramatic fashion. Yekaterina made a critical mistake when she had illegal contact on the 10 in game 5. Beth used her second turn from ball-in-hand to pot the 2-10 combination to the top right for the win and a 3-2 series win that sends her to the bracket quarterfinals.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Snowball. Legends from the early era of Tournament play provide today's final series, 12-ball with the silver cue. Golden's Dusty struck first in a nearly even game 1. Swordpoint's Snowball pulled ahead at times, but Dusty was just that one step ahead from the start, earning a close win for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty started well again in game 2 with a three-ball run. Most of the rest of her game was positioning, while the Blades' Snowball caught up and got down to her last ball. Snowball couldn't corral the 9 to the top side, allowing Dusty to make her last two shots for another win and the 2-0 lead in the series. Snowball took game 3 by the horns with a five-ball run, which Dusty soon answered with a three-ball run. Snowball was able to make her last ball this time, but scratched while doing so, and Dusty never gave her another chance, converting a three-ball run-out for the win to seal the series at 3-0. Dusty had to play defensively in game 4, shutting down the top right to prevent Snowball from making a breakout run. Dusty did well enough with this that when she had to take the defense away, Snowball was unable to capitalize, and Dusty made her last ball from ball-in-hand to the top left to move ahead 4-0 in the series. Dusty again started well in game 5, a trademark of her series performance, but Snowball stayed a little closer this time, and won a battle on the last ball by banking her 2 to the top side for the win. Dusty will take a 4-1 series lead as her ticket to the bracket quarterfinals.

That's all for today. We're aiming for 50 games again tomorrow and Tuesday, followed by a 40-game Wednesday to bring the round to half-completion.

Summer Development League Update

Unfortunately, a lack of motivation derailed the Summer Development League in the middle of the season. Between then and now, the game has been updated on our provider service, Miniclip, which creates an inconsistency with past results. As such, we will be scrapping the remainder of the SDL season and taking time to practice with the updated game instead, which will not be published. The new game is faster and slightly more realistic, which will likely lead to lower scoring in the upcoming season of Cricket across all three divisions. As such, we will be working on fast-tracking the remainder of the Tournament 2018 schedule so that both cricket and pool are ready to go in 2019 with new seasons. For any updates, check @UnitedPCL on Twitter.

Tournament 2018 - Round 3 Day 6

A day off was necessary to keep play quality at the expected level, so after a quiet Thursday, we're back to close out the week on Friday with eight series. We begin where the last day left off in...

