We're off to a late start for the first round of the City Cup. We begin with...
Toyota Pitch: Modernistic Union v. Freedom Cascades. The tournament hosts are actually the visitors in the lead-off series. Freedom got off to a good start with Stripes making a pair and then a four-ball run-out in 7-ball to easily defeat Modernistic's Ms. Puppy for the 1-0 series lead. Stripes continued to play fairly well for the Cascades in 8-ball, outpacing the Union's Daisy with her attack. Stripes did enough to get Daisy to miss contact on her last ball. Stripes made a pair of shots from ball-in-hand to take this win, boosting her side's lead to 2-0 in the series. Ms. Puppy returned to action for Modernistic, pacing the 9-ball game with a four-ball run in the middle. Jasmine challenged for Freedom near the end, but Ms. Puppy got the 9 at the top left for a win to cut the series down to 2-1. Daisy supplied a weak start in 10-ball for the Union, but she pulled away at the end on a six-ball run-out, stunning the Cascades' Nikolai after the sluggish first few turns. Daisy's big run helped to tie the series at 2 halfway through. Nikolai struck first for Freedom in 12-ball, but his offense didn't hold up over the course of the game. Daisy got close to a win, forcing Nikolai into a defensive stance that backfired when he scratched. Daisy then made a pair of shots to get the win, pulling Modernistic ahead 3-2 in the series. Puff I took over on offense for the Union, exchanging a pair of three-ball runs in Rotation with the Cascades' Jasmine, who chipped individual shots on her last two turns but couldn't keep her play clean. Puff I won 8-5, and the Union are on the brink of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Puff I made seven balls over her first two turns in 15-ball, only for a six-ball run by Jasmine to complicate matters at the end. Both players missed the 15 twice, but Jasmine buried it on her third try to keep Freedom in the fight despite trailing Modernistic 4-3. Ms. Puppy bailed herself out of trouble in Accuracy, as the Union captain managed to get the Cascades' Nikolai to scratch late in the game. Ms. Puppy held the lead from here, winning 2-3 to take the series 5-3 as the Union head to the quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena: Stonebridge Wolves v. Boston Swifts. Inside, a historically great team acts as visitors to a playoff newcomer. Stonebridge's Vladimir weathered a three-ball run from Boston's Gradley in the first of three-straight games between the players. Gradley scratched to end that run, and Vladimir won 7-ball with one shot from ball-in-hand, giving Stonebridge a 1-0 series lead. Vladimir began with a four-ball run in 8-ball, straight from the break. Gradley countered it with his own four-ball run on his second turn, but he didn't stop there, supporting the attack on two more turns to grab the win. Gradley's victory helped the Swifts tie the series at 1 early on. Gradley found a way to get the better of Vladimir in 9-ball as well, as Boston's calm star attacked with a four-ball run-out at the end to counter Vladimir's opening three-ball run. Gradley's win put Boston up 2-1 in the series. Sweetheart took over for the Swifts in 10-ball, blasting a four-ball run early to stun the Wolves' replacement Cobalt. Sweetheart didn't stop there, winning on a three-ball run-out by splitting her shot off the 7 to drive the 10 into the top right. The Swifts hold a 3-1 series lead. Stonebridge's Juno made her first appearance a statement for her side, blasting in a three-ball run at one point to pin back Boston's Ice Cream. Juno removed Ice Cream's defense quickly and decisively, winning a turn later when Ice Cream missed contact. Juno's win cut the series back to 3-2. Cobalt couldn't do the same for the Wolves, his three-ball run sandwiched between a great start and a four-ball run-out finish from Sweetheart in her 8-3 Rotation win. The Swifts restored their series lead at 4-2 here. Ice Cream started well in 15-ball for Boston, attacking nicely, but a scratch ended her four-ball run before she could make a play on the 15 near the bottom right. Cobalt took over for Stonebridge, aligning and converting a 5-15 combination on the second shot from ball-in-hand for the win. Stonebridge stays alive but behind 4-3 in the series. Juno kept the Wolves going again, maintaining a perfect Accuracy game deep into the rack. She and Ice Cream exchanged misses twice, but Ice Cream missed again late, and Juno sealed the 2-3 win to tie the series at 4, setting up a tiebreaker in 13-ball. Juno started with great force in the tiebreaker, making five balls over her first two turns. Sweetheart, meanwhile, scuffled through her shots, unable to get traction. Juno took a patient approach late, nearly letting Sweetheart back in. Juno defended the top right well, putting the 8 there for the win just in time. Stonebridge goes to the quarterfinals on a 5-4 series win.
Toyota Pitch: Central Warriors v. Golden Pilots. Tough veterans and stars of the league populate the second outdoor series. Central's Noelle scratched on the break in 7-ball, and Golden's Sparkles took no chances, making a 1-7 combination to the bottom right from ball-in-hand to give Golden the 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight started slowly in 8-ball, allowing the Pilots' Dusty to stake out a lead with a five-ball run. Dusty failed to collect her final ball quickly enough, as Twilight steadily pulled herself back, getting ahead and making the 8 on her third try to tie the series at 1 for the Warriors. Dusty started the offense for Golden in 9-ball, but she didn't see many successful shots until Central's Twilight flubbed her attempt on the 9 at the end. Dusty tapped it to the top right to poach a win, restoring Golden's 2-1 series lead. Noelle had the better of play in 10-ball, including a late four-ball run for the Warriors, but she missed on the 10, and the Pilots' Sparkles made her second low-percentage cut shot of the game to steal away the win to extend their series lead to 3-1. Noelle made a pair on the break in 12-ball for Central, although she scratched on the next shot. This didn't hold her back, as she got down to her last ball quickly. Dusty had some defense up for Golden, but couldn't keep it in place, as Noelle did a glancing kick shot to pot a ball at the top right for the win. Golden is still ahead 3-2 in the series. Strut never looked back after a four-ball run to take the lead in Rotation. The Warriors' Dustin took a few shots but couldn't get much going, and the Pilots rode an 8-1 win by Strut to a 4-2 series lead, putting them a win away from advancing. Dustin started 15-ball with an electric break for Central, but he couldn't sustain that pace later in the game. Strut fired back with some offense, eventually making the 11 before adding a 13-15 combination to the top left for the win. Golden defeated Central at this point, leading 5-2 in the series. Twilight did well in Accuracy, pinning Strut at the start with a bad break. Strut never recovered, as the Warriors took this win 3-5. The Pilots advance on a 5-3 series win, earning their spot in the quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena: Midland Predators v. Pacific Volcanoes. Another playoff debut comes in this series. Midland's Fuchsia led off with a five-ball run in 7-ball, but her miss on the 6 saw Pacific's Ms. Kitty line up and convert a pair of shots for the win that put Pacific ahead 1-0 in the series. The Volcanoes' Leonette blasted a five-ball run in 8-ball, buying her time for a patient finish. The Predators' Americus came close with some of her shots, but the lack of a decisive run allowed Leonette to strike back at the end on a pair of shots for the win to boost her side's series lead to 2-0. Fuchsia had a pair on the break and another pair later in the 9-ball game for Midland, but a miss on the 4 led to Pacific's Ms. Kitty making it and the 6-9 combination to the bottom right on the next shot for another win. Pacific leads the series 3-0. Twinkie I continued the dominance for the Volcanoes, leading with a three-ball run and adding a five-ball run-out on her second turn to completely nullify Fuchsia's efforts for the Predators. Pacific is guaranteed a tiebreaker, leading 4-0 now. Americus and Twinkie I participated in a slow and ugly 12-ball match, with Americus making a pair on the break about the only highlight. Americus would win it for Midland after deliberate set-up work, making a pair of shots to end Pacific's sweep hopes as the series shifts to a 4-1 score. Shawn trailed three separate times in Rotation, as the Predators captain had issues with his offense, but he found a three-ball run-out to finally topple the Volcanoes' Leonette for an 8-7 comeback win. Midland has halved the deficit down to 4-2. Americus returned for 15-ball for Midland, attacking with ease but feeling uncomfortable as Ms. Kitty delivered a four-ball run for Pacific. Americus fought back with a gritty ending, just getting the win when Ms. Kitty flubbed her shot on the 15 the bottom right. Americus has dragged Midland back to just a 4-3 deficit. Shawn did everything he could in Accuracy for the Predators, but Twinkie I just wouldn't bend, winning 1-2 to seal a 5-3 Volcanoes series win in a well-played final game. This brings the first round of the City Cup to half-completion.
Toyota Pitch: Terrace City Knights v. Eastside Sharks. The third outdoor series sees teams with deceptive depth do battle. Terrace City's Kiwi didn't look good at the start in 7-ball, as Eastside's Chelsea controlled the early pace, but Kiwi made a pair of shots at the end to get the win in an even game. Terrace City leads 1-0. The Knights' Kiwi had virtually all of the offense in 8-ball, but a cluster buster in the middle of the game sank the 8 illegally, gifting a win to the Sharks' Cubby to tie the series at 1. Chelsea stormed back into action for Eastside in 9-ball, crafting a seven-ball run-out to win with a deflected shot on the 8 that pushed the 9 to the top right. Quincy had virtually no impact as Terrace City falls behind 2-1 in the series. Kiwi found redemption for the Knights, stealing a win back in 10-ball as the Sharks' Gizmo controlled the offense but fell apart with a missed contact at the 9. Kiwi made the last two shots cleanly for the win, retying the series at 2. Oreo made a four-ball run from the break in 12-ball, leading Terrace City to a great and quick victory. Eastside's Gizmo had nothing to reply to Oreo with, and after a couple of turns, she converted her last two shots for the win to regain the series lead at 3-2. Quincy had an impressive and lucky run to get onto the brink of victory in Rotation, only to see it nearly all disappear as Gizmo shot back with a five-ball run to tie the game. The Knights would take the win as Quincy made the 15 after Gizmo missed it twice, with the Knights now leading the Sharks 4-2 in the series. Gizmo was nullified in his three games. Quincy had a five-ball run from the break in 15-ball, and he made 80% of the balls in 15-ball, but it was a scratch as he potted the 15 that bailed out Eastside's Chelsea. Terrace City has gifted away two wins now, making their close 4-3 series lead a bit of disappointment. Accuracy proved to be a smoothie of emotions on both sides, with Oreo blowing a couple of leads for the Knights before Cubby dropped a shot right at the end to set up overtime. Cubby's overtime break resulted in a scratch, and Oreo converted for the 4-5 win and 5-3 series win, avoiding the tiebreaker. Terrace City will face Pacific in the quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena: Victoria Spurs v. Web City Spiders. Back indoors, a former champion team takes on a team on the verge of blowing it up and starting over. Victoria's Sage showed force in 7-ball, making two on the break and then a three-ball run-out at the end, running circles around Web City's Ted as Victoria will own a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow made quick work of that deficit, striking for a pair on his first turn before weaving a mind-blowing six-ball run-out to defeat the Spurs' Strawberry on his second turn. Shadow's win tied the series at 1. Yekaterina challenged in 9-ball early on, as Victoria's leader for the competition made a pair from the break. Web City's Shadow fired back with a three-ball run, and when Yekaterina missed contact with the 5 later on, Shadow converted a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to give his side a 2-1 series lead. Sage kept the Spurs on pace in 10-ball, getting the better of the offense but also looking a bit sloppy with scratches as she again bested the Spiders' Ted. The series is tied at 2 at the halfway mark. Sage had a fine start for Victoria in 12-ball, but she surrendered a wild-card ball to Shadow. It looked like it wouldn't matter at first, but after some minor positioning, Shadow found a four-ball run-out while Sage was still trying to line her shots up. Shadow's win has Web City ahead 3-2 in the series. Yekaterina made three balls on the break and a double-pot on her next shot before a miscue, a massive start in Rotation. Shiny shot back with a four-ball run, and then a three-ball run featuring a double-pot of the 10 and 14 to the right corners to get on the brink of victory. Yekaterina didn't falter at the end, making three shots over two turns for the 8-7 win, helping the Spurs tie the Spiders again at 3 games apiece in a thrilling series so far. Yekaterina had a less impactful performance in 15-ball for Victoria, and even ruined it at the end, as she illegally hit the 10, which led to a kick that sent the 15 to the bottom side. Shiny had been pressing but would accept the freebie win as well, giving Web City a 4-3 series lead to put them on the edge of a massive upset. Strawberry and Shiny dueled quite well for most of the Accuracy game. Strawberry had a couple of misses, but buried Shiny on position late. From a tough angle, Shiny converted the last ball, good for a 1-2 win and 5-3 series win for the Spiders over the Spurs. The Spiders are set to meet the Golden Pilots in the quarterfinals.
Toyota Pitch: Oceanside Waves v. Westside Rockers. The last outdoors series comes under the lights. Westside's Misty had some good shots early in 7-ball, but Oceanside's Celestia converted on the last two shots to claim the win and a 1-0 series lead in their favor. The Rockers' Slinks struck first in 8-ball, trying to establish her offense, but good shots proved hard to come by for her. The Waves' Josie fired back with more complex turns, using nice runs to get the win after a pair of shots at the end. Josie's win put them up 2-0. Oceanside quickly saw that lead jump to 3-0, as Celestia struck the 9 down on the break, putting it in the top right to prevent Westside's Slinks from getting a shot in this game. The Rockers' Misty prevented her side from going too far behind, making a five-ball run-out to win the 10-ball game, handing the Waves' Celestia her first loss of the series so far. Westside still trails 3-1 in the series. Josie showed well for Oceanside, making four balls over her first two turns. Cowzart had nothing for Westside until he assembled a three-ball run, but he was too slow at the end, and Josie put her final shot in the top side for the win. Oceanside is on the edge of advancing with a 4-1 series lead. Josie continued to excel for the Waves, dominating with a four-ball run from the break in Rotation. Slinks offered a little resistance, but not enough to stop Josie from winning 8-2, a result that secures advancement for the Waves as they hold a 5-1 series lead. Jason V. took over for Oceanside for the last two games, earning the win in 15-ball after a slow start turned into a six-ball run-out by the end, easily besting Westside's Cowzart, who looked overwhelmed. Jason V. fell behind about halfway through the Accuracy game, but Misty missed three times down the stretch, allowing Jason to take the 1-3 win for a 7-1 Oceanside Waves series win. Oceanside is set to face the Stonebridge Wolves in the quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena: Queens Flames v. Infinity Torpedoes. The final series of the first round is indoors, featuring the President's Cup winners. Queens' Violetta had a four-ball run to start in 7-ball, but after another pair, she went cold on the 7. Infinity's Mr. Snowman sniped it to the top right at the end, giving his side an unlikely 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Shelley put up another strong effort in 8-ball, staking out a lead. The Flames' Hannah had a four-ball run and a three-ball run, staggered to seem like push-backs against Shelley, but a miss on the 8 from Hannah allowed Shelley to tap in a pair of shots for the win. The Torpedoes move to a 2-0 series lead. Violetta had a decent start for Queens in 9-ball, but she ceded a lot of possession to Infinity's Smudge, who soaked up a majority of the shots. Violetta had a tough shot on the 9 at the end that she missed, but Smudge whiffed on her attempt as well, and Violetta tapped it in for the win to cut the series back to 2-1. Shelley had plenty of chances to strike for the Torpedoes late in 10-ball, but she lost her touch after the Flames' Violetta created a three-ball run. Violetta managed to cut the 10 to the top right at the end for the win, tying the series at 2 as she exits the series. Queens' Crystal gave away a wild-card ball on the break in 12-ball, and while it didn't seem to be a big deal at first, it mattered a lot when Infinity's Mr. Snowman popped in a four-ball run. Mr. Snowman played patiently as Crystal removed her defense, and Mr. Snowman eventually cut his last ball to the top left for the win. Infinity is ahead again by a 3-2 score. Crystal quickly got revenge, as the Flames captain potted a ball on the break in Rotation, and twice left Mr. Snowman with no clear shot. Crystal made the other seven balls from ball-in-hand plays, winning 8-0 to retie the series with the Torpedoes at 3. Hannah looked uncomfortable again for most of the 15-ball game, but she struck on a three-ball run-out at the end to head off a ferocious attack from Infinity's Smudge. Heading into the last regulation game, Hannah's win gave Queens the advantage at 4-3. Accuracy didn't go well for either of Crystal or Shelley, as they each missed five times in a sloppy regulation session. In overtime, Shelley missed twice more before Crystal closed the game on a 6-7 win, which gave the Flames a 5-3 series win over the Torpedoes. Queens had a scare here, which they'll need to be over when they face the Modernistic Union tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we close the book on the 2018 Tournament year with the last three rounds of the City Cup.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Monday, November 19, 2018
2018 Clan Cup
We're ready to start the day of the Clan Cup competition in Oceanside. First up, we've got four quarterfinals, beginning with...
Reality v. Empyre. Reality's Missy struck well on the break in 7-ball, making a shot. She added another one on her second turn, but gave way to Empyre's Jake from there, as he made a five-ball run-out for the win, giving Empyre the 1-0 series lead. In 8-ball, Reality's Patches had a decent start, but received a lot of help from Empyre's Tigerette, who potted two balls of collateral damage. Tigerette couldn't get onto the 8 cleanly at the end, allowing Patches to make a final pair of shots for the win, which tied the series at 1. Reality got another good break from Boots in 9-ball, who started on a three-ball run. Jake shot back for Empyre with a good amount of force, but he left too much on the table at the end. Boots made a pair of shots when Jake missed contact, taking the win and a 2-1 series for Reality. It didn't go so well for Missy in 10-ball, as her break was lackluster, and Empyre's Marsell made a weird deflected shot off the 2 that nudged the 10 around traffic and into the top right for a quick win. Empyre has retied the series at 2, nullifying Missy completely. Reality's Patches returned in 12-ball, attacking with great force in this even. She had a scratch and struggled for position for awhile, while Empyre's Hershey held his own, but a clever cut by Patches at the end gave her the win, which restored a 3-2 series lead to Reality. Spice made two on the break and added a five-ball run on her next turn for Reality to stake out a huge lead in Rotation. Marsell got one back for Empyre, but he didn't have the time to make a comeback, as Spice buried her last shot to win 8-1. Reality is on the brink of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Spice and Tigerette exchanged statement runs early in 15-ball, although Spice supported hers with a later four-ball run. Tigerette had a pair near the end, but she missed twice on the 15, and Spice made it on her second try, the win sealing a series win for Reality at 5-2. Sally made Empyre proud in Accuracy, holding her ground and forcing a few misses from Reality's Twinkie II. Sally maintained a perfect effort to win 0-4, but Reality walked away with the 5-3 series win to punch their ticket to the Semifinals.
Solid Core v. Brute Force. The second quarterfinal pits two of the Rivalry clubs against each other. Solid Core's Dreamy did everything but win in 7-ball, making a six-ball run from the break before a scratch while missing the 7. Brute Force's Smokey converted the one shot he needed to take for a 1-0 series lead, and he won't be seen until a potential tiebreaker. Brute Force looked good in 8-ball despite Rudolph potting one of each suit on his first turn. He elected to shoot stripes, and he got onto the 8 but failed to convert it in time to stop Solid Core's comeback through a three-ball run-out by Leonardo. This gave Solid Core the win necessary to tie the series at 1. Dreamy returned for 9-ball for Solid Core, and put up another good performance, this time actually getting the win despite her offense fading toward the end. Her Swordpoint Blades teammate Bandit scratched while potting the 8 for Brute Force, allowing Dreamy to take the 9 for the win and 2-1 lead in the series. Due to an event selection error, Brute Force had to choose between Rudolph and Bandit for 10-ball. Rudolph was selected, and he gladly cleaned up some loose shooting by Solid Core's Shaggy to take the win with a three-ball run-out. Brute Force has retied the series at 2. Shaggy also had a good start in 12-ball for Solid Core, attacking the top edge of the table at first. Bandit held back a bit at first, but found his way later in the game, and capitalized on Shaggy's scratch at the end to get the win for a 3-2 series lead. Wings had a cluttered start in Rotation for Brute Force, and briefly fell behind Solid Core's Acorn after a scratch. Acorn would suffer the same fate, his scratch paving the way for Wings to make a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win to push Brute Force up to a 4-2 series lead. Wings continued to play well in 15-ball for Brute Force, battling with Solid Core's Roxy for a few turns after a tough middle section. Wings pulled away with a five-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 5-2. Accuracy proved to be a fairly even game for Solid Core's Roxy and Brute Force's Bright, although Bright prevailed on a 2-3 win at the end. Brute Force handily took the series 6-2, and will prepare themselves for the Semifinals.
Outcast v. Delila Enterprises. Less bitterness arises from a promising third quarterfinal. Neither player had a great performance in 7-ball, as Outcast's Klaus only took the win after a scratch from Delila Enterprises' Whiskers as she made the 5. Klaus made a pair of shots to put Outcast up 1-0. Outcast's Prism began with a three-ball run with collateral damage to start 8-ball, and she added a pair of scratches to slow her own offense. Delila Enterprises got close at the end as Delila attacked with a little more intent, but Prism won on a four-ball run-out to move Outcast to a 2-0 series lead. Klaus returned to action in 9-ball for Outcast, and after a painfully slow and ugly battle with Delila Enterprises' Leandra, he managed to make the last two shots for the win to push Outcast's series lead to 3-0. Summer had a three-ball run at the start of the 10-ball game for Outcast, and she added ample offense throughout the game as well. Leandra tried to keep up for Delila Enterprises, but Summer's sublime bank of the 10 to the top left for the win assured Outcast's rise to a 4-0 series lead. Prism gave up a wild-card ball on the break for Outcast, selecting stripes after making one of each on the break. Delila had a four-ball run after that, but couldn't finish on her final ball. Prism made her remaining five balls over two turns for the win, sealing the series at 5-0 as Outcast makes quick work of Delila Enterprises, ending the club's run ahead of next year's reorganization. Kodiak had nothing for Outcast in Rotation, getting absolutely trashed by Delila Enterprises' Snuggle. Kodiak scratched on the break, and Snuggle took a small lead at first before connecting with a five-ball run-out to win 8-0. Delila Enterprises is on the board, but trailing 5-1 in the series. Kodiak had better shooting in 15-ball, but Delila Enterprises took this win as well, as Diddley persisted a little longer in a difficult finish to the game. Diddley finally took the 15 at the bottom left for the win, cutting the series down to 5-2. Dewey didn't have the best Accuracy game for Outcast, missing five shots with some sloppy early play and a late fade, while Delila Enterprises' Whiskers held her ground after the rough start to win 2-5. Outcast still won the series 5-3, giving them a chance to face Brute Force in the Semifinals. They also have the only home player left in Dewey, automatically making them the crowd's favorite.
Humanity Junior v. Youth Movement. The two sides known for their youthful energy meet in the last quarterfinal. Humanity Junior saw an aggressive start in 7-ball from Anton, but he couldn't convert on the 7 at the end, missing twice. Youth Movement's Twinkie III made the 7 on her second try for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Humanity Junior again controlled a game, as Zach looked great in 8-ball as he worked on a four-ball run. His attempt to slip the last solid behind defense at the bottom right led to a deflection that illegally potted the 8, gifting Youth Movement's Sierra with the win to put her club ahead 2-0. Anton steamed ahead with a seven-ball run in 9-ball for Humanity Junior, beginning with a fantastic break shot. Twinkie III was having none of it at the end, striking on the last two balls to steal the win for a 3-0 lead in the series for Youth Movement. Vincent refused to let Humanity Junior buckle under pressure, making a pair from the break and a five-ball run-out at the end, smothering any offense Youth Movement's Bianca could have tried. Vincent's dominant game cut the series to 3-1. Vincent had a good break in 12-ball, but Watermelon shredded him on her first few turns. Watermelon got down to one ball before a scratch set her back, and Vincent employed a strategic scratch to get out of a tough position. Vincent would look like a genius when he later made a three-ball run-out for the win, digging into Youth Movement's series lead, which now sits at 3-2. Cassie had a decent start in Rotation for Humanity Junior, although Watermelon kept the pressure up for Youth Movement. Cassie broke free on a four-ball run, and later staved off Watermelon's probing counterattack later on, winning 8-5 as Humanity Junior erases the deficit by tying the series at 3. Kirstin came to play with a mean break in 15-ball, scratching as she made a pair of shots. Bianca kept up for a bit, but Kirstin took a five-ball run and a four-ball run-out on consecutive turns, with Bianca managing just one potted ball in between. Kirstin's dominant finish puts Humanity Junior in a good position, ahead 4-3 in the series. The tension in Accuracy was noticeable, as both Humanity Junior's Zach and Youth Movement's Citrus flubbed a few shots. Citrus came up clutch on the overtime break, leading to Zach missing three turns later by a 6-7 score. Citrus' win tied the series at 4, setting up a tiebreaker in the 8-ball/12-ball hybrid known as 13-ball. Kirstin will play for Humanity Junior while Sierra steps up for Youth Movement. Kirstin led off with a ball of each suit on the break, which does not lead to a wild-card ball situation. Kirstin had a better grasp on the stripes as she navigated the table, but she slowed at the end, and Sierra made a pair of shots after Kirstin had a missed contact. Sierra's pair won the game, with the 8 going as called to the top side for the win. Youth Movement advances on the tiebreaker by a 5-4 margin, with an immediate turnaround as they face Reality in the Semifinals.
Reality v. Youth Movement. Missy wasted no time in establishing Reality's series lead at 1-0, winning the 7-ball game on the break as the 7 went in the top side to prevent Youth Movement's Twinkie III from having any impact on the game. Reality's Patches continued the club's dominance with a six-ball run to start the 8-ball game. She easily took her last stripe after that, but faded when it came to making the 8. Youth Movement's Sierra delivered a four-ball run shortened by a scratch, followed by another miss for Patches on the 8. Sierra closed out an epic comeback with a five-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Boots didn't have much for Reality in 9-ball, but she struck when it counted, answering a three-ball run by Youth Movement's Twinkie III with a 3-9 combination to the bottom right. Boots' win restores Reality's series lead at 2-1. Missy had a strong break and a scratch to start 10-ball for Reality. Bianca looked good at times for Youth Movement, but she lost her touch in the middle, and Missy went off with a five-ball run-out for the win to push Reality's advantage to 3-1 in the series. Patches had an assertive break in 12-ball, getting stripes. Watermelon challenged for Youth Movement, getting some good shots off before missing contact with three balls to go. Patches then spun a brilliant five-ball run-out, capping it by banking the 10 to the bottom side for the win that puts Reality up 4-1. Watermelon stayed in action for Youth Movement, starting out alright in Rotation by keeping an even score. She missed on the 7, a critical mistake, as Reality's Spice constructed a five-ball run-out to win 8-3. Reality will advance, having clinched at a 5-1 series lead. Bianca threw everything she could into her 15-ball effort for Youth Movement, beginning with a four-ball run and adding a six-ball run later, but Spice's late three-ball run shook Bianca's confidence. Spice would make the 15 on the next shot after Bianca missed it, giving Reality their 6-1 series lead. Twinkie II played a good Accuracy game for Reality, but two late misses caused her to blow her lead, and Citrus capped the 2-3 win easily for Youth Movement to save some face. Reality's 6-2 series win puts them into the Clan Cup Finals, with the opponent to be determined in the next series.
Outcast v. Brute Force. The other semifinal is the last series between Rivalry clubs in this competition. Outcast's Klaus had a poor break in 7-ball, allowing Brute Force's Smokey to deliver a dangerous opening turn. Smokey swiped and missed at the 7, while Klaus also had a close call before finally winning with a deflection off the 3 to tap the 7 into the top right. Outcast leads the series 1-0. Brute Force's Rudolph had no problem commanding 8-ball, as Outcast's Prism delivered virtually no offense during the game. Rudolph took his time on the 8, making a clean and simple shot at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Klaus had a loose performance in 9-ball, unable to control his shots at first. Bandit made a three-ball run to pressure Klaus, but his later offense lacked power, and Klaus managed to buy time before making a pair of shots, restoring Outcast's 2-1 series lead. Rudolph's offense in 10-ball was slow to arrive, but he put up a five-ball run after the slow start. Summer replied with a quick four-ball run and a miss on the 10. Rudolph missed his chance to win the game, and Summer made the 10 on her second try to push Outcast's series lead to 3-1. Prism had a three-ball run on her second turn in 12-ball for Outcast, a push that stunned and slowed the attack of Brute Force's Bandit. Prism struggled to break Bandit's good defense, but Bandit did it himself as he elected to go for it with his club in desperate need of a win. The plan failed, and Prism converted her final ball to the top right after giving up a wild-card ball to clear the way. Prism's win makes it a 4-1 lead in the series for Outcast. Kodiak had his moments in Rotation, but the Outcast rookie struggled in the middle of the game. Wings pulled ahead for Brute Force with short runs and choppy offense, and while Kodiak challenged him late, Wings won the first of their two consecutive meetings by an 8-6 margin. Wings' win cuts the series lead for Outcast down to 4-2. Kodiak made sure not to let Wings get a shot in 15-ball, burying the 3 and 11 on the break and then making a 1-7 combination deflected off the 15 to the bottom right, with the 15 running into the top right for the win. Kodiak's clutch pair of double-pots clinched advancement for Outcast as they secured the series at 5-2. Dewey gave it his all for Outcast in Accuracy, but again came up short safely with the series already in hand. Bright put on a show, winning 1-2 in a fantastic effort to make it only a 5-3 series win for Outcast, which sends them thru to the Finals.
Outcast v. Reality. The upstart young club meet the most dangerous and decorated club in the Clan Cup Finals. Outcast's Klaus didn't have much to brag about in 7-ball, but he managed to poach the win when Reality's Missy left the 7 standing at the top left after a five-ball run. Klaus' tap-in gave Outcast a 1-0 series lead. Prism had her best 8-ball performance of the day for Outcast here, finding a six-ball run to pressure Reality's Patches. Prism faltered near the end, but righted herself in time to bank the 8 to the bottom side before Patches could make a real threat. Outcast leads the series 2-0. Klaus kept up the attack for Outcast in 9-ball, matched early on by Boots for Reality in a competitive start to the game. Klaus broke away at the end on a four-ball run-out, claiming the victory and a 3-0 series lead for an Outcast team that seems to be on the brink of a great series. Summer made a critical push in 10-ball for Outcast, challenging Missy for every shot. Summer picked up a fast win with a four-ball run-out, giving Outcast a 4-0 series lead that assures they will have a chance at a tiebreaker in the worst-case scenario. Prism had a huge five-ball run on her second turn in 12-ball, as Outcast took a favorable position. Patches played defense at the bottom right for Reality, but Prism removed the defense before winning a turn later to seal the series at 5-0. Kodiak and Spice battled in an epic first of two games against each other, with the lead swapping hands multiple times in this Rotation battle. At the end, Reality's Spice struck on a three-ball run-out to win 8-7 over Outcast's Kodiak, cutting the series to 5-1. In 15-ball, Kodiak and Spice again played to a pretty even battle, going back and forth on offense until the very end, where Kodiak made a pair of shots to win, the 15 from range at the bottom right being the winning shot. Kodiak put Outcast up 6-1 over Reality. The hometown player Dewey took the field for Accuracy for Outcast and proceeded to drop another result, as Reality's Twinkie II took a little more skill with her in winning 3-4. Outcast still won the series and the Clan Cup Championship 6-2, a statement from the young club against one of the league's best. Klaus was named Clan Cup MVP for his 6-0 record in 7-ball and 9-ball, setting a tone for the champions in each series.