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Avril Lavigne v. Jasmine. The red cue makes the start today in 9-ball as the visitor completes a split doubleheader. Southern's Avril had plenty of good shots in game 1, but a scratch on the break and after shooting at the 6 derailed her offense. Freedom's Jasmine used the ball-in-hand on the latter to ignite a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Jasmine maintained a balance between shaky and effective in game 2, answering a pair from the Monarchs' Avril with a three-ball run-out to win again. Jasmine moves to a 2-0 lead in the series. Jasmine started off alright in game 3, but took over by the end of the game, making the last five balls over two turns to defeat Avril again. Jasmine's late push clinched the series at 3-0 in her favor. Avril had a three-ball run in the early parts of game 4, but she couldn't add onto that offense later. Jasmine roared back from her slow start to make a five-ball run-out at the end, pushing her series lead to 4-0. Jasmine never let Avril take a shot in game 5, burying the 5 on the break, and then cutting the 1 to the top left before converting a 2-9 combination to the bottom right. Jasmine swept the series 5-0, earning herself a home bracket quarterfinals series against the Queens Flames sophomore wunderkind Violetta.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Debby Ryan. The blue cue takes a turn in Accuracy for today's second series. Pearl's Bright had a solid performance in game 1, missing once early but managing to push Southridge's Debby into less convenient shots. Debby held on for awhile, but Bright picked up the 1-4 win at the end to go up 1-0 in the series. A scratch proved very costly for the Defenders' Debby in game 2, as a later miss on the final ball dropped her out of a tie. The Surfers' Bright made the last ball, taking the 1-2 win to push his series lead up to 2-0. Bright kept his performance steady in game 3, sparring with Debby early on before the visitor started missing. Bright had one tough miss late in the game, but won 1-4 after Debby scratched to ruin her hopes of a comeback. Bright sealed the series at 3-0 with this win. Debby had another inconvenient scratch in game 4, but this time Bright had a miss late in the game to drop them into a tie. Debby made a ball on the overtime break, and Bright could not reply, giving Debby the 2-3 win to avoid the sweep as the series moves to 3-1. Debby kept control of herself in game 5, pushing on Bright after his early miss. Bright pushed back later in the game, but faltered at the end, and Debby won 2-3 again. Bright will settle for a 3-2 series win, and will advance to the bracket quarterfinals. Debby's season ends surprisingly early as the 22nd player out, and Bright has his second kill of the year.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Oreo. After a break, Maplewood is the site of a venue doubleheader beginning with this 7-ball series using the red cue. It took Maplewood's Whiskers some time to get her offense going, but two fouls from Terrace City's Oreo kept the host in control. Whiskers did finish a seven-ball run-out for the win on her third turn, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers continued with a six-ball run to start game 2, but a scratch after making the 6 led to the Knights' Oreo taking the win from ball-in-hand. Oreo's good fortune here tied the series at 1. Game 3 went back and forth between the players, as Oreo had a couple of runs go to waste with slightly-off misses. The latter of these allowed Whiskers to pot the 6 and 7 for the win, regaining the series lead at 2-1 in the process. Whiskers began with a three-ball run on the break in game 4, answered by a three-ball run from Oreo on her first turn. Oreo narrowly missed on the 7 at the bottom right, and Whiskers converted the tap-in to seal the series at 3-1. Whiskers fired back with a four-ball run to start in game 5, but it didn't matter in the end, as Oreo charged back to win on a three-ball run-out to take a consolation win. Whiskers' 3-2 series win puts her in a visiting position for her bracket quarterfinals series.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Dustin. The venue doubleheader ends with Accuracy and the silver cue. Central's Dustin didn't get worried early in game 1, helping him stay calm while Maplewood's Gabe floundered. Dustin took a step back later in the game, but held on to win 3-6 after Gabe fell apart following Dustin's scratch. Dustin leads the series 1-0. The Lumberjacks' Gabe improved in game 2, playing a solid effort. He held the lead after an early mistake from the Warriors' Dustin, but needed overtime and a bad soft break by Dustin to get the 1-2 win. Gabe's bounce-back effort tied the series at 1. Gabe potted a ball on the game 3 break, and while Dustin held on for awhile, he had a couple of misses in the middle. Gabe had one miss later in the game, but used a double-pot to accelerate the finish in another 1-2 win that puts him ahead 2-1 in the series. Gabe improved his performance for game 4, going empty on the break but perfect from that point on. Dustin had three misses in a row at one point, and that produced Gabe's 0-3 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Gabe didn't let up at all in game 5, staying nearly perfect for most of the game and downing Dustin 1-3 for the 4-1 series win. Gabe will retain a hosting role in the bracket quarterfinals.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Ice Cream. Fun in the Northeast continues as these veterans clash in Rotation with the blue cue. Archtown's Ruby had a ball on the break and a few lucky bounces after that to build up a big game 1 lead. Boston's Ice Cream had a couple of chances to launch a big counterattack, but Ruby stalled her and won 8-2, good for a 1-0 series lead to the host. The Swifts' Ice Cream built up the big early lead in game 2 this time, but the Arrows' Ruby tied it and then stalled the game. The two tangled again late, each making a pair before Ruby potted the 15 at the top left for an 8-7 win and 2-0 series lead. Ice Cream kept herself in the series with a gritty game 3 effort. Ruby challenged her at every turn, but Ice Cream held the lead and took an 8-6 win in the end to cut the series to 2-1. Ice Cream again stayed in the fight in game 4, using a controversial illegal contact call on Ruby to spur a three-ball run. Ruby pulled back and made it close, but Ice Cream fought her off and won 8-5 to tie the series at 2. Ruby returned to her lucky form in game 5, pulling away from a persistent Ice Cream with a deflected bank on the 11 that drove the 14 to the bottom side. Ruby finished the 8-4 win at the top side on the 11, winning the series 3-2. Ruby will host her bracket quarterfinals series.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Dreamy. Today's Northeastern tour continues as the red cue comes back to the table for Accuracy. Web City's Shiny made a ball on the break in game 1, but that was about the only thing to go right for her. Swordpoint's Dreamy played an unassailable game, winning 1-4 to take a quick 1-0 series lead. Both players improved in game 2, with the Spiders' Shiny trimming a miss from her score but unraveling at the end against a perfect performance from the Blades' Dreamy. The final was 0-3, giving Dreamy a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 started well on both sides, as neither player had an early miss. Dreamy would crack first, missing closer to the end of the game, and Shiny held her position to win 0-2, cutting the series to 2-1 Dreamy. Shiny again supported a lead well in game 4, this time missing a shot late to make things interesting but ultimately besting Dreamy by a 1-2 score to tie the series at 2 heading into the final game. Dreamy had her chances to maintain a lead in game 5, but she only had one lucky bounce and she used it early. Shiny stormed ahead at the end and then shakily finished off the 2-3 win for a 3-2 comeback series win. Shiny will be the host in her bracket quarterfinals appearance.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Marsell. Two of the season's best meet in 9-ball with the red cue. Whitewater's Marsell controlled the middle of game 1 pretty well, but he left a run open for Central's Twilight in the end. Twilight made the last three shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight got some favorable bounces in game 2, most notably as the 8 ricocheted out of the bottom left but ran all the way to the bottom right to allow her to finish a five-ball run-out. This burst gave her a win and 2-0 series lead over the Shores' Marsell, who had little impact in this game. Game 3 started a little slower than the others, but Marsell broke out for a three-ball run over the middle. Twilight found her shot right after this, blasting a three-ball run-out to get the win, securing the series at 3-0 with her nice counterattack. Marsell couldn't piece a run together in game 4, fighting on most shots in a game filled with short attacks. Twilight showed no mercy at the end, picking up a pair of shots for the win and 4-0 lead in the series. Twilight wasted no time in ending the series in game 5, blasting a four-ball run from the break and a five-ball run-out on her second turn. Marsell never had a chance as Twilight swept the series 5-0 to earn a road bracket quarterfinals series against the Terrace City Knights rookie Quincy.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Snuggle. A captains' battle closes out the standard portion of what will be an extended day, playing Rotation with the red cue. Royal's Nightfur slowly but sure managed to build her offense up, holding off early challenges from Oceanside's Snuggle before closing out the win at 8-4. Nightfur leads the series 1-0. The Waves' Snuggle had a three-ball run to grab a lead in game 2, followed by a five-ball run that put the Crowns' Nightfur out front rather quickly. Snuggle fought back, winning 8-6 on a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Nightfur had a very difficult start in game 3, watching Snuggle building his lead with a three-ball run early on. Nightfur bounced back to keep things close, and then erupted at the end for a four-ball run-out and 8-5 win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Nightfur's persistent attack kept her going in another slow-to-start game 4. Snuggle again pulled out to a slight lead, but Nightfur pushed harder at the end to get the 8-4 win. Nightfur's victory sealed the series at 3-1 in her favor. Nightfur had a bad break in game 5, but it led to a three-ball run. Snuggle fired back with a pair of shots, but Nightfur pulled away to an 8-2 win on a five-ball run-out. The two-turn victory gave Nightfur a 4-1 series win, and she'll visit top-seeded Boston Swifts star Puff II in a Southeast-filled bracket quarterfinals.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Snowball. Into the bonus series we go, playing 7-ball with the silver cue here. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy went empty on the break, and Swordpoint's Snowball took the game over with a three-ball run-out. Snowball had a crafty deflection to pot the 4 after missing on the 2, and then deflected the cue off the 2 for a 6-5-7 combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball made a pair of three-ball runs in game 2, but couldn't make it stand, twice failing to pot the 7. The Union's Ms. Puppy buried the 7 to the bottom right on her second try for the win, tying the series at 1. Snowball's distance shooting has become a point of concern, as she failed to win despite a four-ball run to put her onto the 7. Snowball missed the winning shot twice before Ms. Puppy tapped it in to take a 2-1 series lead. Ms. Puppy secured advancement on the game 4 break, burying the 4 at the top right and, more importantly, the 7 in the bottom side for the quick win and 3-1 series lead. Snowball took game 5 in two turns, burying a 2-7 combination two shots after illegal contact by Ms. Puppy. The 3-2 series win put Ms. Puppy into the bracket quarterfinals, where she will again be a host.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Wings. The visitor makes a homecoming to end this day with 8-ball and the silver cue. Pearl's Beth started off pretty well in game 1, but Central's Wings chipped away at her lead, most notably with a late three-ball run. Wings missed on the 8, and Beth converted a three-ball run-out at the end to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Beth had a slower effort in game 2, and the Warriors' Wings capitalized until both players scratched back-to-back. Wings got a little too generous with sinking balls, and Beth used this after Wings missed his bank on the 8 to pick up two shots for a win of her own. Beth moves to 2-0 up in the series. Wings jumped out to a somewhat significant lead in game 3, trying to keep the series alive for himself. He got onto the 8, but missed it on three occasions, allowing Beth to make five balls over her last two turns for the win. Beth secured the series at 3-0 with the win. Beth did wonderfully to command the offense in game 4, starting with a four-ball run and limiting Wings to only one potted ball. Beth closed as she started, on a four-ball run-out to move her series lead to 4-0. Wings used pure power in game 5 to establish his lead, and then a little positional skill for his last two shots to secure the win and avoid the sweep. Beth took the series 4-1, and will host the Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi for a bracket quarterfinals series.