That's all for the Clan Cup. Tomorrow, the first round of the 16-team City Cup kicks off from Freedom's Toyota Pitch and Toyota Arena.
Reality v. Empyre. Reality's Missy struck well on the break in 7-ball, making a shot. She added another one on her second turn, but gave way to Empyre's Jake from there, as he made a five-ball run-out for the win, giving Empyre the 1-0 series lead. In 8-ball, Reality's Patches had a decent start, but received a lot of help from Empyre's Tigerette, who potted two balls of collateral damage. Tigerette couldn't get onto the 8 cleanly at the end, allowing Patches to make a final pair of shots for the win, which tied the series at 1. Reality got another good break from Boots in 9-ball, who started on a three-ball run. Jake shot back for Empyre with a good amount of force, but he left too much on the table at the end. Boots made a pair of shots when Jake missed contact, taking the win and a 2-1 series for Reality. It didn't go so well for Missy in 10-ball, as her break was lackluster, and Empyre's Marsell made a weird deflected shot off the 2 that nudged the 10 around traffic and into the top right for a quick win. Empyre has retied the series at 2, nullifying Missy completely. Reality's Patches returned in 12-ball, attacking with great force in this even. She had a scratch and struggled for position for awhile, while Empyre's Hershey held his own, but a clever cut by Patches at the end gave her the win, which restored a 3-2 series lead to Reality. Spice made two on the break and added a five-ball run on her next turn for Reality to stake out a huge lead in Rotation. Marsell got one back for Empyre, but he didn't have the time to make a comeback, as Spice buried her last shot to win 8-1. Reality is on the brink of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Spice and Tigerette exchanged statement runs early in 15-ball, although Spice supported hers with a later four-ball run. Tigerette had a pair near the end, but she missed twice on the 15, and Spice made it on her second try, the win sealing a series win for Reality at 5-2. Sally made Empyre proud in Accuracy, holding her ground and forcing a few misses from Reality's Twinkie II. Sally maintained a perfect effort to win 0-4, but Reality walked away with the 5-3 series win to punch their ticket to the Semifinals.
Solid Core v. Brute Force. The second quarterfinal pits two of the Rivalry clubs against each other. Solid Core's Dreamy did everything but win in 7-ball, making a six-ball run from the break before a scratch while missing the 7. Brute Force's Smokey converted the one shot he needed to take for a 1-0 series lead, and he won't be seen until a potential tiebreaker. Brute Force looked good in 8-ball despite Rudolph potting one of each suit on his first turn. He elected to shoot stripes, and he got onto the 8 but failed to convert it in time to stop Solid Core's comeback through a three-ball run-out by Leonardo. This gave Solid Core the win necessary to tie the series at 1. Dreamy returned for 9-ball for Solid Core, and put up another good performance, this time actually getting the win despite her offense fading toward the end. Her Swordpoint Blades teammate Bandit scratched while potting the 8 for Brute Force, allowing Dreamy to take the 9 for the win and 2-1 lead in the series. Due to an event selection error, Brute Force had to choose between Rudolph and Bandit for 10-ball. Rudolph was selected, and he gladly cleaned up some loose shooting by Solid Core's Shaggy to take the win with a three-ball run-out. Brute Force has retied the series at 2. Shaggy also had a good start in 12-ball for Solid Core, attacking the top edge of the table at first. Bandit held back a bit at first, but found his way later in the game, and capitalized on Shaggy's scratch at the end to get the win for a 3-2 series lead. Wings had a cluttered start in Rotation for Brute Force, and briefly fell behind Solid Core's Acorn after a scratch. Acorn would suffer the same fate, his scratch paving the way for Wings to make a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win to push Brute Force up to a 4-2 series lead. Wings continued to play well in 15-ball for Brute Force, battling with Solid Core's Roxy for a few turns after a tough middle section. Wings pulled away with a five-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 5-2. Accuracy proved to be a fairly even game for Solid Core's Roxy and Brute Force's Bright, although Bright prevailed on a 2-3 win at the end. Brute Force handily took the series 6-2, and will prepare themselves for the Semifinals.
Outcast v. Delila Enterprises. Less bitterness arises from a promising third quarterfinal. Neither player had a great performance in 7-ball, as Outcast's Klaus only took the win after a scratch from Delila Enterprises' Whiskers as she made the 5. Klaus made a pair of shots to put Outcast up 1-0. Outcast's Prism began with a three-ball run with collateral damage to start 8-ball, and she added a pair of scratches to slow her own offense. Delila Enterprises got close at the end as Delila attacked with a little more intent, but Prism won on a four-ball run-out to move Outcast to a 2-0 series lead. Klaus returned to action in 9-ball for Outcast, and after a painfully slow and ugly battle with Delila Enterprises' Leandra, he managed to make the last two shots for the win to push Outcast's series lead to 3-0. Summer had a three-ball run at the start of the 10-ball game for Outcast, and she added ample offense throughout the game as well. Leandra tried to keep up for Delila Enterprises, but Summer's sublime bank of the 10 to the top left for the win assured Outcast's rise to a 4-0 series lead. Prism gave up a wild-card ball on the break for Outcast, selecting stripes after making one of each on the break. Delila had a four-ball run after that, but couldn't finish on her final ball. Prism made her remaining five balls over two turns for the win, sealing the series at 5-0 as Outcast makes quick work of Delila Enterprises, ending the club's run ahead of next year's reorganization. Kodiak had nothing for Outcast in Rotation, getting absolutely trashed by Delila Enterprises' Snuggle. Kodiak scratched on the break, and Snuggle took a small lead at first before connecting with a five-ball run-out to win 8-0. Delila Enterprises is on the board, but trailing 5-1 in the series. Kodiak had better shooting in 15-ball, but Delila Enterprises took this win as well, as Diddley persisted a little longer in a difficult finish to the game. Diddley finally took the 15 at the bottom left for the win, cutting the series down to 5-2. Dewey didn't have the best Accuracy game for Outcast, missing five shots with some sloppy early play and a late fade, while Delila Enterprises' Whiskers held her ground after the rough start to win 2-5. Outcast still won the series 5-3, giving them a chance to face Brute Force in the Semifinals. They also have the only home player left in Dewey, automatically making them the crowd's favorite.
Humanity Junior v. Youth Movement. The two sides known for their youthful energy meet in the last quarterfinal. Humanity Junior saw an aggressive start in 7-ball from Anton, but he couldn't convert on the 7 at the end, missing twice. Youth Movement's Twinkie III made the 7 on her second try for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Humanity Junior again controlled a game, as Zach looked great in 8-ball as he worked on a four-ball run. His attempt to slip the last solid behind defense at the bottom right led to a deflection that illegally potted the 8, gifting Youth Movement's Sierra with the win to put her club ahead 2-0. Anton steamed ahead with a seven-ball run in 9-ball for Humanity Junior, beginning with a fantastic break shot. Twinkie III was having none of it at the end, striking on the last two balls to steal the win for a 3-0 lead in the series for Youth Movement. Vincent refused to let Humanity Junior buckle under pressure, making a pair from the break and a five-ball run-out at the end, smothering any offense Youth Movement's Bianca could have tried. Vincent's dominant game cut the series to 3-1. Vincent had a good break in 12-ball, but Watermelon shredded him on her first few turns. Watermelon got down to one ball before a scratch set her back, and Vincent employed a strategic scratch to get out of a tough position. Vincent would look like a genius when he later made a three-ball run-out for the win, digging into Youth Movement's series lead, which now sits at 3-2. Cassie had a decent start in Rotation for Humanity Junior, although Watermelon kept the pressure up for Youth Movement. Cassie broke free on a four-ball run, and later staved off Watermelon's probing counterattack later on, winning 8-5 as Humanity Junior erases the deficit by tying the series at 3. Kirstin came to play with a mean break in 15-ball, scratching as she made a pair of shots. Bianca kept up for a bit, but Kirstin took a five-ball run and a four-ball run-out on consecutive turns, with Bianca managing just one potted ball in between. Kirstin's dominant finish puts Humanity Junior in a good position, ahead 4-3 in the series. The tension in Accuracy was noticeable, as both Humanity Junior's Zach and Youth Movement's Citrus flubbed a few shots. Citrus came up clutch on the overtime break, leading to Zach missing three turns later by a 6-7 score. Citrus' win tied the series at 4, setting up a tiebreaker in the 8-ball/12-ball hybrid known as 13-ball. Kirstin will play for Humanity Junior while Sierra steps up for Youth Movement. Kirstin led off with a ball of each suit on the break, which does not lead to a wild-card ball situation. Kirstin had a better grasp on the stripes as she navigated the table, but she slowed at the end, and Sierra made a pair of shots after Kirstin had a missed contact. Sierra's pair won the game, with the 8 going as called to the top side for the win. Youth Movement advances on the tiebreaker by a 5-4 margin, with an immediate turnaround as they face Reality in the Semifinals.
Reality v. Youth Movement. Missy wasted no time in establishing Reality's series lead at 1-0, winning the 7-ball game on the break as the 7 went in the top side to prevent Youth Movement's Twinkie III from having any impact on the game. Reality's Patches continued the club's dominance with a six-ball run to start the 8-ball game. She easily took her last stripe after that, but faded when it came to making the 8. Youth Movement's Sierra delivered a four-ball run shortened by a scratch, followed by another miss for Patches on the 8. Sierra closed out an epic comeback with a five-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Boots didn't have much for Reality in 9-ball, but she struck when it counted, answering a three-ball run by Youth Movement's Twinkie III with a 3-9 combination to the bottom right. Boots' win restores Reality's series lead at 2-1. Missy had a strong break and a scratch to start 10-ball for Reality. Bianca looked good at times for Youth Movement, but she lost her touch in the middle, and Missy went off with a five-ball run-out for the win to push Reality's advantage to 3-1 in the series. Patches had an assertive break in 12-ball, getting stripes. Watermelon challenged for Youth Movement, getting some good shots off before missing contact with three balls to go. Patches then spun a brilliant five-ball run-out, capping it by banking the 10 to the bottom side for the win that puts Reality up 4-1. Watermelon stayed in action for Youth Movement, starting out alright in Rotation by keeping an even score. She missed on the 7, a critical mistake, as Reality's Spice constructed a five-ball run-out to win 8-3. Reality will advance, having clinched at a 5-1 series lead. Bianca threw everything she could into her 15-ball effort for Youth Movement, beginning with a four-ball run and adding a six-ball run later, but Spice's late three-ball run shook Bianca's confidence. Spice would make the 15 on the next shot after Bianca missed it, giving Reality their 6-1 series lead. Twinkie II played a good Accuracy game for Reality, but two late misses caused her to blow her lead, and Citrus capped the 2-3 win easily for Youth Movement to save some face. Reality's 6-2 series win puts them into the Clan Cup Finals, with the opponent to be determined in the next series.
Outcast v. Brute Force. The other semifinal is the last series between Rivalry clubs in this competition. Outcast's Klaus had a poor break in 7-ball, allowing Brute Force's Smokey to deliver a dangerous opening turn. Smokey swiped and missed at the 7, while Klaus also had a close call before finally winning with a deflection off the 3 to tap the 7 into the top right. Outcast leads the series 1-0. Brute Force's Rudolph had no problem commanding 8-ball, as Outcast's Prism delivered virtually no offense during the game. Rudolph took his time on the 8, making a clean and simple shot at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Klaus had a loose performance in 9-ball, unable to control his shots at first. Bandit made a three-ball run to pressure Klaus, but his later offense lacked power, and Klaus managed to buy time before making a pair of shots, restoring Outcast's 2-1 series lead. Rudolph's offense in 10-ball was slow to arrive, but he put up a five-ball run after the slow start. Summer replied with a quick four-ball run and a miss on the 10. Rudolph missed his chance to win the game, and Summer made the 10 on her second try to push Outcast's series lead to 3-1. Prism had a three-ball run on her second turn in 12-ball for Outcast, a push that stunned and slowed the attack of Brute Force's Bandit. Prism struggled to break Bandit's good defense, but Bandit did it himself as he elected to go for it with his club in desperate need of a win. The plan failed, and Prism converted her final ball to the top right after giving up a wild-card ball to clear the way. Prism's win makes it a 4-1 lead in the series for Outcast. Kodiak had his moments in Rotation, but the Outcast rookie struggled in the middle of the game. Wings pulled ahead for Brute Force with short runs and choppy offense, and while Kodiak challenged him late, Wings won the first of their two consecutive meetings by an 8-6 margin. Wings' win cuts the series lead for Outcast down to 4-2. Kodiak made sure not to let Wings get a shot in 15-ball, burying the 3 and 11 on the break and then making a 1-7 combination deflected off the 15 to the bottom right, with the 15 running into the top right for the win. Kodiak's clutch pair of double-pots clinched advancement for Outcast as they secured the series at 5-2. Dewey gave it his all for Outcast in Accuracy, but again came up short safely with the series already in hand. Bright put on a show, winning 1-2 in a fantastic effort to make it only a 5-3 series win for Outcast, which sends them thru to the Finals.
Outcast v. Reality. The upstart young club meet the most dangerous and decorated club in the Clan Cup Finals. Outcast's Klaus didn't have much to brag about in 7-ball, but he managed to poach the win when Reality's Missy left the 7 standing at the top left after a five-ball run. Klaus' tap-in gave Outcast a 1-0 series lead. Prism had her best 8-ball performance of the day for Outcast here, finding a six-ball run to pressure Reality's Patches. Prism faltered near the end, but righted herself in time to bank the 8 to the bottom side before Patches could make a real threat. Outcast leads the series 2-0. Klaus kept up the attack for Outcast in 9-ball, matched early on by Boots for Reality in a competitive start to the game. Klaus broke away at the end on a four-ball run-out, claiming the victory and a 3-0 series lead for an Outcast team that seems to be on the brink of a great series. Summer made a critical push in 10-ball for Outcast, challenging Missy for every shot. Summer picked up a fast win with a four-ball run-out, giving Outcast a 4-0 series lead that assures they will have a chance at a tiebreaker in the worst-case scenario. Prism had a huge five-ball run on her second turn in 12-ball, as Outcast took a favorable position. Patches played defense at the bottom right for Reality, but Prism removed the defense before winning a turn later to seal the series at 5-0. Kodiak and Spice battled in an epic first of two games against each other, with the lead swapping hands multiple times in this Rotation battle. At the end, Reality's Spice struck on a three-ball run-out to win 8-7 over Outcast's Kodiak, cutting the series to 5-1. In 15-ball, Kodiak and Spice again played to a pretty even battle, going back and forth on offense until the very end, where Kodiak made a pair of shots to win, the 15 from range at the bottom right being the winning shot. Kodiak put Outcast up 6-1 over Reality. The hometown player Dewey took the field for Accuracy for Outcast and proceeded to drop another result, as Reality's Twinkie II took a little more skill with her in winning 3-4. Outcast still won the series and the Clan Cup Championship 6-2, a statement from the young club against one of the league's best. Klaus was named Clan Cup MVP for his 6-0 record in 7-ball and 9-ball, setting a tone for the champions in each series.