That's all for today. Saturday is a scheduled day off, and the status of games in any sport are to be determined for Sunday.

Tournament 2018 - Round 3 Day 5

We're back with another day, intending to play ten series again before settling into a three-week span of eight series per day on weekdays. We begin this session with...

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Katharine McPhee v. Sage. A pair of rookies start us off in 12-ball with the blue cue. Victoria's Sage set the tone in game 1 on a four-ball run early in the game. Whitewater's Katharine took care of her easy shots, but couldn't hold off Sage, who won with a kick on the 10 to the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Sage got lucky to make the 9 on the break at the bottom side, but her consistent pace and pressure proved more important in game 2. The Shores' Katharine had a couple of good shots, but couldn't keep up as Sage marched on to the win for a 2-0 series lead. Sage continued to start well in game 3, and with a freebie wild-card ball surrendered by Katharine, Sage found it easy to finish as well. Sage took the 2 to the top left and cut the 5 into the top side on consecutive turns to seal the series at 3-0. Sage had to take a more defensive posture as her shot slipped in quality in game 4. Katharine pushed back better here, and the two went back-and-forth at the end, with Katharine ultimately taking the win to cut the series to 3-1. Katharine absolutely butchered game 5, giving up a wild-card ball on each of her first two turns. Sage wasn't decisive in shooting, but her patient play was more than enough to earn another win and a 4-1 series win. Sage's unlikely deep run in the event continues in her road bracket quarterfinals series. Katharine's rookie campaign ends as the 20th player eliminated, and Sage records her first career kill in the process.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Sprinkles v. Noelle. The blue cue remains in action as veterans collide for 10-ball. Capital City's Sprinkles showed strong precision in game 1, a seven-ball run on her second turn highlighting her game. Central's Noelle had a chance to counter that, but missed on the 10, and Sprinkles made it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Noelle put up much more of a fight in a close game 2, battling with the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles all game. Sprinkles had a chance to end on a run, but rattled the 10 out of the bottom left, and Noelle tapped it in to win, tying the series at 1. Noelle had about as much offense as before in game 3, as the focus for both players shifted to creativity and defense. Sprinkles' plan unraveled with two errors in the second half, allowing Noelle to dictate play. The latter error led Noelle to making the last two shots for the win and a 2-1 series lead. Noelle dominated in game 4, making a ball on the break and then adding a four-ball run and a five-ball run-out on the next two turns as Sprinkles flailed around without making a shot. Noelle's big game secured the series at 3-1 in her favor. Noelle didn't do as much in game 5, with Sprinkles getting the two biggest runs, but Noelle made a pair of shots at the end of the game to steal the win away, pushing her series win to 4-1. Noelle will be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals after winning this series. Sprinkles is out of the Tournament, the 21st to exit, while Noelle took her first kill of the year.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Gal Gadot. Highly ranked 15-ball players clash with the red cue after a short scheduled break. Everton's Kirstin smashed a six-ball run on the break of game 1, but allowed North Modernistic's Gal to even things out in the middle of the game. Kirstin responded with a five-ball run-out for the win, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The Eagles' Kirstin failed to replicate this all-out attack in game 2, leading to a much slower battle. The Nighthawks' Gal also struggled early on, but broke free in the end on a six-ball run-out which helped her tie the series at 1. Gal set a stronger pace for game 3, but it was a late defensive play on the 14 that benefited her most. Kirstin could only make weak contact on the 14 after Gal left the cue on the mouth of the bottom left, and Gal made the last two shots on her next turn for the win and 2-1 series lead. Gal had some issues with her shot early in game 4, leading to a change of style that produced a seven-ball run late in the game. Gal did miss on the 14, and Kirstin would make no such mistake, potting the last two balls to retie the series at 2 with her win. Gal threw everything she could at Kirstin in a fast game 5, a five-ball run and a four-ball run to follow it, but Kirstin's early four-ball run and a pair at the end secured the win and the series at 3-2 for the host. Kirstin will be a host again in the bracket quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Vladimir Vasilyev. Eastern Hills rivals take the next 15-ball series with the blue cue. Short bursts paced game 1 on both sides, and neither player could steer clear of fouls. Stonebridge's Vladimir had the worst one, scratching while making the 12 to give Freedom's Jasmine ball-in-hand on the 15. Jasmine converted, the win putting her up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 didn't have anything impressive happen early on, but the Cascades' Jasmine soon buried the Wolves' Vladimir, making a five-ball run and a three-ball run-out on consecutive turns for the win. Jasmine's ahead 2-0 after this win. Jasmine had the bulk of possession in game 3, aided by a five-ball run from the break. Her possession thinned later in the game, and a miss on the 15 at the bottom side allowed Vladimir to pot his fourth ball in two turns for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Vladimir only had a three-ball run early in game 4, followed by Jasmine pounding a six-ball run and a pair of shots on her next turn. The game slowed on the 14, and Vladimir eventually made the last two shots to get the win, tying the series at 2. Game 5 saw Jasmine renew her attack, with a pair of three-ball runs and plenty of pressure. Vladimir seemed to handle it well, fighting back toward the end, but Jasmine converted the 10-15 combination to the bottom side a shot after Vladimir missed the same play. Jasmine took the series 3-2, and will advance to the bracket quarterfinals.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Dani. The red cue goes on a bit of a run, beginning with this 9-ball series. Terrace City's Quincy had a rough break in game 1, but Viewpoint Sound's Dani didn't challenge him well enough early on in the game. Quincy would work his way to a win on a three-ball run-out, going up 1-0 in the series. The Meteors' Dani had all the momentum in game 2 after a four-ball run, but she couldn't cash in on her good shooting. The Knights' Quincy made the last two balls this time for the win, extending his series lead to 2-0. Quincy couldn't produce very much in game 3, faltering at the start again. This time, Dani refused to cede possession late, assembling a six-ball run-out to take the win and cut the series down to a 2-1 deficit. Dani had a nice run over the middle of game 4, making five shots in a row, but a miss on the 7 allowed Quincy to put up a three-ball run-out for the win, which clinched the series for him at 3-1. Dani and Quincy both three-ball runs in game 5, but it was a much sloppier ending that saw Quincy scratch on his second try on the 9. Dani converted from ball-in-hand, leaving Quincy to advance on a 3-2 series win. Quincy will be the host again in his bracket quarterfinals series.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Taylor Swift v. Leonardo. The red cue continues its run in 10-ball. Midland's Leonardo grew into game 1 well, but he illegally potted the 7 on a failed trick play. Commerce's Taylor had held her own and elected to take possession, making a pair of shots to win for the 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor looked poised to play aggressively in game 2, but she couldn't hit her shots well enough. The Predators' Leonardo instead made the play, jamming the cue on the right rail while potting the 3 to set up a 4-10 combination at the top right for the win. Leonardo's smart play tied the series at 1. Taylor bounced back just fine in game 3, getting a pair of three-ball runs, including one at the end of the game, to defeat Leonardo and take a 2-1 series lead. Taylor continued to push against Leonardo in game 4, controlling the pace of play again and making a three-ball run-out when Leonardo failed to convert on the 8. Taylor wound up clinching the series at 3-1. Taylor had a productive start in game 5, but Leonardo carried the attack on a five-ball run toward the finish. Leonardo did need three tries on the 10 before he could make it, scraping out a win to give Taylor only a 3-2 series win. Taylor will host her bracket quarterfinals series.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Luigi. Moving into the Northeast, the red cue switches to 15-ball. North Modernistic's Luigi pushed a run to five balls with a triple-pot of the 4 to the bottom side, the 14 to the bottom right, and the 5 to the top right on a bank. Ultimately, it was a six-ball run, and despite another three-ball run, Web City's Shiny popped up to take the 15 at the end for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi bounced back in a tighter game 2 performance, beating the Spiders' Shiny by using a pair of three-ball runs and her own scratch against her at the end. Luigi's strong finish tied the series at 1. Luigi returned to his game 1 form in game 3, supplying a pair of five-ball runs. These alone weren't enough to win, but when Shiny missed her only chance at the 15, Luigi tapped in his second try to secure the win for a 2-1 series lead. Luigi took a step back on offense in game 4, but still had a good performance. Shiny challenged him late but couldn't make a play on the 13, allowing Luigi a three-ball run-out for the win to clinch the series at 3-1. Luigi tried to continue with the same style in game 5, but Shiny made a faster attack work in her favor, winning on a four-ball run-out to cut the series to 3-2. Luigi advances to the bracket quarterfinals, where he will again play as a visitor.

Apple Center, Todavía: Anton v. Hannah. The red cue's binge of series concludes right here in 8-ball between young players. Both players had collateral damage plays in game 1; Queens' Hannah did hers early while Todavía's Anton sank Hannah's second-to-last ball. Hannah would grind out a win with a pair of shots at the end, going up 1-0 in the series. The Stills' Anton immediately made a mark in game 2, producing a six-ball run. The Flames' Hannah countered with a five-ball run on her third turn, but Anton buried the 8 on a bank to the bottom right in response, tying the series at 1 with the win. Hannah answered with a four-ball run early in game 3, a play that Anton never truly recovered from. Hannah's offense diminished on each following turn, but she still came up with the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Anton looked ready to fight back in game 4, a four-ball run pacing his offense early on, but Hannah shredded that plan with a six-ball run-out a couple of turns later, snagging another win to seal the series at 3-1 in her favor. Anton had the lead for much of game 5, but Hannah stayed in the fight in a tough game. Hannah chipped away at the deficit and did well enough to get a win, taking the series 4-1 as well. Hannah will be on the road against the Atlantic Pirates captain Delila in the bracket quarterfinals.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Leonardo v. A. Charlton. The silver cue makes its only appearance today in Accuracy between these Southeastern rivals. Both players spent most of game 1 shooting perfectly, but Midland's Leonardo had two late misses and Golden's A. Charlton scratched on her final shot. Charlton barely held on for the 1-2 win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Charlton had a slightly rougher time in game 2, slipping up a couple of times in the middle of the game. The Predators' Leonardo kept a steadier course, and won 2-3 despite a late scare from Charlton. This tied the series at 1. Leonardo played well again in game 3, limiting himself to only one miss. Charlton had a scratch after a bad miss at tap-in range, and another missed contact late in the game sent her to the 1-3 loss as Leonardo moves ahead 2-1 in the series. Charlton evaded elimination in game 4, playing nearly perfectly until a late miss, but even as Leonardo banked in the last ball, he took the 1-2 loss. Charlton's critical win reties the series at 2, setting up a big final game between evenly matched players thus far. Leonardo didn't have his best play in game 5, falling apart by the end of a 3-6 loss that sees Charlton advance on a 3-2 series win. Charlton will be the visitor against the Terrace City Knights' Oreo in the bracket quarterfinals.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Jasmine. The visitor begins a split-doubleheader in today's final series, playing Accuracy with the red cue. Southern's Pounce had an easy go of it in game 1, as Freedom's Jasmine couldn't get her shot calibrated to the game. Pounce won in a 1-5 walk, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce scratched on the break in game 2, a mistake that would prove costly on the final ball in a tied game. Pounce's final miss put him behind, and the Cascades' Jasmine cleaned it up to win 3-4 to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Game 3 continued a run of sloppy play throughout the series. Neither player seemed to have control of the game until the last shot, as Pounce put the 12 in the bottom left to grab a 4-5 win, which gave him a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 seemed to go very easily at first for Pounce, but he ran into troubles with two late misses forced by Jasmine. This nearly erased his lead, forcing him to make the last shot on the 2 to the top left to preserve a 2-3 win. The win clinched the series at 3-1 for Pounce. Jasmine didn't give up, controlling most of game 5 for herself and scratching on the final shot once the game was firmly in her grasp. Jasmine beat Pounce 2-3 this time, but Pounce won the series 3-2 to earn a trip to Pronger for a bracket quarterfinals series with the Tridents' Lize.