That's all for the Clan Cup. Tomorrow, the first round of the 16-team City Cup kicks off from Freedom's Toyota Pitch and Toyota Arena.
Sunday, November 18, 2018
2018 Tournament of Champions
This year's eight event winners are ready to go in Midland, with seven 7-game series composing the Tournament of Champions. First up...
Cobalt v. Twinkie I: The coin flip went in favor of Twinkie I, meaning the first event will be in 12-ball. The red cue will be used for this playoff event. Game 1 saw Stonebridge's Cobalt bury a four-ball run from the break. Pacific's Twinkie I used ball-in-hand later on to get a three-ball run, but she was too slow in attacking the top side, and Cobalt took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt looked far less confident in game 2, whiffing on a large portion of his early shots. He played some defense to slow down the Volcanoes' Twinkie I, but she had no problems breaking through that for the win, tying the series at 1. Cobalt bounced back with an early three-ball run in game 3. Twinkie I tried to hold him back, but she couldn't stop him after she surrendered a wild-card ball. Cobalt patiently waited to strike at the right corners, taking the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Cobalt scratched on the break in game 4, but that didn't seem to hold him back at all, as he attacked well on his next turn. Twinkie I tried to combat it, but she failed to get her offense going, allowing Cobalt to win on a three-ball run-out. Cobalt is up 3-1 in the series. Cobalt didn't have a good performance in game 5 by any measure, scratching early and failing to line up his shots well, but the game remained close at the end. Twinkie I had plenty of trouble on her final ball to the top left, but she eventually made it just in time to get the win, cutting the series back to 3-2. Twinkie I didn't back down at all in game 6, making a five-ball run on her second turn after Cobalt couldn't get a run of his own going. Twinkie I won on her next turn with a tap-in at the top right, tying the series at 3. Twinkie I remained strong with a three-ball run from the break, and she had a solid attack after that, making the last three balls before Cobalt could get down to his last ball. Twinkie I won the series in a 4-3 comeback advancing to the Tournament of Champions semifinals.
Quincy v. Jake: A strong rookie gets his preferred event, as Rotation was chosen when Quincy beat Jake on the coin flip. Royal's Jake got out to a good start in game 1, but Terrace City's Quincy erased it with a four-ball run to take the lead. The two tangled for awhile, until Quincy went on a three-ball run-out to take the 8-5 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake again jumped out to the early lead in game 2, but the result was the same for him. The Knights' Quincy pulled back with one four-ball run, and then won the game 8-4 with a four-ball run-out. Quincy is showing his skills as he moves to a 2-0 series lead. Quincy made a shot on the break in game 3, and he played a strong attacking game with defensive positioning mixed in. Jake had no shot for his first two turns, and only converted one point later on before Quincy used a decoy shot on the 9 to deflect the cue toward the 14, which fell at the top left for the 8-1 win. Quincy is up 3-0 in the series. Jake had a slow forming attack in game 4, but Quincy only took one successful shot early on. Jake chipped in one or two balls on just about every turn and left Quincy with bad positioning, eventually leading to Jake's 8-1 win to cut the series to 3-1. Jake built up a lead again early in game 5, clearly trying an old strategy to see if Quincy was off his game. Quincy evened the score rather quickly, and then double-potted the 4-15 and 7-5 combinations with a kind deflection to ignite a well-made five-ball run-out. Quincy won 8-3, clinching the series at 4-1. Game 6 went very evenly from the start on both sides. Quincy had to catch up a bit initially, but he failed to hold his mid-game lead as well, and Jake took the win with a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 result to pull back to 4-2 in the series. Jake made a four-ball run on his second turn of game 7, and when Quincy didn't launch a large counterattack, Jake cruised to the 8-2 win at the end. Quincy still owned a 4-3 series win here, making him the second Tournament of Champions semifinalist.
Fuchsia v. Tigerette: The home crowd is excited for their player in this one, and she gets her preferred 9-ball event. Midland's Fuchsia excited the crowd with a three-ball run from the break and a later pair of shots, but Commerce's Tigerette tempered their expectations by making the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette scratched on the game 2 break after making a ball, while the Predators' Fuchsia fired back with consecutive turns of four- and three-ball runs, winning with the latter one to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw a change of styles from the free-flying runs of before, with pairs and single shots being more common. Fuchsia had two chances to swipe at the 9 while shooting the 7 and 8, but she missed on the latter. Tigerette made the 8 and 9 both to the bottom side for the win, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Fuchsia had two brutal misses in game 4, one due to a miscue and the other from her own bad aim. Tigerette capitalized on both situations to create offense, winning with a pair of shots from the latter of Fuchsia's mistakes. Tigerette is on the brink of advancing as she leads the series 3-1. Tigerette remained relentless in game 5, using her defensive positioning to great effect. Tigerette slipped up at the end, leaving the 7 in a good spot for Fuchsia, who sparked a three-ball run-out to save her season. Fuchsia's win cut the series to 3-2. Fuchsia had arguably her second-best effort in game 6, a fantastic mix of offense and craftiness, but she faded toward the end after making six balls over three turns. Tigerette slammed the 8 into the top left, and then put the 9 in the bottom left for the win to secure the series at 4-2. Tigerette didn't put too much into game 7, but she had some ugly shots in the middle of the game. Fuchsia would attack later on, picking up the 9 on a tap-in at the top right for the win. Tigerette bested Fuchsia in her own event, knocking the home favorite out on a 4-3 series win. Tigerette faces Quincy in the Tournament of Champions semifinals.
Twilight v. Misty: The last quarterfinal series is in Twilight's preferred 8-ball, as the top seeded player in the competition will get one more advantage. Central's Twilight made a ball on the break in game 1, but her offense went cold in the face of a four-ball run by Westside's Misty. The ending was slow, but Misty coasted to the victory with single-ball turns, earning a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight attacked with menace in game 2, building up a significant lead initially. The Rockers' Misty took her time in responding, but made things close enough at the end where two straight misses on the 8 by Twilight proved costly. Misty made the 13 to the bottom left and the 8 at the top right at the end for the win, going up 2-0 in the series. Twilight again attacked well in game 3 after Misty took a ball from the break. Twilight looked poised to get the win, but her last two balls gave her trouble, and a miss on the 8 proved critical. Misty made her last two balls and then the 8 from distance to the top right, pushing ahead to a 3-0 lead in the series. Misty left no room for Twilight to attack in game 4, blasting a six-ball run right away. Twilight made a four-ball run in response, but Misty closed down with a pair of good shots at the end, sealing the series at 4-0. Twilight finally struck with absolutely no mercy in game 5, burying a six-ball run on her first turn. Misty had some chances to pull back, but not enough time before Twilight knocked in the last two balls she needed for the win. Misty remains ahead 4-1 in the series. Misty had a five-ball run to start the offense in game 6, but she never gave it proper support. A four-ball run followed from Twilight, and she added a three-ball run and a shot on the 8 to pull ahead before making the 8 on the next turn. Twilight's win cut the deficit to 4-2. Misty again attacked well early in game 7, but she didn't have enough left in the tank to close it out. Twilight delivered a four-ball run-out on her last turn to snag another win, getting this series to match the rest at 4-3 in favor of Misty. There won't be time for Misty to rest, as she plays in the first Tournament of Champions semifinal.
Twinkie I v. Misty: Leading off the semifinals, Misty will have the game advantage by playing Accuracy. Pacific's Twinkie I held the lead for much of game 1 after an early miss from Westside's Misty, but Twinkie I had a handful of misses late in the game, allowing Misty to pick up the 2-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I fell behind early in game 2, but kept close enough to briefly push the Rockers' Misty backwards. Twinkie I couldn't make the last ball to secure a win, leading the game into overtime, where she missed on the overtime break. Misty converted her shot, winning 2-3 again to take a 2-0 series lead. Misty had a poorer break in game 3, but both players remained perfect for a long time. Twinkie I fell off with two straight misses, and another one after Misty had her only miss set up the 1-3 win for Misty, who is up 3-0 in the series. Misty again took care of business despite an ugly miss on her second turn in game 4. Twinkie I had a lead that slipped out of her hands towards the end, as three misses over five turn gave Misty all she needed for the 1-3 win to seal the series at 4-0. Misty predictably eased up on her shooting style in game 5, falling off her pace a bit with a lot of bad misses. Twinkie I didn't fell comfortable until the very end, where Misty scratched to give Twinkie I the 3-5 win. Misty remains ahead 4-1 in the series. Misty put up a good fight as both players stayed perfect deep into game 6, but when she missed, she let the game go to Twinkie I. The result was 1-3 in Twinkie I's favor, allowing her to cut the series down to 4-2. Misty used the same strategy in game 7, competing well with Twinkie I until the game got into a deadlock near the end. Misty missed her last two shots to allow Twinkie I the 1-3 win without the process of overtime. Misty takes the series 4-3, as the lowest-ranked participant in the Tournament of Champions has reached the final series.
Quincy v. Tigerette: The two winners of the most closely-related events clash in the other semifinal, with the breaking advantage in the final going to the winner of this series of Rotation. Terrace City's Quincy started out alright in game 1, but a pair of three-ball runs from Commerce's Tigerette put her ahead. Tigerette finished from ball-in-hand, icing the 8-2 win with a pair of shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette hit the skids after making a ball on the game 2 break, allowing the Knights' Quincy to take the lead. Quincy remained a few steps ahead of Tigerette for the rest of the game, sealing off an 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Quincy had the early lead in game 3, but it fell apart when Tigerette pulled off an impressive double-pot to tie the game. The two players tangled for awhile, but Tigerette got away and managed to win 8-4, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Tigerette smashed a five-ball run from the break in game 4, establishing a large lead quickly. She was on the brink of victory before Quincy made a pair of shots, but he faltered on the 9, and Tigerette buried it to seal an 8-2 win. Tigerette moves to a 3-1 series lead. Tigerette remained in control to start game 5, blasting a pair in on the break. The middle of the game went a bit slowly, but two defensive plays by Tigerette helped her to build a late offense of three balls over two turns for the 8-3 win. Tigerette clinched the series at 4-1 with this victory. Tigerette didn't have her best on offense in game 6, allowing Quincy to build his lead almost unchecked for the early parts of the game. Tigerette put a little effort in, but not enough to stop Quincy from winning 8-3 to cut the series back to 4-2. Tigerette built a massive lead early in game 7, unwilling to gift away another game to Quincy as she maintains a fighting mindset. Quincy got some of the deficit back, but much like in the series, Tigerette proved too tough for him in her 8-4 win. Tigerette took a decisive 5-2 series win to earn the breaking position in the Tournament of Champions finals, up next.
Tigerette v. Misty: The Tournament of Champions will be decided in Tigerette's preferred event of 15-ball as two members of the original Tournament compete for the title. Commerce's Tigerette set the tone early in game, and backed it up with a later five-ball run. Westside's Misty made a good defensive play near the end, but a scratch as she tried to get positioning on the 15 ruined her game. Tigerette took the 15 from ball-in-hand for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette had a dominant share of offense in game 2, peppering the Rockers' Misty with short runs and attacks all around the table. Tigerette ended with a four-ball run-out, complete with a deflection off the 12 to put the 15 in the top right for the win that gave her a 2-0 series lead. Tigerette began with three balls on the break of game 3, and she added another four-ball run later, but both of those turns and one other ended in a scratch. Misty didn't collect much offense from these situations, but it shook Tigerette's confidence enough for Misty to pot the last two balls at the end for the win. Tigerette still holds a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette continued to impose herself with a dominant share of the offense in game 4, but she faded again at the end. This bought Misty enough time to sneak in on the last two shots for the win, cleaning up Tigerette's miss on the 15 at the top side on the second turn of her final push. Misty's win tied the series at 2, shrinking the margin for error on both sides. Tigerette had her chances in game 5, getting ball-in-hand after Misty scratched but butchering a shot on the 14 that would have given her a chance to win. Misty made the last two balls, continuing her surge on offense that sees her ahead 3-2 in the series at this point. Game 6 proved to be an instant classic, with Tigerette storming back on offense but Misty playing good defense to stall Tigerette's attacks. Tigerette had a clear chance for the win at the end, but she rattled the 15 out of the bottom right, giving Misty the win when she calmly converted the shot. Misty will be this year's Champions Cup winner after clinching this series at 4-2. Misty started game 7 on a four-ball run, just missing her look at a deflected shot off the 5 that would have put the 15 away. Tigerette took over from here, and while Misty had a chance to finish the game, she missed, and Tigerette buried it. Misty won the Champion of Champions title by a 4-3 series win.
That's it for the Tournament of Champions this year. Tomorrow, we will play the Clan Cup tournament to decide the championship club.
Cobalt v. Twinkie I: The coin flip went in favor of Twinkie I, meaning the first event will be in 12-ball. The red cue will be used for this playoff event. Game 1 saw Stonebridge's Cobalt bury a four-ball run from the break. Pacific's Twinkie I used ball-in-hand later on to get a three-ball run, but she was too slow in attacking the top side, and Cobalt took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt looked far less confident in game 2, whiffing on a large portion of his early shots. He played some defense to slow down the Volcanoes' Twinkie I, but she had no problems breaking through that for the win, tying the series at 1. Cobalt bounced back with an early three-ball run in game 3. Twinkie I tried to hold him back, but she couldn't stop him after she surrendered a wild-card ball. Cobalt patiently waited to strike at the right corners, taking the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Cobalt scratched on the break in game 4, but that didn't seem to hold him back at all, as he attacked well on his next turn. Twinkie I tried to combat it, but she failed to get her offense going, allowing Cobalt to win on a three-ball run-out. Cobalt is up 3-1 in the series. Cobalt didn't have a good performance in game 5 by any measure, scratching early and failing to line up his shots well, but the game remained close at the end. Twinkie I had plenty of trouble on her final ball to the top left, but she eventually made it just in time to get the win, cutting the series back to 3-2. Twinkie I didn't back down at all in game 6, making a five-ball run on her second turn after Cobalt couldn't get a run of his own going. Twinkie I won on her next turn with a tap-in at the top right, tying the series at 3. Twinkie I remained strong with a three-ball run from the break, and she had a solid attack after that, making the last three balls before Cobalt could get down to his last ball. Twinkie I won the series in a 4-3 comeback advancing to the Tournament of Champions semifinals.
Quincy v. Jake: A strong rookie gets his preferred event, as Rotation was chosen when Quincy beat Jake on the coin flip. Royal's Jake got out to a good start in game 1, but Terrace City's Quincy erased it with a four-ball run to take the lead. The two tangled for awhile, until Quincy went on a three-ball run-out to take the 8-5 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake again jumped out to the early lead in game 2, but the result was the same for him. The Knights' Quincy pulled back with one four-ball run, and then won the game 8-4 with a four-ball run-out. Quincy is showing his skills as he moves to a 2-0 series lead. Quincy made a shot on the break in game 3, and he played a strong attacking game with defensive positioning mixed in. Jake had no shot for his first two turns, and only converted one point later on before Quincy used a decoy shot on the 9 to deflect the cue toward the 14, which fell at the top left for the 8-1 win. Quincy is up 3-0 in the series. Jake had a slow forming attack in game 4, but Quincy only took one successful shot early on. Jake chipped in one or two balls on just about every turn and left Quincy with bad positioning, eventually leading to Jake's 8-1 win to cut the series to 3-1. Jake built up a lead again early in game 5, clearly trying an old strategy to see if Quincy was off his game. Quincy evened the score rather quickly, and then double-potted the 4-15 and 7-5 combinations with a kind deflection to ignite a well-made five-ball run-out. Quincy won 8-3, clinching the series at 4-1. Game 6 went very evenly from the start on both sides. Quincy had to catch up a bit initially, but he failed to hold his mid-game lead as well, and Jake took the win with a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 result to pull back to 4-2 in the series. Jake made a four-ball run on his second turn of game 7, and when Quincy didn't launch a large counterattack, Jake cruised to the 8-2 win at the end. Quincy still owned a 4-3 series win here, making him the second Tournament of Champions semifinalist.