We'll be reducing the load tomorrow, dropping to 40 games as the schedule is aligned well currently.

Tournament 2018 - Round 3 Day 4

Play in Tournament action resumes today. We are anticipating 8-10 series (40-50 games) in this second day back, beginning with...

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Summer v. Bandit. Two younger players go at it in 9-ball with the blue cue for the first series of the day. Maplewood's Summer started with a three-ball run from the break, but she faded in the middle of game 1, and Swordpoint's Bandit ended up winning on a four-ball run-out. Bandit leads the series 1-0. Game 2 featured fewer runs, although the Lumberjacks' Summer did pot three in a row near the end before under-hitting the 9. The Blades' Bandit cut it to the top side to get the win, taking another win for a 2-0 series lead. Bandit had two scratches in game 3, allowing Summer to carry a majority of the possession. Bandit struck back quickly, making the 6-9 combination to the bottom left after Summer left the 6 short at the bottom side. Bandit's big play secured the series in his favor at 3-0. Both players had three-ball runs in game 4 early on before grinding out in a slow finish. Summer ended up with the win, tapping the 9 to the bottom right to cut the series score to 3-1. Summer had a stick foul in game 5, leading Bandit to a three-ball run, but he missed his bank on the 8. Summer converted the 8 on a tap-in, and then cut the 9 to the bottom left to win. Bandit took the series 3-2, and will be on the road again in the bracket quarterfinals.

Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Mr. Snowman. Southwestern rivals renew their feud in Rotation with the blue cue. Neither player did particularly well in game 1, but too many errors from Infinity's Mr. Snowman eventually tipped the game in favor of Victoria's Yekaterina, who won 8-5 on a pair of late shots. Yekaterina holds a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman continued to err with frequency in game 2, but a lucky double-pot and good defensive positioning helped him to pull away from the Spurs' Yekaterina. Mr. Snowman capped his 8-4 win with a pair of shots at the end, tying the series at 1. Yekaterina made illegal contact on her first turn in game 3, and Mr. Snowman never looked back, igniting a five-ball run to pace his attack. A long chase on the 7 ultimately provided Mr. Snowman's winning shot in the 8-1 game that puts him ahead 2-1 in the series. Mr. Snowman continued to apply suffocating defensive pressure in game 4, shutting down Yekaterina's options for shots at least four times in the game. Mr. Snowman cruised to an 8-0 victory to clinch the series at 3-1. Mr. Snowman didn't bring his best in game 5, falling behind to Yekaterina early on. He caught up in the middle of the game, but Yekaterina bounced back to claim an 8-5 win to get a game back. Mr. Snowman won the series 3-2, and will be a visitor again in his bracket quarterfinals series.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Hughbert. An all-Defenders series sees their sophomore battle it out in 10-ball with the blue cue. Bianca had a solid break in game 1 but couldn't get a breakthrough on offense. She would pick up some steam later, but Hughbert converted a three-ball run-out in the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. Bianca twice had chances to make the 10 in game 2, but both went down illegally, allowing Hughbert to poke the 10 to the bottom side in the end for the win, putting him up 2-0 in the series. Bianca kept herself in the series in game 3, challenging Hughbert more effectively. Hughbert didn't have an answer for this, and Bianca won on a four-ball run-out highlighted by a bank of the 7 to the bottom left. This cut the series to 2-1. Bianca maintained this level of performance in game 4 as well, bossing the possession better and taking the win on a pair of shots after Hughbert couldn't corral the 9. Bianca's comeback has tied the series at 2. Bianca kept it up one more time, stalling in the middle of game 5 to throw Hughbert off of his game before smashing in the last two shots for her own win. Bianca claimed the series 3-2, and will travel to Tysini to face the Hummingbirds' Brownie in the bracket quarterfinals. Hughbert is the 18th player to exit the Tournament, while Bianca's second kill comes as a bout of friendly fire.

Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Strut. A pair of veterans keeps the game as 10-ball, but changes over to the silver cue. Pacific's Twinkie I had a slow start in game 1 at times, as Golden's Strut made an impressive shot on the 1 to create a three-ball run. Strut cooled as the game progressed, allowing Twinkie I to win on a four-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut had a chance to make a big run at the end of game 2, but he missed his third shot in the turn, putting the 6 off the 10 to ruin the run. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I made the rest of the shots, a four-ball run-out to push her series lead to 2-0. Shorter bursts paced game 3 on both sides, as neither player could really form a run. Twinkie I had the better of play at times, but she faltered toward the end, and Strut made his shots over a couple of turns to grab the win. This pulled him back to a 2-1 deficit in the series. Strut went on a big run in the middle of game 4, making four in a row before missing the critical shot on the 7 at the top side. Twinkie I fired back with a three-ball run-out, winning the game and the series at 3-1. Strut had his chances again in game 5, but he couldn't convert a double-pot on the 4 and 10, and Twinkie I promptly buried the 5-10 combination to the bottom right at her first chance. Twinkie I won the series 4-1, and will host the Pronger Tridents' Lize in the bracket quarterfinals.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Paps v. Twinkie III. The red cue comes on for the next series, playing Rotation. Tysini's Paps knocked in three balls on the game 1 break to set the tone, but Whitewater's Twinkie III grabbed the lead in the middle of the game anyway. This forced Paps to make a comeback, winning 8-6 on a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Paps had a three-ball run early in game 2 as well, but the Shores' Twinkie III countered on a big five-ball run. Paps then regained the lead with his own four-ball run, and beat Twinkie III on the 15 after she tied the game again. Paps' 8-7 score gave him a 2-0 series lead with another tense win. Paps made things look easy in game 3, an early three-ball run and a 6-11 combination that caromed to create a double-pot as the 13 fell in the bottom right pacing the attack. Twinkie III had very little offense this time, with Paps winning 8-1 to seal the series at 3-0. Paps couldn't get much going in game 4, as Twinkie III finally imposed a bit of defense early on to protect her lead. A three-ball run later on put her on the brink of a win, which finally came about when Paps scratched while going for the 12. The 8-4 result cut the series to 3-1. Twinkie III supplied another dominant effort in game 5, making five balls over her first two turns to build a large lead. The ending was a bit slower, but she beat Paps 8-1 to make it a 3-2 series in favor of the host. Paps advances to the bracket quarterfinals.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Slinks v. Puff III. Resurgent veterans collide in a series of 7-ball with the silver cue. Everton's Puff III had an error on her first turn in game 1, but capitalized on Westside's Slinks having a miss from ball-in-hand. Puff III cleared all seven balls off the table on her second turn for a win and 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Puff III had another dominant two-turn effort, starting off with a ball on the break and then countering one ball from the Rockers' Slinks with a four-ball run-out for the win. Puff III pushed her series lead to 2-0. Slinks actually struck first in game 3, taking a pair on her second turn, but Puff III quickly responded again, drilling a five-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-0 with this win. Puff III looked well on her way to challenging for a sweep when she did a six-ball run in game 4, but her missed bank on the 7 allowed Slinks a tap-in for posterity at the bottom right. Slinks' win cut the series to 3-1. Slinks had a good start to game 5 with a four-ball run, but she missed on the 5, and Puff III was there, using great positioning in a three-ball run-out to get the win. Puff III advances on a 4-1 series win, and will be the visitor for her bracket quarterfinals series.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Ms. Puppy. The silver cue remains in action for this Accuracy series between experienced veterans. Terrace City's Oreo showed cool composure in game 1, making every shot including a ball on the break while Modernistic's Ms. Puppy crumbled from mid-game onward. Oreo's 0-4 win gave her a 1-0 lead in the series. The Union's Ms. Puppy flipped things nicely in game 2, aided greatly by sub-par efforts from the Knights' Oreo at side pocket shooting. This issue accounted for Oreo's three misses as Ms. Puppy only had one later slip-up in the 1-3 win to tie the series at 1. Oreo avoided the side pockets as much as possible in a quick game 3, while Ms. Puppy encouraged shots in that direction. It ended up biting Ms. Puppy in the end, as her two balls on the break gave her less runway to correct what became a 1-3 win in Oreo's favor. Oreo regained the series lead at 2-1. Ms. Puppy couldn't stay perfect under pressure from Oreo near the middle of game 4, but redeemed herself with a hard cut to secure a 1-2 win late in the game. Ms. Puppy has tied the exciting series again, at 2 games apiece. Oreo did all she could to hold on in game 5 after a slow start, and it worked, inducing two late misses by Ms. Puppy to force overtime. Ms. Puppy tried a soft break for overtime, but the play failed, and Oreo converted to win 3-4 for the 3-2 series win. Oreo heads on to the bracket quarterfinals.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Smokey. A star and a captain clash in Rotation with the red cue. Diamond's Smokey had the first lead in game 1, but the game turned out to be a big fight at the finish. Boston's Puff II had the lead late in the game until Smokey made a pair to win 8-7 for the 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Smokey took a faltering lead in game 2, challenged at every point by the Swifts' Puff II, who had grabbed the lead a couple of times but ultimately failed to hold on. Smokey finished with an 8-5 win, pushing his series lead to 2-0. Puff II took control in game 3 on her first turn, rattling off a five-ball run and using defense for the rest of the game to stall Smokey. It was never a close result, as Puff II cruised to an 8-1 win to stay alive in the now 2-1 series. Puff II burst out to a four-ball run on the game 4 break, again asserting her offense quickly. Smokey made a challenge later in the game, but Puff II finally corralled the 11 at the top right for an 8-3 win to tie the series at 2. Puff II kept the pressure on throughout the decisive game 5, barely letting Smokey get a clear shot despite her bad break this time. Puff II walked it off with an 8-2 win, sinking the 10 to the top right to take the 3-2 series. Puff II keeps this top seed going as she's set to host a bracket quarterfinals series.

Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Jennifer Livilotti. The silver cue will be in play for both parts of a day-ending venue doubleheader in Diamond, playing Rotation here. Diamond's Pedey had a tough game 1, but managed to stay ahead of Terrace City's Jennifer by a shot or two almost all the time. Pedey closed the win at 8-5 to give him a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Pedey turned outright dominant in game 2, smashing in a three-ball run on his second turn and then destroying a cluster with the help of the Knights' Jennifer. Pedey would reap all the benefits from the cluster, most notably a five-ball run-out for an 8-0 win to move to a 2-0 lead in the series. Pedey got a ball on the break this time, but his lead was short-lived in game 3, as Jennifer used one run to pull ahead, and a strong finish over two or three turns to take the 8-5 victory. Jennifer cut into Pedey's series lead, making it only 2-1 now. Pedey returned to form early in game 4, but again couldn't hold any sort of lead against Jennifer's strong counterattack. Jennifer had to grapple at the end for the win, but she came out up 8-6, tying the series at 2 after the struggle. Jennifer had all the bounces going her way in game 5, working a five-ball run early on to establish the lead. Pedey made a couple of shots after that, but Jennifer marched on to an 8-2 win to take the series 3-2. Jennifer will be the host in her bracket quarterfinals series. Pedey is the 19th player eliminated this year, while Jennifer records her first kill.

Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Princess. Captains collide as the day ends with Accuracy on the back half of a venue doubleheader. Diamond's Smokey looked lost for most of game 1, unable to find his shot effectively and allowing Tysini's Princess to get away with a 1-5 win, her only mistake being a scratch on the last shot. Princess leads the series 1-0. The Hummingbirds' Princess buried a pair of balls on the break, and continued to command the game, although it still took a scratch by the Gems' Smokey on his last shot to secure the game. Princess took the final shot to make it a 1-3 win, moving her series lead to 2-0. Princess had another good break in game 3, but got a bit unlucky at the end as Smokey stayed close enough to force overtime. Princess used a soft-break strategy in overtime, but Smokey stayed even with her until late into the extra rack. Smokey fell with a miss on the 9, the 3-4 win securing Princess' series win at 3-0. Princess took a drastic step back in game 4, taking it easy with the series in her hands. Smokey, meanwhile, showed off wasted potential in a 0-4 win to avoid the sweep by making it a 3-1 series. Princess and Smokey showed a great lack of interest in game 5, both missing in bunches throughout the game, which went into overtime and needed three additional points to be resolved. Smokey took this win 7-8, but it's Princess moving on to a road series again in the bracket quarterfinals.