Fuchsia v. Tigerette: The home crowd is excited for their player in this one, and she gets her preferred 9-ball event. Midland's Fuchsia excited the crowd with a three-ball run from the break and a later pair of shots, but Commerce's Tigerette tempered their expectations by making the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette scratched on the game 2 break after making a ball, while the Predators' Fuchsia fired back with consecutive turns of four- and three-ball runs, winning with the latter one to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw a change of styles from the free-flying runs of before, with pairs and single shots being more common. Fuchsia had two chances to swipe at the 9 while shooting the 7 and 8, but she missed on the latter. Tigerette made the 8 and 9 both to the bottom side for the win, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Fuchsia had two brutal misses in game 4, one due to a miscue and the other from her own bad aim. Tigerette capitalized on both situations to create offense, winning with a pair of shots from the latter of Fuchsia's mistakes. Tigerette is on the brink of advancing as she leads the series 3-1. Tigerette remained relentless in game 5, using her defensive positioning to great effect. Tigerette slipped up at the end, leaving the 7 in a good spot for Fuchsia, who sparked a three-ball run-out to save her season. Fuchsia's win cut the series to 3-2. Fuchsia had arguably her second-best effort in game 6, a fantastic mix of offense and craftiness, but she faded toward the end after making six balls over three turns. Tigerette slammed the 8 into the top left, and then put the 9 in the bottom left for the win to secure the series at 4-2. Tigerette didn't put too much into game 7, but she had some ugly shots in the middle of the game. Fuchsia would attack later on, picking up the 9 on a tap-in at the top right for the win. Tigerette bested Fuchsia in her own event, knocking the home favorite out on a 4-3 series win. Tigerette faces Quincy in the Tournament of Champions semifinals.
Twilight v. Misty: The last quarterfinal series is in Twilight's preferred 8-ball, as the top seeded player in the competition will get one more advantage. Central's Twilight made a ball on the break in game 1, but her offense went cold in the face of a four-ball run by Westside's Misty. The ending was slow, but Misty coasted to the victory with single-ball turns, earning a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight attacked with menace in game 2, building up a significant lead initially. The Rockers' Misty took her time in responding, but made things close enough at the end where two straight misses on the 8 by Twilight proved costly. Misty made the 13 to the bottom left and the 8 at the top right at the end for the win, going up 2-0 in the series. Twilight again attacked well in game 3 after Misty took a ball from the break. Twilight looked poised to get the win, but her last two balls gave her trouble, and a miss on the 8 proved critical. Misty made her last two balls and then the 8 from distance to the top right, pushing ahead to a 3-0 lead in the series. Misty left no room for Twilight to attack in game 4, blasting a six-ball run right away. Twilight made a four-ball run in response, but Misty closed down with a pair of good shots at the end, sealing the series at 4-0. Twilight finally struck with absolutely no mercy in game 5, burying a six-ball run on her first turn. Misty had some chances to pull back, but not enough time before Twilight knocked in the last two balls she needed for the win. Misty remains ahead 4-1 in the series. Misty had a five-ball run to start the offense in game 6, but she never gave it proper support. A four-ball run followed from Twilight, and she added a three-ball run and a shot on the 8 to pull ahead before making the 8 on the next turn. Twilight's win cut the deficit to 4-2. Misty again attacked well early in game 7, but she didn't have enough left in the tank to close it out. Twilight delivered a four-ball run-out on her last turn to snag another win, getting this series to match the rest at 4-3 in favor of Misty. There won't be time for Misty to rest, as she plays in the first Tournament of Champions semifinal.
Twinkie I v. Misty: Leading off the semifinals, Misty will have the game advantage by playing Accuracy. Pacific's Twinkie I held the lead for much of game 1 after an early miss from Westside's Misty, but Twinkie I had a handful of misses late in the game, allowing Misty to pick up the 2-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I fell behind early in game 2, but kept close enough to briefly push the Rockers' Misty backwards. Twinkie I couldn't make the last ball to secure a win, leading the game into overtime, where she missed on the overtime break. Misty converted her shot, winning 2-3 again to take a 2-0 series lead. Misty had a poorer break in game 3, but both players remained perfect for a long time. Twinkie I fell off with two straight misses, and another one after Misty had her only miss set up the 1-3 win for Misty, who is up 3-0 in the series. Misty again took care of business despite an ugly miss on her second turn in game 4. Twinkie I had a lead that slipped out of her hands towards the end, as three misses over five turn gave Misty all she needed for the 1-3 win to seal the series at 4-0. Misty predictably eased up on her shooting style in game 5, falling off her pace a bit with a lot of bad misses. Twinkie I didn't fell comfortable until the very end, where Misty scratched to give Twinkie I the 3-5 win. Misty remains ahead 4-1 in the series. Misty put up a good fight as both players stayed perfect deep into game 6, but when she missed, she let the game go to Twinkie I. The result was 1-3 in Twinkie I's favor, allowing her to cut the series down to 4-2. Misty used the same strategy in game 7, competing well with Twinkie I until the game got into a deadlock near the end. Misty missed her last two shots to allow Twinkie I the 1-3 win without the process of overtime. Misty takes the series 4-3, as the lowest-ranked participant in the Tournament of Champions has reached the final series.
Quincy v. Tigerette: The two winners of the most closely-related events clash in the other semifinal, with the breaking advantage in the final going to the winner of this series of Rotation. Terrace City's Quincy started out alright in game 1, but a pair of three-ball runs from Commerce's Tigerette put her ahead. Tigerette finished from ball-in-hand, icing the 8-2 win with a pair of shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette hit the skids after making a ball on the game 2 break, allowing the Knights' Quincy to take the lead. Quincy remained a few steps ahead of Tigerette for the rest of the game, sealing off an 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Quincy had the early lead in game 3, but it fell apart when Tigerette pulled off an impressive double-pot to tie the game. The two players tangled for awhile, but Tigerette got away and managed to win 8-4, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Tigerette smashed a five-ball run from the break in game 4, establishing a large lead quickly. She was on the brink of victory before Quincy made a pair of shots, but he faltered on the 9, and Tigerette buried it to seal an 8-2 win. Tigerette moves to a 3-1 series lead. Tigerette remained in control to start game 5, blasting a pair in on the break. The middle of the game went a bit slowly, but two defensive plays by Tigerette helped her to build a late offense of three balls over two turns for the 8-3 win. Tigerette clinched the series at 4-1 with this victory. Tigerette didn't have her best on offense in game 6, allowing Quincy to build his lead almost unchecked for the early parts of the game. Tigerette put a little effort in, but not enough to stop Quincy from winning 8-3 to cut the series back to 4-2. Tigerette built a massive lead early in game 7, unwilling to gift away another game to Quincy as she maintains a fighting mindset. Quincy got some of the deficit back, but much like in the series, Tigerette proved too tough for him in her 8-4 win. Tigerette took a decisive 5-2 series win to earn the breaking position in the Tournament of Champions finals, up next.
Tigerette v. Misty: The Tournament of Champions will be decided in Tigerette's preferred event of 15-ball as two members of the original Tournament compete for the title. Commerce's Tigerette set the tone early in game, and backed it up with a later five-ball run. Westside's Misty made a good defensive play near the end, but a scratch as she tried to get positioning on the 15 ruined her game. Tigerette took the 15 from ball-in-hand for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette had a dominant share of offense in game 2, peppering the Rockers' Misty with short runs and attacks all around the table. Tigerette ended with a four-ball run-out, complete with a deflection off the 12 to put the 15 in the top right for the win that gave her a 2-0 series lead. Tigerette began with three balls on the break of game 3, and she added another four-ball run later, but both of those turns and one other ended in a scratch. Misty didn't collect much offense from these situations, but it shook Tigerette's confidence enough for Misty to pot the last two balls at the end for the win. Tigerette still holds a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette continued to impose herself with a dominant share of the offense in game 4, but she faded again at the end. This bought Misty enough time to sneak in on the last two shots for the win, cleaning up Tigerette's miss on the 15 at the top side on the second turn of her final push. Misty's win tied the series at 2, shrinking the margin for error on both sides. Tigerette had her chances in game 5, getting ball-in-hand after Misty scratched but butchering a shot on the 14 that would have given her a chance to win. Misty made the last two balls, continuing her surge on offense that sees her ahead 3-2 in the series at this point. Game 6 proved to be an instant classic, with Tigerette storming back on offense but Misty playing good defense to stall Tigerette's attacks. Tigerette had a clear chance for the win at the end, but she rattled the 15 out of the bottom right, giving Misty the win when she calmly converted the shot. Misty will be this year's Champions Cup winner after clinching this series at 4-2. Misty started game 7 on a four-ball run, just missing her look at a deflected shot off the 5 that would have put the 15 away. Tigerette took over from here, and while Misty had a chance to finish the game, she missed, and Tigerette buried it. Misty won the Champion of Champions title by a 4-3 series win.
That's it for the Tournament of Champions this year. Tomorrow, we will play the Clan Cup tournament to decide the championship club.
Friday, November 16, 2018
2018 Postseason Rosters
After a couple of days of selection, the postseason rosters for the Clan Cup and City Cup are now available. Most likely, these competitions will begin with the Clan Cup on Monday and the City Cup over Tuesday and Wednesday. Details around the available players list for the draft are still being ironed out, with the hopes of roster decisions being made shortly after the end of the playoffs.
Clan Cup rosters from AT&T Hall in Oceanside
Humanity Junior: Kirstin (15, T), Vincent (10,12), Zach (8, A), Anton (7,9), Cassie (R, T)
Outcast: Klaus (7, 9), Dewey (A, T), Kodiak (R, 15), Prism (8, 12), Summer (10, T)
Solid Core: Acorn (R, T), Dreamy (7, 9), Shaggy (10, 12), Roxy (15, A), Leonardo (8, T)
Reality: Missy (7, 10), Patches (8, 12), Twinkie II (A, T), Spice (R, 15), Boots (9, T)
Empyre: Jake (7, 9), Tigerette (8, 15), Hershey (12, T), Marsell (10, R), Sally (A, T)
Brute Force: Rudolph (8, 12), Bright (A, T), Smokey (7, T), Bandit (9, 12), Wings (R, 15)
Delila Enterprises: Snuggle (R, T), Whiskers (7, A), Diddley (15, T), Leandra (9, 10), Delila (8, 12)
Youth Movement: Bianca (10, 15), Watermelon (12, R), Twinkie III (7, 9), Sierra (8, T), Citrus (A, T)
City Cup rosters from Toyota Pitch and Toyota Arena in Freedom
Queens Flames: Violetta (7, 9, 10), Hannah (8, 15, T), Crystal (12, R, A)
Oceanside Waves: Celestia (7, 9, 10), Jason V. (15, A, T), Josie (8, 12, R)
Victoria Spurs: Yekaterina (9, R, 15), Sage (7, 10, 12), Strawberry (8, A, T)
Terrace City Knights: Quincy (9, R, 15), Oreo (12, A, T), Kiwi (7, 8, 10)
Midland Predators: Fuchsia (7, 9, 10), Shawn (R, A, T), Americus (8, 12, 15)
Central Warriors: Twilight (8, 9, A), Noelle (7, 10, 12), Dustin (R, 15, T)
Stonebridge Wolves: Cobalt (10, R, 15), Juno (12, A, T), Vladimir (7, 8, 9)
Modernistic Union: Ms. Puppy (7, 9, A), Puff I (R, 15, T), Daisy (8, 10, 12)
Freedom Cascades: Jasmine (9, R, 15), Nikolai (10, 12, A), Stripes (7, 8, T)
Boston Swifts: Ice Cream (12, 15, A), Gradley (7, 8, 9), Sweetheart (10, R, T)
Golden Pilots: Strut (R, 15, A), Dusty (8, 9, 12), Sparkles (7, 10, T)
Pacific Volcanoes: Twinkie I (10, 12, A), Ms. Kitty (7, 9, 15), Leonette (8, R, T)
Eastside Sharks: Gizmo (10, 12, R), Cubby (8, A, T), Chelsea (7, 9, 15)
Web City Spiders: Shadow (8, 9, 12), Ted (7, 10, T), Shiny (R, 15, A)
Westside Rockers: Slinks (8, 9, R), Misty (7, 10, A), Cowzart (12, 15, T)
Infinity Torpedoes: Mr. Snowman (7, 12, R), Shelley (8, 10, A), Smudge (9, 15, T)
Clan Cup rosters from AT&T Hall in Oceanside
Humanity Junior: Kirstin (15, T), Vincent (10,12), Zach (8, A), Anton (7,9), Cassie (R, T)
Outcast: Klaus (7, 9), Dewey (A, T), Kodiak (R, 15), Prism (8, 12), Summer (10, T)
Solid Core: Acorn (R, T), Dreamy (7, 9), Shaggy (10, 12), Roxy (15, A), Leonardo (8, T)
Reality: Missy (7, 10), Patches (8, 12), Twinkie II (A, T), Spice (R, 15), Boots (9, T)
Empyre: Jake (7, 9), Tigerette (8, 15), Hershey (12, T), Marsell (10, R), Sally (A, T)
Brute Force: Rudolph (8, 12), Bright (A, T), Smokey (7, T), Bandit (9, 12), Wings (R, 15)
Delila Enterprises: Snuggle (R, T), Whiskers (7, A), Diddley (15, T), Leandra (9, 10), Delila (8, 12)
Youth Movement: Bianca (10, 15), Watermelon (12, R), Twinkie III (7, 9), Sierra (8, T), Citrus (A, T)
City Cup rosters from Toyota Pitch and Toyota Arena in Freedom
Queens Flames: Violetta (7, 9, 10), Hannah (8, 15, T), Crystal (12, R, A)
Oceanside Waves: Celestia (7, 9, 10), Jason V. (15, A, T), Josie (8, 12, R)
Victoria Spurs: Yekaterina (9, R, 15), Sage (7, 10, 12), Strawberry (8, A, T)
Terrace City Knights: Quincy (9, R, 15), Oreo (12, A, T), Kiwi (7, 8, 10)
Midland Predators: Fuchsia (7, 9, 10), Shawn (R, A, T), Americus (8, 12, 15)
Central Warriors: Twilight (8, 9, A), Noelle (7, 10, 12), Dustin (R, 15, T)
Stonebridge Wolves: Cobalt (10, R, 15), Juno (12, A, T), Vladimir (7, 8, 9)
Modernistic Union: Ms. Puppy (7, 9, A), Puff I (R, 15, T), Daisy (8, 10, 12)
Freedom Cascades: Jasmine (9, R, 15), Nikolai (10, 12, A), Stripes (7, 8, T)
Boston Swifts: Ice Cream (12, 15, A), Gradley (7, 8, 9), Sweetheart (10, R, T)
Golden Pilots: Strut (R, 15, A), Dusty (8, 9, 12), Sparkles (7, 10, T)
Pacific Volcanoes: Twinkie I (10, 12, A), Ms. Kitty (7, 9, 15), Leonette (8, R, T)
Eastside Sharks: Gizmo (10, 12, R), Cubby (8, A, T), Chelsea (7, 9, 15)
Web City Spiders: Shadow (8, 9, 12), Ted (7, 10, T), Shiny (R, 15, A)
Westside Rockers: Slinks (8, 9, R), Misty (7, 10, A), Cowzart (12, 15, T)
Infinity Torpedoes: Mr. Snowman (7, 12, R), Shelley (8, 10, A), Smudge (9, 15, T)
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Tournament 2018 - Championship Finals
We've got the last eight series of the regular season today, with the eight winners earning their spots in the Tournament of Champions. First up...