That's all we've got today. We'll be back for another session of likely equal length tomorrow.

Tournament 2018 - Round 3 Day 3

Tournament action has finally returned, and we begin with...

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Roxy. The silver cue will bring us back into play with a series of 15-ball. Freedom's Roxy had some good pushes in game 1, and she got a bit of help when Archtown's Ruby missed a 10-15 combination attempt and also scratched. Roxy made the 10-15 as a double-pot to the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Roxy continued to pace the attack in game 2, albeit at a much slower speed. The Arrows' Ruby didn't show much threat in her attacks, allowing Roxy to eventually win with a four-ball run-out for a 2-0 series lead. Roxy started pretty well in game 3, but Ruby kept things close this time, interjecting offense where she could. Ruby made a push toward the end of the game, but her two misses on the 15 allowed Roxy to take the win on her second attempt, which clinched the series at 3-0 for the visitor. Ruby had a dominant share of possession in game 4, easily her best game yet, but shaky shots near the end left the door open for Roxy to poach this win, extending her lead in the series to 4-0. In game 5, neither player showed much urgency, leading to a frustrating and painfully slow game. Ruby did finally make the 15 at the end, avoiding the sweep as Roxy wins the series 4-1 to earn her spot in the bracket quarterfinals.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Boots. A pair of veterans go at it after a six-week break in 12-ball with the red cue. Midland's Americus led off in game 1 with a three-ball run from the break, and pressured Pearl's Boots after that as well. Boots replied on a four-ball run from ball-in-hand, but Americus closed out the game at the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Boots replied with a three-turn win in game 2, highlighted by a quick four-ball run. The Predators' Americus tried to make a tough shot to spur a counterattack, but she left the last ball on a clear line for Boots to get the win, tying the series at 1. Boots gave up a wild-card ball on the game 3 break, which proved a bit costly for her later on. Americus defended well before charging to even the game, and then used ball-in-hand to get the win on the last ball after Boots missed contact. Americus now holds a 2-1 series lead. Positioning became more important in game 4, as both players battled for the bottom side. Boots faltered when she scratched, allowing Americus to set herself up for a two-ball run-out a turn later. Americus sealed the series at 3-1 with the crafty and patient win. Americus had gotten down to the last ball in game 5 before a scratch while potting it at the top side. Against all odds, Boots, banked the 1 to the top right, and the cue caromed to pot the 7 legally at the bottom left as well. Americus settled for a 3-2 series win and the right to host the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette in the bracket quarterfinals.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Chicky Phil. The silver cue plays Rotation, leading off a player doubleheader for Quincy and a venue tripleheader in Terrace City. Pacific's Chicky Phil had a good start in game 1, but slipped a bit in the middle, allowing a pair of three-ball runs to put Terrace City's Quincy ahead. Chicky Phil battled back, eventually winning 8-7 for a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Quincy had a much more pleasant game 2, playing well defensively in a slow start, and then running well ahead of the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil. Quincy sealed the game after a stagnant finish, winning 8-3 to tie the series at 1. Quincy started slowly again in game 3, but he stormed ahead on a three-ball run and then won with a three-ball run-out after Chicky Phil scratched on a deflected shot that potted the 14 illegally. Quincy's late push helped him take the 8-3 game and a 2-1 lead in the series. Chicky Phil put forth his best challenge in game 4, aided by Quincy's awful break. Chicky Phil trailed for most of the game, but a three-ball run put him ahead before Quincy made the last two balls to clinch the series at 3-1 on an 8-7 win. Chicky Phil started and ended game 5 with combo shots, making the 1-2-8 kick combination to the top right, and then winning on a 7-14 combination Quincy failed to convert on the prior turn. Chicky Phil's 8-3 win cut Quincy's series win to 3-2, as the host advances to the bracket quarterfinals.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Gizmo. The Knights rookie completes his doubleheader in 10-ball with the blue cue. Terrace City's Quincy showed a little fatigue in game 1, unable to accurately hit his shots. Eastside's Gizmo picked up the slack, making consecutive pairs of shots at the end for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Gizmo dominated in game 2, making a ball on the break and then bursting past the Knights' Quincy on a seven-ball run-out. This extended Gizmo's series lead to a strong 2-0. Game 3 saw Gizmo take a small step back on offense, with Quincy taking some control in the middle of the game. Gizmo did have three combination shots, making the 2-6 banked to the bottom right, a glancing shot off the 2 to put the 8 in the top right, and then a 9-10 to the bottom right to take the win. Gizmo secured the series at 3-0 with the final of those three trick shots. Gizmo continued to assert himself early in game 4, making a ball on the break and a short run. Quincy had a couple of positive turns of his own, but made the 10 illegally to end a three-ball run, and Gizmo cut the 10 to the bottom right for the win, moving his lead to 4-0. Quincy avoided the sweep admirably in game 5, holding his own until Gizmo kicked the 7 to the top left, an uncalled shot that turned possession over. Quincy made the last pair to get the win, but Gizmo won the series 4-1 and will visit the Southridge Defenders' Stephanie in the bracket quarterfinals.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Dani. The Terrace City tripleheader ends with 8-ball and the silver cue in this series. Terrace City's Kiwi jumped out to a nice lead fairly early in game 1, and managed to hold of Viewpoint Sound's Dani long enough to make three balls on the last two turns for the win. Kiwi grabbed the 1-0 series lead with the strong opener. The Knights' Kiwi put the pressure on immediately in game 2 with a four-ball run from the break. The Meteors' Dani tried to play defensively, but couldn't avoid Kiwi's late charge for the win. Kiwi is now up 2-0 in the series. Dani replied with a seven-ball run on her first turn in game 3, and she nearly made the 8 as well. Kiwi answered on a four-ball run, but a scratch snuffed out the comeback, and Dani potted the 8 from the kitchen to the top right for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Kiwi pushed back with a six-ball run cut off by a scratch early in game 4. Dani made efforts to close the gap, but would fall to a three-ball run-out from Kiwi a few turns later, as Kiwi's final push helped her to clinch the series at 3-1. Kiwi made a big start with a five-ball run in game 5, only to watch as Dani collapsed her defense around the bottom right. Kiwi scratched at one point, but finally broke Dani's defense with a four-ball run-out to get the win. Kiwi took the series 4-1, advancing to the bracket quarterfinals.