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur (R) v. Quincy (S). Today's first series is in Rotation, the first of five featuring the red cue. Royal's Nightfur didn't have much offense early in game 1, and she never responded to a four-ball run from Terrace City's Quincy, who won a turn later with a pair of shots. Quincy's 8-2 victory paces him to a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Nightfur still looked a little off at the start, but she slowly built a lead in game 2. The Knights' Quincy pushed back with a four-ball run but couldn't get around Nightfur at the end, as the host took an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Nightfur started with a firm break in game 3, establishing her lead on a three-ball run. Quincy matched it, but Nightfur doubled down with another three-ball run. Quincy continued to stay competitive, but he couldn't even the score, and Nightfur made a pair of shots to win 8-5 again, giving her the 2-1 series lead. Nightfur and Quincy exchanged pairs of shots to begin game 4, but Quincy supplemented his attack more ferociously. Nightfur came close at the end, but she couldn't bring Quincy down this time, as he pulled away to win 8-6, retying the series at 2. Quincy remained forceful on offense in game 5, burying a ball on the break and using defensive positioning on his first three turns to limit Nightfur's offense. Quincy built up a nice lead, giving him no trouble at the end as he found a pair of shots to seal his 8-2 win, restoring his series lead at 3-2. Nightfur took the early lead in game 6, but she never had a real grip on the game itself. Quincy stayed close, and they played evenly for quite awhile until Quincy pulled ahead and used a three-ball run-out on the next turn to get the 8-4 win. Quincy is on the brink of advancing with a 4-2 series lead. Nightfur held the lead for much of game 7, and even had a chance to win, but her shot on the 12 saw the cue deflect off the 13 and drift into the bottom right. Quincy sealed a comeback 8-7 win on a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, clinching the series for him at 5-2. Quincy looked to be mailing it in in game 8, as Nightfur attacked very well early with little response from her guest. Quincy wouldn't go quietly, making a pair of three-ball runs on his last two turns to swipe an 8-7 win to extend his series lead to 6-2. Nightfur trailed Quincy for just about all of game 9, as he would pull away every time she got close. Quincy closed out the win at 8-6, giving him a 7-2 series win as the Rotation champion. Nightfur is the 165th eliminated player, and Quincy took his sixth kill, guaranteeing a piece of the league lead in that category.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca (B) v. Cobalt (R). After the lunch break, the 10-ball champion will be named. Stonebridge's Cobalt had a slow start in game 1, but Southridge's Bianca wasn't any better initially. Cobalt broke his cold streak with a four-ball run-out, ending with a 4-10 combination to the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt continued with a five-ball run from the break to start game 2, but he rattled the 6 out of the top left corner. The Defenders' Bianca took over with a five-ball run-out, winning the quick game to tie the series at 1. Game 3 took a step back from the pace of the previous game. Cobalt managed a four-ball run at one stage, but Bianca took the game on the next turn with a three-ball run-out capped by a sharp cut to put the 10 in the top left. Bianca pulls ahead at 2-1 in the series. Cobalt had a challenging three-ball run over the middle in game 4 to supplement earlier offense, but his scratch led to Bianca making the last two shots from ball-in-hand for the win to push her up to a 3-1 series lead. Bianca tried to attack in game 5, but a lot of her shots failed to connect properly. Cobalt had a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out sandwiched around Bianca making the 6 in a feeble counterattack. Cobalt's big offense gave him the win to cut the series back to 3-2. Cobalt attacked again to start game 6, making a five-ball run. Bianca tangled with Cobalt in the back-half of the game, but her miss on the 8 allowed him to make a three-ball run-out for the win, which tied the series at 3. Cobalt saved up his offense for the end of game 7, allowing Bianca to attack evenly with him for awhile before he found a four-ball run-out for the win. Cobalt has taken the series lead at 4-3, stunning the home crowd with his comeback. Cobalt started on a three-ball run in game 8, but Bianca looked determined with a crafty five-ball run. Bianca missed on the 9 from a tough angle, allowing Cobalt to make it and the 10 for the series at 5-3 with this win. Cobalt had some good moments with the first two pairs of shots in game 9, but Bianca made a three-ball run and then the 10 on consecutive turns to claim the win, leaving Cobalt with a 5-4 series win. Cobalt is into the Tournament of Champions as the 10-ball representative, taking his fifth kill to make Bianca the 166th eliminated player. The Wolves team-killed the Defenders.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva (R) v. Tigerette (S). Two of the grittiest shooters in the league battle in 15-ball. Victoria's Yekaterina had a lot of short turns early in game 1, which Commerce's Tigerette frequently matched. The game was decided on the 11, as Yekaterina made it on her second try before splitting the 12 and 15 to the right corners for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina made some crafty shots in game 2, but none of them came late enough to save her from the Tradewinds' Tigerette executing a five-ball run-out for the win. Tigerette's quietly dominant finish tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw another struggle for possession on both sides. The 9 proved especially difficult, but Tigerette eventually made it to launch a three-ball run. Yekaterina made a shot, but scratched as well, and Tigerette added another three-ball run-out to grab the win for a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette put the 15 near the top right from the break in game 4, although Yekaterina bumped it free when she made the 1 on the next turn. Yekaterina's offense dwindled as the game progressed, with Tigerette making a four-ball run and a six-ball run on consecutive turns before making the 15 on her second try. Tigerette's dominant offense gave her a 3-1 series lead. Tigerette again put the 15 near the top right on the break in game 5, and this time it stayed in a dangerous spot. Yekaterina tried a number of deflected shots that didn't work out, but she struck gold when she kicked the 9 to the bottom right, as the deflection tapped the 15 in for the win. Tigerette's early four-ball run and strong offense went to waste as Yekaterina pulled back to a 3-2 deficit. Tigerette remained dangerous in attack, but Yekaterina had a bit more control with defense in game 6. Yekaterina used this advantage well, leaving Tigerette with little to shoot early on and burying the last four balls over two turns at the end. Yekaterina's win here tied the series again at 3. Yekaterina had the more dangerous offense early in game 7, again using her break to impose herself against Tigerette. Yekaterina did have a three-ball run toward the end, but Tigerette answered on a four-ball run-out for the win, regaining the series lead at 4-3. Game 8 didn't make either player proud, as Yekaterina started out well with offense but crumbled toward the end of the game. Tigerette had a four-ball run near the end, but still had to grind on the 15 before putting it in the top right to close the door. Tigerette's win secured the series for her at 5-3, sending another home crowd to an unhappy exit. Yekaterina found a rare run for herself in game 9, a six-ball run that she couldn't quite extend with a miss on the 14. Tigerette made the 14 and 15 on the next turn, ending the series ahead 6-3. Tigerette goes to the Tournament of Champions thanks to this 15-ball series win, and she has her fourth kill to put Yekaterina out at 167th in the exiting order. The Tradewinds team-killed the Spurs.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty (R) v. Twinkie II (B). Captains battle it out in the Accuracy championship series. Harrison's Twinkie II had three opportunities to hold a lead in game 1, wasting each of them and giving Westside's Misty the last shot with a double-pot. Twinkie II then secured the game with a double-pot on her last turn, leaving Misty to shoot the last ball down. Twinkie II won 3-4, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II remained far too generous in game 2, giving the Rockers' Misty a large lead. Misty didn't stay perfect, but she had plenty of runway to work with, collecting a 2-5 win to tie the series at 1. Twinkie II had her smartest performance yet in game 3, keeping a sharp shot and forcing Misty into a couple of misses early on. Twinkie II did falter near the end, but she righted herself to take the 1-2 win, regaining the series lead at 2-1. Twinkie II reverted to her earlier sloppy play in game 4, falling behind on four separate occasions, the last one being enough for Misty to win 3-4 when she converted the last ball. The series is tied again at 2. Misty scratched on the break in game 5, a critical mistake that would cost her any chance at the win. Twinkie II faded toward the end of the game, but did enough to hold on for a 3-4 win, pulling ahead at 3-2 in the series. Twinkie II went empty on the break in game 6, and had a lead heading into the final ball of regulation. Twinkie II missed it, and Misty converted, forcing overtime, where Twinkie II again produced an empty break. Misty had an easy shot for the 2-3 win, evening the series at 3 games apiece. Twinkie II couldn't gain any traction after the midway point of game 7, as Misty maintained a perfect stretch of play and left Twinkie II with ugly shots. Misty won 0-5, pulling ahead 4-3 in the series now. Misty didn't have the same fortune in a very close game 8 battle, as both players missed their first shots around the same time. Twinkie II took over with the pressure, getting Misty to miss on her second-to-last turn. Twinkie II walked away with a 1-2 win, retying the series at 4 to set up a proper finale. Twinkie II took the early lead in game 9, but a scratch dropped her even, and a messy finish led to Misty winning 3-7 for the 5-4 series win. Misty punched her ticket to the Tournament of Champions while making Twinkie II the 168th eliminated player. Misty has her second kill of the year.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake (R) v. Hershey (S). Two current club-mates battle it out in 7-ball, the second series at this venue today. Royal's Jake had a scratch on the break in game 1, leading to Stonebridge's Hershey making a four-ball run. Jake then had a chance to counter, but he missed on the 7, and Hershey made it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey made a ball on the break in game 2, but the Crowns' Jake answered on a three-ball run before a poorly-timed scratch. Hershey then took over with a three-ball run-out for the win, pulling ahead 2-0 in the series. Hershey flirted with danger to start game 3, finally scratching to cut off his run at three balls. Jake took over from ball-in-hand, converting a four-ball run-out for the win to pull back to a 2-1 deficit. Jake had a strong six-ball run to lead off in game 4, but he missed the 7 on a rattling shot to end the run. Hershey missed his chance on the 7, but still got the win when Jake scratched while putting the 7 in the top left. Hershey returns to a two-game advantage with a 3-1 series lead. Hershey scratched on the game 5 break, leading to a back-and-forth battle early on. Neither player looked poised for the win until Jake snagged a three-ball run-out out of nowhere to take it. Hershey remains ahead 3-2 in the series. Game 6 started off pretty slowly, but Hershey made it look good by the end, breaking out of the funk with a five-ball run-out to again restore his series lead at 4-2 over Jake. Hershey had some good looks early in game 7, but he couldn't figure it out later on. Jake stepped in on offense, blasting a four-ball run-out to keep his playoff hopes alive. Jake is only down 4-3 in the series. Hershey dished out a four-ball run in game 8, a bold attacking play after Jake's empty break, but it went unrewarded. Jake made a three-ball run-out at the end for the win, tying the series at 4 to send these friends into a decisive final game. Jake sent the fans home happy early in game 9, blasting a break that saw the 7 drop at the bottom side for the win. A massive celebration ensued from here for Jake's 5-4 series win that sees him onto the Tournament of Champions. Hershey's collapse made him the 169th eliminated player, while Jake takes his first kill this year at the perfect time.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia (B) v. Violetta (R). The most anticipated final yet is in 9-ball, pitting mother against daughter. Midland's Fuchsia didn't look shaken in game 1, but she had a couple of bad plays, including a late scratch to allow Queens' Violetta to assemble a three-ball run-out for the win. Violetta leads the series 1-0. The Flames' Violetta tried a 3-9 combination early in game 2, which didn't work out. The Predators' Fuchsia answered on a three-ball run before the offense slowed. At the end, Violetta snookered Fuchsia in the top left corner, collecting ball-in-hand for the missed contact and converting the 9 for the win. Violetta owns a 2-0 series lead. Violetta cracked a six-ball run from the break in game 3, continuing to show menace in her attack, but it didn't hold up. Fuchsia made a three-ball run-out in response to snag the win, pulling back to a 2-1 deficit in the series. Violetta did most of the work on offense in game 4, most notably with a late four-ball run that saw the banked attempt on the 9 rattle out of the bottom side. Fuchsia took it at the top side for the win, tying the series at 2 to restore a competitive balance. Violetta started off with a three-ball run in game 5 after an empty break by Fuchsia. Violetta's burst of offense faded too soon, and Fuchsia wrangled control of the game away with a three-ball run-out at the end, which put the host ahead for the first time in the series at 3-2. Fuchsia again let Violetta run freely early in game 6 before gumming up her shots a bit in the middle of the game. Fuchsia took over on a three-ball run-out at the end, grabbing the win to move to a 4-2 series lead. Fuchsia began with a three-ball run in game 7 to mix it up, which Violetta answered on a four-ball run. The two tangled at the end, with Fuchsia missing the 9 at the bottom left. Violetta tapped it in, staying alive for another game in the 4-3 series. Violetta made a pair of shots on the break, but scratched as well, leaving Fuchsia with ball-in-hand. Fuchsia attacked on a five-ball run before her miss on the 8. Violetta cut the 8 and 9 in for the win, tying the series one more time at 4 games each. Violetta unleashed a six-ball run to start game 9, but she faltered on her second turn with a chance at the 9 after Fuchsia missed a kick attempt. Fuchsia buried it at the bottom left, taking the win for a 5-4 series win that puts her into the Tournament of Champions for her 9-ball title. Violetta is the 170th player out of the Tournament, while Fuchsia takes a third kill this year.
Ebay Center, Queens: Hannah (R) v. Twilight (B). The 8-ball final will come after a dinner break. Central's Twilight attacked well at first, but she slowed down as game 1 progressed. Queens' Hannah saw her only offense come on a six-ball run shortened by a scratch, allowing Twilight to chip her way slowly to a win. Twilight leads the series 1-0. The Flames' Hannah again struck too late in game 2, her six-ball run only coming after the Warriors' Twilight scratched to end a four-ball run. Hannah couldn't get another chance to strike, as Twilight won on a well-made three-ball run-out to push her series lead to 2-0. Twilight remained strong on offense in game 3, with an early five-ball run to pace her attack. A later scratch derailed her attack, giving Hannah enough time to win with a four-ball run-out, which cuts the series down to 2-1. Hannah had the initial attack with a four-ball run in game 4, coming a couple turns in, but she stalled out after this. Twilight pulled back for a little bit with small offense, and then ripped a five-ball run-out for the win to boost her series lead back up to 3-1. Hannah didn't produce a big run in game 5, a tactical choice that ended up working out. She weaved around a plentiful defense from Twilight and managed to find a three-ball run-out at the end to keep the series close at 3-2. Hannah attacked with a six-ball run early in game 6, and made another ball on her next turn to get onto the 8, which she missed twice before Twilight stormed her way to a win on a six-ball run-out, answering Hannah's previous win with one of her own to make it a 4-2 series. Hannah had the better of the offense early in game 7, but she faltered as she got onto her last ball, allowing Twilight to get a look at the 8. Twilight missed, and Hannah potted a pair of shots for the win, drawing close again as she sits behind 4-3 in the series. Twilight had some good offense in game 8, but she was slow to close things down at the end, allowing Hannah to recover from her scratch on the break to rally for a four-ball run-out for the win. Hannah's quick finish tied the series at 4 in a surprising turn of events. Twilight attacked with ferocity on a six-ball run early in game 9, and she made her last solid on the next turn. Hannah had a four-ball run cut off by a scratch, setting Twilight up to bank the 8 as called to the bottom left for the win. Twilight's brilliant finish gave her a 5-4 series win, and will make her 8-ball's representative to the Tournament of Champions. Twilight took her third kill of the year to make Hannah the 171st eliminated player.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty (S) v. Twinkie I (B). The final series of the regular season is the 12-ball championship between Reality club-mates. Golden's Dusty made a ball on the game 1 break, but had terrible positioning for the rest of the game. She used defense to slow Pacific's Twinkie I, but failed to launch a successful counterattack when Twinkie I gave away a wild-card ball. Twinkie I would win at the bottom side at the end, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I had a productive break in game 2, and once again put the Pilots' Dusty in a compromising position. Twinkie I navigated the table quicker in the end, striking at the bottom side to get the win after Dusty couldn't do anything from ball-in-hand. Twinkie I's series lead is at 2-0. Twinkie I had an empty break in game 3, but took both side pockets on her second turn to grab a massive lead. Dusty picked up some offense along the way, but once again found herself out of position as Twinkie I made the 2 to the top right to push her series lead to 3-0. Twinkie I had a poor break for game 4, giving Dusty room to make a four-ball run. Dusty quickly got down to her last ball, but Twinkie I's defense frustrated the usually calm star. Dusty had a nightmarish time attacking the 5 toward the top side, but Twinkie I had three scratches and couldn't recover in time to stop Dusty from kicking in the winning shot. The series is now 3-1 in favor of Twinkie I. Dusty took pairs of shots on her first two turns in game 5, while Twinkie I had a three-ball run on her first turn. Twinkie I got closer later in the game, but not in time to stop Dusty from making her last two balls on separate turns for the win, pulling closer in the 3-2 series. Dusty had a solid break in game 6, but Twinkie I picked up a pair of stripes rather easily at the start. Dusty tried to counterattack, but Twinkie I shot back with a four-ball run-out on the next turn, regaining some of her lost series lead with a 4-2 advantage now. Dusty made quick work of game 7, most notably on a three-ball run on her third turn to get down to a well-positioned final ball. Twinkie I replied with a pair of shots, but fell short on a third, and Dusty tapped in her last ball for the win, closing the gap to 4-3 in the series now. Dusty had a good break in game 8, making a solid, but her second shot resulted in a wild-card ball going to Twinkie I. Both players had three-ball runs to set up a quick finish, and Twinkie I proved just a bit faster after Dusty had a pair of illegally potted ball plays on her final shot. Twinkie I put the 12 in the top left for the win to clinch the series at 5-3. Twinkie I made quick work of game 9 as well, with Dusty following her but never passing her. Twinkie I gave up collateral damage to get a free look at the bottom right, and Dusty couldn't stop Twinkie I from winning the series 6-3. Twinkie I will take the eighth and final ticket to the Tournament of Champions, earning her third kill of the year as Dusty is the 172nd and final player to be eliminated this year.
That's all for this Tournament. In the coming days, I will be working on administrative duties, including a major project for league history that will extend into the offseason. The Tournament of Champions may begin on Saturday or Sunday, with the Clan Cup and City Cup to follow. The UPCL 2019 Draft is yet to be determined, although a list of available players will be tentatively available soon. Tomorrow is purely a data day for the league. Also in plans to be worked on is the upcoming cricket schedule.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur (R) v. Quincy (S). Today's first series is in Rotation, the first of five featuring the red cue. Royal's Nightfur didn't have much offense early in game 1, and she never responded to a four-ball run from Terrace City's Quincy, who won a turn later with a pair of shots. Quincy's 8-2 victory paces him to a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Nightfur still looked a little off at the start, but she slowly built a lead in game 2. The Knights' Quincy pushed back with a four-ball run but couldn't get around Nightfur at the end, as the host took an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Nightfur started with a firm break in game 3, establishing her lead on a three-ball run. Quincy matched it, but Nightfur doubled down with another three-ball run. Quincy continued to stay competitive, but he couldn't even the score, and Nightfur made a pair of shots to win 8-5 again, giving her the 2-1 series lead. Nightfur and Quincy exchanged pairs of shots to begin game 4, but Quincy supplemented his attack more ferociously. Nightfur came close at the end, but she couldn't bring Quincy down this time, as he pulled away to win 8-6, retying the series at 2. Quincy remained forceful on offense in game 5, burying a ball on the break and using defensive positioning on his first three turns to limit Nightfur's offense. Quincy built up a nice lead, giving him no trouble at the end as he found a pair of shots to seal his 8-2 win, restoring his series lead at 3-2. Nightfur took the early lead in game 6, but she never had a real grip on the game itself. Quincy stayed close, and they played evenly for quite awhile until Quincy pulled ahead and used a three-ball run-out on the next turn to get the 8-4 win. Quincy is on the brink of advancing with a 4-2 series lead. Nightfur held the lead for much of game 7, and even had a chance to win, but her shot on the 12 saw the cue deflect off the 13 and drift into the bottom right. Quincy sealed a comeback 8-7 win on a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, clinching the series for him at 5-2. Quincy looked to be mailing it in in game 8, as Nightfur attacked very well early with little response from her guest. Quincy wouldn't go quietly, making a pair of three-ball runs on his last two turns to swipe an 8-7 win to extend his series lead to 6-2. Nightfur trailed Quincy for just about all of game 9, as he would pull away every time she got close. Quincy closed out the win at 8-6, giving him a 7-2 series win as the Rotation champion. Nightfur is the 165th eliminated player, and Quincy took his sixth kill, guaranteeing a piece of the league lead in that category.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca (B) v. Cobalt (R). After the lunch break, the 10-ball champion will be named. Stonebridge's Cobalt had a slow start in game 1, but Southridge's Bianca wasn't any better initially. Cobalt broke his cold streak with a four-ball run-out, ending with a 4-10 combination to the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt continued with a five-ball run from the break to start game 2, but he rattled the 6 out of the top left corner. The Defenders' Bianca took over with a five-ball run-out, winning the quick game to tie the series at 1. Game 3 took a step back from the pace of the previous game. Cobalt managed a four-ball run at one stage, but Bianca took the game on the next turn with a three-ball run-out capped by a sharp cut to put the 10 in the top left. Bianca pulls ahead at 2-1 in the series. Cobalt had a challenging three-ball run over the middle in game 4 to supplement earlier offense, but his scratch led to Bianca making the last two shots from ball-in-hand for the win to push her up to a 3-1 series lead. Bianca tried to attack in game 5, but a lot of her shots failed to connect properly. Cobalt had a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out sandwiched around Bianca making the 6 in a feeble counterattack. Cobalt's big offense gave him the win to cut the series back to 3-2. Cobalt attacked again to start game 6, making a five-ball run. Bianca tangled with Cobalt in the back-half of the game, but her miss on the 8 allowed him to make a three-ball run-out for the win, which tied the series at 3. Cobalt saved up his offense for the end of game 7, allowing Bianca to attack evenly with him for awhile before he found a four-ball run-out for the win. Cobalt has taken the series lead at 4-3, stunning the home crowd with his comeback. Cobalt started on a three-ball run in game 8, but Bianca looked determined with a crafty five-ball run. Bianca missed on the 9 from a tough angle, allowing Cobalt to make it and the 10 for the series at 5-3 with this win. Cobalt had some good moments with the first two pairs of shots in game 9, but Bianca made a three-ball run and then the 10 on consecutive turns to claim the win, leaving Cobalt with a 5-4 series win. Cobalt is into the Tournament of Champions as the 10-ball representative, taking his fifth kill to make Bianca the 166th eliminated player. The Wolves team-killed the Defenders.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva (R) v. Tigerette (S). Two of the grittiest shooters in the league battle in 15-ball. Victoria's Yekaterina had a lot of short turns early in game 1, which Commerce's Tigerette frequently matched. The game was decided on the 11, as Yekaterina made it on her second try before splitting the 12 and 15 to the right corners for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina made some crafty shots in game 2, but none of them came late enough to save her from the Tradewinds' Tigerette executing a five-ball run-out for the win. Tigerette's quietly dominant finish tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw another struggle for possession on both sides. The 9 proved especially difficult, but Tigerette eventually made it to launch a three-ball run. Yekaterina made a shot, but scratched as well, and Tigerette added another three-ball run-out to grab the win for a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette put the 15 near the top right from the break in game 4, although Yekaterina bumped it free when she made the 1 on the next turn. Yekaterina's offense dwindled as the game progressed, with Tigerette making a four-ball run and a six-ball run on consecutive turns before making the 15 on her second try. Tigerette's dominant offense gave her a 3-1 series lead. Tigerette again put the 15 near the top right on the break in game 5, and this time it stayed in a dangerous spot. Yekaterina tried a number of deflected shots that didn't work out, but she struck gold when she kicked the 9 to the bottom right, as the deflection tapped the 15 in for the win. Tigerette's early four-ball run and strong offense went to waste as Yekaterina pulled back to a 3-2 deficit. Tigerette remained dangerous in attack, but Yekaterina had a bit more control with defense in game 6. Yekaterina used this advantage well, leaving Tigerette with little to shoot early on and burying the last four balls over two turns at the end. Yekaterina's win here tied the series again at 3. Yekaterina had the more dangerous offense early in game 7, again using her break to impose herself against Tigerette. Yekaterina did have a three-ball run toward the end, but Tigerette answered on a four-ball run-out for the win, regaining the series lead at 4-3. Game 8 didn't make either player proud, as Yekaterina started out well with offense but crumbled toward the end of the game. Tigerette had a four-ball run near the end, but still had to grind on the 15 before putting it in the top right to close the door. Tigerette's win secured the series for her at 5-3, sending another home crowd to an unhappy exit. Yekaterina found a rare run for herself in game 9, a six-ball run that she couldn't quite extend with a miss on the 14. Tigerette made the 14 and 15 on the next turn, ending the series ahead 6-3. Tigerette goes to the Tournament of Champions thanks to this 15-ball series win, and she has her fourth kill to put Yekaterina out at 167th in the exiting order. The Tradewinds team-killed the Spurs.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty (R) v. Twinkie II (B). Captains battle it out in the Accuracy championship series. Harrison's Twinkie II had three opportunities to hold a lead in game 1, wasting each of them and giving Westside's Misty the last shot with a double-pot. Twinkie II then secured the game with a double-pot on her last turn, leaving Misty to shoot the last ball down. Twinkie II won 3-4, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II remained far too generous in game 2, giving the Rockers' Misty a large lead. Misty didn't stay perfect, but she had plenty of runway to work with, collecting a 2-5 win to tie the series at 1. Twinkie II had her smartest performance yet in game 3, keeping a sharp shot and forcing Misty into a couple of misses early on. Twinkie II did falter near the end, but she righted herself to take the 1-2 win, regaining the series lead at 2-1. Twinkie II reverted to her earlier sloppy play in game 4, falling behind on four separate occasions, the last one being enough for Misty to win 3-4 when she converted the last ball. The series is tied again at 2. Misty scratched on the break in game 5, a critical mistake that would cost her any chance at the win. Twinkie II faded toward the end of the game, but did enough to hold on for a 3-4 win, pulling ahead at 3-2 in the series. Twinkie II went empty on the break in game 6, and had a lead heading into the final ball of regulation. Twinkie II missed it, and Misty converted, forcing overtime, where Twinkie II again produced an empty break. Misty had an easy shot for the 2-3 win, evening the series at 3 games apiece. Twinkie II couldn't gain any traction after the midway point of game 7, as Misty maintained a perfect stretch of play and left Twinkie II with ugly shots. Misty won 0-5, pulling ahead 4-3 in the series now. Misty didn't have the same fortune in a very close game 8 battle, as both players missed their first shots around the same time. Twinkie II took over with the pressure, getting Misty to miss on her second-to-last turn. Twinkie II walked away with a 1-2 win, retying the series at 4 to set up a proper finale. Twinkie II took the early lead in game 9, but a scratch dropped her even, and a messy finish led to Misty winning 3-7 for the 5-4 series win. Misty punched her ticket to the Tournament of Champions while making Twinkie II the 168th eliminated player. Misty has her second kill of the year.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake (R) v. Hershey (S). Two current club-mates battle it out in 7-ball, the second series at this venue today. Royal's Jake had a scratch on the break in game 1, leading to Stonebridge's Hershey making a four-ball run. Jake then had a chance to counter, but he missed on the 7, and Hershey made it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey made a ball on the break in game 2, but the Crowns' Jake answered on a three-ball run before a poorly-timed scratch. Hershey then took over with a three-ball run-out for the win, pulling ahead 2-0 in the series. Hershey flirted with danger to start game 3, finally scratching to cut off his run at three balls. Jake took over from ball-in-hand, converting a four-ball run-out for the win to pull back to a 2-1 deficit. Jake had a strong six-ball run to lead off in game 4, but he missed the 7 on a rattling shot to end the run. Hershey missed his chance on the 7, but still got the win when Jake scratched while putting the 7 in the top left. Hershey returns to a two-game advantage with a 3-1 series lead. Hershey scratched on the game 5 break, leading to a back-and-forth battle early on. Neither player looked poised for the win until Jake snagged a three-ball run-out out of nowhere to take it. Hershey remains ahead 3-2 in the series. Game 6 started off pretty slowly, but Hershey made it look good by the end, breaking out of the funk with a five-ball run-out to again restore his series lead at 4-2 over Jake. Hershey had some good looks early in game 7, but he couldn't figure it out later on. Jake stepped in on offense, blasting a four-ball run-out to keep his playoff hopes alive. Jake is only down 4-3 in the series. Hershey dished out a four-ball run in game 8, a bold attacking play after Jake's empty break, but it went unrewarded. Jake made a three-ball run-out at the end for the win, tying the series at 4 to send these friends into a decisive final game. Jake sent the fans home happy early in game 9, blasting a break that saw the 7 drop at the bottom side for the win. A massive celebration ensued from here for Jake's 5-4 series win that sees him onto the Tournament of Champions. Hershey's collapse made him the 169th eliminated player, while Jake takes his first kill this year at the perfect time.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia (B) v. Violetta (R). The most anticipated final yet is in 9-ball, pitting mother against daughter. Midland's Fuchsia didn't look shaken in game 1, but she had a couple of bad plays, including a late scratch to allow Queens' Violetta to assemble a three-ball run-out for the win. Violetta leads the series 1-0. The Flames' Violetta tried a 3-9 combination early in game 2, which didn't work out. The Predators' Fuchsia answered on a three-ball run before the offense slowed. At the end, Violetta snookered Fuchsia in the top left corner, collecting ball-in-hand for the missed contact and converting the 9 for the win. Violetta owns a 2-0 series lead. Violetta cracked a six-ball run from the break in game 3, continuing to show menace in her attack, but it didn't hold up. Fuchsia made a three-ball run-out in response to snag the win, pulling back to a 2-1 deficit in the series. Violetta did most of the work on offense in game 4, most notably with a late four-ball run that saw the banked attempt on the 9 rattle out of the bottom side. Fuchsia took it at the top side for the win, tying the series at 2 to restore a competitive balance. Violetta started off with a three-ball run in game 5 after an empty break by Fuchsia. Violetta's burst of offense faded too soon, and Fuchsia wrangled control of the game away with a three-ball run-out at the end, which put the host ahead for the first time in the series at 3-2. Fuchsia again let Violetta run freely early in game 6 before gumming up her shots a bit in the middle of the game. Fuchsia took over on a three-ball run-out at the end, grabbing the win to move to a 4-2 series lead. Fuchsia began with a three-ball run in game 7 to mix it up, which Violetta answered on a four-ball run. The two tangled at the end, with Fuchsia missing the 9 at the bottom left. Violetta tapped it in, staying alive for another game in the 4-3 series. Violetta made a pair of shots on the break, but scratched as well, leaving Fuchsia with ball-in-hand. Fuchsia attacked on a five-ball run before her miss on the 8. Violetta cut the 8 and 9 in for the win, tying the series one more time at 4 games each. Violetta unleashed a six-ball run to start game 9, but she faltered on her second turn with a chance at the 9 after Fuchsia missed a kick attempt. Fuchsia buried it at the bottom left, taking the win for a 5-4 series win that puts her into the Tournament of Champions for her 9-ball title. Violetta is the 170th player out of the Tournament, while Fuchsia takes a third kill this year.