Apple Center, Todavía: Anton v. Lize. A pair of rookies battle in 10-ball with the silver cue as we finally switch venues. Todavía's Anton did well in game 1, using a five-ball run to assert himself on offense, but his miss on the 10 allowed Pronger's Lize to clean up the scraps for a win. Lize leads the series 1-0. The Tridents' Lize did better in game 2, using a pair of four-ball runs to get onto the 10, but she sent the winning shot attempt wide. Anton mopped it up at the bottom side on a straight shot for the win, tying the series at 1 with a poached win. Game 3 started with mixed results on both sides, but after Anton missed one too many times, Lize burst forward on a six-ball run-out, regaining the series lead at 2-1 in the process. Anton kept fighting in game 4, using short bursts which Lize mostly matched early on. Anton found his chance in the middle of the rack, potting a 6-10 combination to the top right for the win, retying the series at 2 to set up a decisive finale. Anton didn't have enough offense to turn the series around in game 5, succumbing to Lize's attack at the very end as the visitor won the game and a 3-2 series. Lize will again be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Violetta. A strong captain takes on a star sophomore in 9-ball with the red cue. Queens' Violetta struck first in this highly-anticipated series, stalling Pronger's Precious long enough in game 1 to set herself up for a three-ball run-out. Violetta's smooth finish gave her a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta had a pair on the break of game 2, and then closed out a crafty effort with an unintentional two-rail bank of the 9, turning a miss at the bottom side into a win at the top left. Violetta now leads the Tridents' Precious 2-0 after the stunning finish. Violetta allowed Precious a shot at the 9 in a much less dominant game 3 performance. Precious put too much on the rare late-game chance, scratching and missing wide on the 9, and Violetta potted it from ball-in-hand to seal the series at 3-0 in her favor. Violetta showed far less mercy in game 4, beginning with a four-ball run after a pair on the break, and winning on turn two with a four-ball run-out capped by an 8-9 combination to the bottom right to make it 4-0 against Precious. Game 5 saw Precious actually control the pace, but her miss after a three-ball run gave Violetta the one look she needed to finish the 9 into the top right after nearly getting it there on the break. Violetta swept the series 5-0, but will remain on the road for her bracket quarterfinals series.

McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Klaus v. Rosemary. Young players collide in a series of 7-ball using the blue cue. Atlantic's Klaus had a decent start in game 1, and worked a three-ball run on his second turn, but his miss on the 4 gave Commerce's Rosemary a chance to account for her foul early on. Rosemary would win on a three-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Rosemary didn't have much possession again in game 2, letting the Pirates' Klaus pace the game for himself for the most part. Klaus had a late miss on the 7, and Rosemary took care of it with a cut to the top right to push her series lead to 2-0. Klaus replied in game 3 quite easily, taking an empty break from Rosemary and turning it into his own seven-ball run-out on his only turn. Klaus' dominant stretch cut the series deficit to 2-1. Klaus didn't do it all in one turn in game 4, but he started on a three-ball run and made the rest over the next two turns to defeat Rosemary again. This tied the series at 2. Klaus again had the bulk of possession in game 5, a five-ball run in the middle the largest highlight. Rosemary made things tough at the end, but she had no shot for the 7, and Klaus eventually made it to take the series 3-2. Klaus' comeback puts him into the bracket quarterfinals.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Pauline v. Chimpy. A rookie takes on a wily veteran for a 9-ball series with the blue cue. Modernistic's Chimpy had three errors in game 1, but still managed to pop up for a late shot on the 9 after Capital City's Pauline left too much available. Chimpy leads the series 1-0. The Union's Chimpy had another sloppy start, leading to a brief possession for the Sharpshooters' Pauline. When she missed on the 4, Chimpy took over for a five-ball run-out, his sudden burst enough to give him a 2-0 series lead with the win. Chimpy popped a three-ball run to start game 3 before ceding possession to Pauline after a miss on the 2-9 deflected combination off the 5. Pauline handled a couple of shots, but Chimpy would emerge with the win on a 4-9 combination to the top right to clinch the series at 3-0. Chimpy continued to demonstrate a positive attack, making a three-ball run early in game 4. Pauline shot back on a four-ball run before the game slowed down, ultimately ending with Chimpy taking another win for the 4-0 series lead after Pauline let the 9 escape her grasp. Pauline had an excellent performance in game 5, but ended up with no consolation, as her pair of four-ball runs did everything but pot the 9. Chimpy tapped it into the top left for the win, sweeping the series 5-0 as he punches a ticket to the bracket quarterfinals. With the series win, Chimpy has his first kill of the year, while Pauline's rookie campaign ends as the 17th eliminated player this year. 

Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta v. Bryant. The long-awaited close of this day of games comes after this 15-ball series with the red cue. Queens' Violetta had a slight majority of the possession in game 1, but she couldn't corral the 13 late, and Maplewood's Bryant did enough to make the last two shots for the win. Bryant's solid outing earned him a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta didn't look like herself in game 2, allowing the Lumberjacks' Bryant a large share of possession. Bryant took advantage of it with medium-sized runs early on and chippy late play, eventually taking the win when Violetta crumbled at the end. Bryant owns a 2-0 series lead. Violetta recovered a bit with an early three-ball run in game 3, but Bryant had a later four-ball run before leading a long chase on the 15. Both players missed easy chances before Bryant won with a frustrated shot that banked the 15 to the bottom left. Bryant secured the series at 3-0 with the somewhat lucky finish. Bryant had some good shots early in game 4, but his best left him behind later in the game. Violetta managed to recover enough shots to put up a three-ball run-out for the win, cutting the series to 3-1. Bryant made four of the last five balls over two turns in game 5, but even that wasn't enough, as Violetta got another consolation win by tapping in the 15. Bryant won the series 3-2, earning a road spot in the bracket quarterfinals.

We're back with more Tournament action going forward, as September will likely see a large portion of the third round games.