Ebay Center, Queens: Hannah (R) v. Twilight (B). The 8-ball final will come after a dinner break. Central's Twilight attacked well at first, but she slowed down as game 1 progressed. Queens' Hannah saw her only offense come on a six-ball run shortened by a scratch, allowing Twilight to chip her way slowly to a win. Twilight leads the series 1-0. The Flames' Hannah again struck too late in game 2, her six-ball run only coming after the Warriors' Twilight scratched to end a four-ball run. Hannah couldn't get another chance to strike, as Twilight won on a well-made three-ball run-out to push her series lead to 2-0. Twilight remained strong on offense in game 3, with an early five-ball run to pace her attack. A later scratch derailed her attack, giving Hannah enough time to win with a four-ball run-out, which cuts the series down to 2-1. Hannah had the initial attack with a four-ball run in game 4, coming a couple turns in, but she stalled out after this. Twilight pulled back for a little bit with small offense, and then ripped a five-ball run-out for the win to boost her series lead back up to 3-1. Hannah didn't produce a big run in game 5, a tactical choice that ended up working out. She weaved around a plentiful defense from Twilight and managed to find a three-ball run-out at the end to keep the series close at 3-2. Hannah attacked with a six-ball run early in game 6, and made another ball on her next turn to get onto the 8, which she missed twice before Twilight stormed her way to a win on a six-ball run-out, answering Hannah's previous win with one of her own to make it a 4-2 series. Hannah had the better of the offense early in game 7, but she faltered as she got onto her last ball, allowing Twilight to get a look at the 8. Twilight missed, and Hannah potted a pair of shots for the win, drawing close again as she sits behind 4-3 in the series. Twilight had some good offense in game 8, but she was slow to close things down at the end, allowing Hannah to recover from her scratch on the break to rally for a four-ball run-out for the win. Hannah's quick finish tied the series at 4 in a surprising turn of events. Twilight attacked with ferocity on a six-ball run early in game 9, and she made her last solid on the next turn. Hannah had a four-ball run cut off by a scratch, setting Twilight up to bank the 8 as called to the bottom left for the win. Twilight's brilliant finish gave her a 5-4 series win, and will make her 8-ball's representative to the Tournament of Champions. Twilight took her third kill of the year to make Hannah the 171st eliminated player.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty (S) v. Twinkie I (B). The final series of the regular season is the 12-ball championship between Reality club-mates. Golden's Dusty made a ball on the game 1 break, but had terrible positioning for the rest of the game. She used defense to slow Pacific's Twinkie I, but failed to launch a successful counterattack when Twinkie I gave away a wild-card ball. Twinkie I would win at the bottom side at the end, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I had a productive break in game 2, and once again put the Pilots' Dusty in a compromising position. Twinkie I navigated the table quicker in the end, striking at the bottom side to get the win after Dusty couldn't do anything from ball-in-hand. Twinkie I's series lead is at 2-0. Twinkie I had an empty break in game 3, but took both side pockets on her second turn to grab a massive lead. Dusty picked up some offense along the way, but once again found herself out of position as Twinkie I made the 2 to the top right to push her series lead to 3-0. Twinkie I had a poor break for game 4, giving Dusty room to make a four-ball run. Dusty quickly got down to her last ball, but Twinkie I's defense frustrated the usually calm star. Dusty had a nightmarish time attacking the 5 toward the top side, but Twinkie I had three scratches and couldn't recover in time to stop Dusty from kicking in the winning shot. The series is now 3-1 in favor of Twinkie I. Dusty took pairs of shots on her first two turns in game 5, while Twinkie I had a three-ball run on her first turn. Twinkie I got closer later in the game, but not in time to stop Dusty from making her last two balls on separate turns for the win, pulling closer in the 3-2 series. Dusty had a solid break in game 6, but Twinkie I picked up a pair of stripes rather easily at the start. Dusty tried to counterattack, but Twinkie I shot back with a four-ball run-out on the next turn, regaining some of her lost series lead with a 4-2 advantage now. Dusty made quick work of game 7, most notably on a three-ball run on her third turn to get down to a well-positioned final ball. Twinkie I replied with a pair of shots, but fell short on a third, and Dusty tapped in her last ball for the win, closing the gap to 4-3 in the series now. Dusty had a good break in game 8, making a solid, but her second shot resulted in a wild-card ball going to Twinkie I. Both players had three-ball runs to set up a quick finish, and Twinkie I proved just a bit faster after Dusty had a pair of illegally potted ball plays on her final shot. Twinkie I put the 12 in the top left for the win to clinch the series at 5-3. Twinkie I made quick work of game 9 as well, with Dusty following her but never passing her. Twinkie I gave up collateral damage to get a free look at the bottom right, and Dusty couldn't stop Twinkie I from winning the series 6-3. Twinkie I will take the eighth and final ticket to the Tournament of Champions, earning her third kill of the year as Dusty is the 172nd and final player to be eliminated this year.
That's all for this Tournament. In the coming days, I will be working on administrative duties, including a major project for league history that will extend into the offseason. The Tournament of Champions may begin on Saturday or Sunday, with the Clan Cup and City Cup to follow. The UPCL 2019 Draft is yet to be determined, although a list of available players will be tentatively available soon. Tomorrow is purely a data day for the league. Also in plans to be worked on is the upcoming cricket schedule.
Monday, November 12, 2018
Tournament 2018 - Preliminary Finals
We're back for the second-to-last day of the regular season. We have 72 games scheduled for this one, but if they are unable to be completed, any leftovers will be played tomorrow. The Preliminary Finals begin with...
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell (S) v. Cobalt (R). The first series of the day is in 10-ball between strong competitors. Stonebridge's Cobalt had the better of offense in a chippy game 1, just managing to get by Whitewater's Marsell when the host left the 8 at the top right. Cobalt made a pair of shots at the end for the 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt still showed better on offense in game 2, as the Shores' Marsell had some issues stringing shots together. Cobalt's best play won him the game, as he assembled a smart and steady three-ball run-out to take the 2-0 series lead. Cobalt made a turn to dominance in game 3, letting Marsell keep possession after an unplanned shot left a bad position. Cobalt would launch an attack two turns later, winning with a crafty and well-played seven-ball run-out to extend his series lead to 3-0. Cobalt had a large chunk of offense near the end, making five balls over two turns after starting game 4 with a scratch on the break. Marsell interfered just in time, making the 10 on a short counterattack to grab the win, cutting the series back to 3-1. Marsell had a solid start in game 5, and drew a scratch against Cobalt early on. Marsell took a four-ball run to add to his offense, but Cobalt struck back at the end for a three-ball run-out for the win, restoring his three-game advantage at a 4-1 series lead. Game 6 was just outright sloppy on both sides. Neither player looked to be in control of the game at any point, and Marsell wasted a chance to win with a wide shot on the 10. Cobalt kicked it to the bottom left to pick up the win, securing the series at 5-1. Cobalt didn't relent in game 7, challenging Marsell yet again. Marsell did have a three-ball run over the middle in this one, but Cobalt assembled a four-ball run-out at the end with precise cuts to push his series lead to 6-1. Cobalt had a majority of the offense in game 8, but he scratched while potting the 9. Marsell made the 10 just barely from ball-in-hand to the top left, pulling back to a 6-2 deficit in the series. Cobalt and Marsell exchanged mistakes at the end of game 9, the erratic finish favoring Marsell on his perfect cut of the 10 to the top side. Cobalt still won the series 6-3, and will visit the Southridge Defenders' Bianca for the 10-ball title. Marsell is the 157th eliminated player, giving Cobalt his fourth kill of the year. The Wolves completed a team-kill on the Shores.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I (B) v. Ice Cream (R). The next series played is 12-ball, the first of four blue cue series today. Boston's Ice Cream weathered a three-ball run from Pacific's Twinkie I on the first turn of the game, answering with her own three-ball run. Ice Cream showed better with positioning at the end, taking a pair on her last turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Ice Cream made a couple of shots from the game 2 break, but nothing stayed clear for her. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I replied on a three-ball run, and had good positioning on the rest of her shots, finishing with the 2 at the bottom side just as Ice Cream had found a way forward. Twinkie I's win ties the series at 1. Twinkie I had an empty break in game 3, allowing Ice Cream to begin an attack of four balls over two turns. Twinkie I then shot back with a six-ball run-out on her third turn, weaving through the rack effortlessly for the win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Ice Cream had a four-ball run at the start of game 4, attacking with relentlessness, but Twinkie I played solid defense once Ice Cream got down to her final ball. Ice Cream finally fouled via missed contact, and Twinkie I made her final pair of shots for the win, pushing her series lead to 3-1. Twinkie I made three balls cleanly on the game 5 break, but couldn't strike again in the game. Ice Cream started with a four-ball run, and then picked her way to a win slowly from there, giving up a wild-card ball but still slamming the door in time. Ice Cream is only down 3-2 in the series now. Ice Cream claimed stripes on the break of game 6, but promptly scratched on the next shot. Twinkie I had a couple of chances to ignite an attack before Ice Cream stormed forward on her four-ball run-out for the win, retying the series at 3. Ice Cream's offense worked on the break of game 7, making two balls to the right corners, but she converted only one other shot in the game. Twinkie I took over at the end, finding her way with a three-ball run-out to reclaim the series lead at 4-3. Ice Cream had a valiant effort in game 8, taking the lead after Twinkie I managed to make two on the break. Ice Cream gave away a wild-card ball, and couldn't pot her last ball fast enough at the end to stop Twinkie I from winning with a tap-in at the bottom left. Twinkie I clinched the series at 5-3. Ice Cream had some good shots in game 9, but it didn't make any difference when Twinkie I found a four-ball run and a good spot on her last ball. Twinkie I tapped it in on the next turn for the win, icing a 6-3 series win that sends her to battle with the Golden Pilots' Dusty in the 12-ball championship series. Ice Cream is the 158th eliminated player, with Twinkie I taking her second kill of the season.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight (B) v. Patches (S). Two of the biggest-name captains in the game meet in 8-ball. Boston's Patches mashed a six-ball run on her first turn in game 1, and then played patiently from there. Central's Twilight got close with a four-ball run, but Patches put away the 8 on the next turn for the win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 saw a messier battle between the two, with a couple of scratches holding the Warriors' Twilight back. The Swifts' Patches just couldn't hit her shots right, allowing Twilight to overcome her mistakes with a five-ball run-out that used collateral damage as a defense against a late scratch. Twilight's bold finish gave her a win to tie the series at 1. Patches had a bold attack to start in game 3, getting all the way down to the 8 before Twilight made a shot. Twilight did pot two balls on the next turn, and Patches missed again on the 8, allowing Twilight to ignite a six-ball run-out for the win. Twilight now leads the series 2-1. Twilight started game 4 on a five-ball run, a potent attack that continued after Patches scratched. Twilight struggled to find a shot on the 8, and Patches quickly got onto it, taking the win when Twilight left the 3 at the bottom side and Patches cut the 10 to the bottom left before putting the 8 in the top left. Patches has retied the series at 2 games apiece. Patches had a calm break in game 5, and she competed well with Twilight in the initial games. This fell apart toward the end, as Twilight found a four-ball run and then made the 8 when Patches couldn't launch a counterattack. Twilight's win here restored her series lead at 3-2. Twilight had an all-out attack at the end of game 6, but twice missed on the 8 around Patches' scratch. Patches took over on Twilight's second miss, potting a three-ball run-out for the win, evening the series again at 3. Patches had plenty of chances to win game 7, all of which went to waste. Twilight charged back on a three-ball run and needed two looks at the 8 before burying it herself, stealing the win for a 4-3 series lead over Patches. Twilight's aggressive break gave her solids early in game 8, but she couldn't strike at the end, ceding possession via ball-in-hand to Patches after missed contact. Patches made a three-ball run-out to take the win, equalizing in the 4-4 series to set up a decisive final game. Game 9 was a fitting finish, with Twilight starting on a bold four-ball run. Patches pulled back later and found a late lead, but Twilight iced the win on a three-ball run-out, using savvy strategy to get the win. Twilight's 5-4 series win sets her up to visit the Queens Flames' Hannah for the 8-ball title. Patches exits 159th in this Tournament, giving Twilight her second kill. The Warriors team-killed the Swifts.
Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta (R) v. Chelsea (S). The games continue with the red cue's only appearance of the day in 9-ball. Queens' Violetta made a pair early in game 1, only for Eastside's Chelsea to answered with a four-ball run. Violetta then shot back with a three-ball run-out for the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Chelsea kept a similar style in game 2, working a four-ball run in the middle, but this time, the Flames' Violetta dropped her chance for a late run. Chelsea chipped in the 7 and the 9 on separate turns after her run to get the win, tying the series at 1. The offense never arrived in game 3, with both players hopelessly chasing the 1. Chelsea tried to deflect off the 1 to pot the 9 at the top right, but she ended up clipping the 2 and sinking the 9 illegally to gift a win and 2-1 series lead back to Violetta. Chelsea continued to take a hefty share of the offense while limiting Violetta's ability to dominate. Chelsea had a four-ball run in the middle of game 4, but she missed her bank on the 9, and Violetta cut it to the top left to snag the win for a 3-1 series lead despite lacking quality in her shots. Violetta absolutely ripped her break shot in game 5, catching air when it met the rack, and the 9 dribbled to the bottom right for the win, her first commanding victory of the series. Violetta is on the brink of advancing with a 4-1 series lead. Violetta scratched after making a ball on the game 6 break, and this led to Chelsea taking a large portion of the offense. Chelsea had a pair of three-ball runs, the latter giving her the win at the end to cut the series to 4-2. Chelsea remained competitive in game 7, but a scratch as she potted the 8 on a second option play ruined any hopes she had for the series. Violetta drilled the 9 to the top right from ball-in-hand, clinching the series at 5-2. Chelsea had a respectable amount of offense again in game 8, but she left her shots hanging at the end, and Violetta mopped them up to find the win, pushing her advantage to 6-2 in the series. Violetta actually looked almost at her best in game 9, pummeling a good number of shots in, but Chelsea took the 8 when Violetta whiffed on the final ball. Violetta settled for a 6-3 series win that sets her up for a Southeastern rivalry match against her mother, the Midland Predators' Fuchsia, in the 9-ball championship. Chelsea is the 160th player ousted from the Tournament, and the second Violetta takes responsibility for. The Flames have team-killed the Sharks.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach (S) v. Twinkie II (B). We're over halfway done, with Accuracy kicking off the second half of the day's series. Pronger's Zach had a terrible game 1, trading misses with Harrison's Twinkie II early on, and then missing a bunch in a row late. Zach then lost the tip off the silver cue on a shot with the game already out of hand. Twinkie II won the odd opener 2-4 for a 1-0 series lead. The blue cue will be used for the rest of the day while the silver cue dries after having the tip reapplied. The Specters' Twinkie II came out firing with a ball on the break in game 2, and she didn't miss until the last ball. The Tridents' Zach fought back well, but he couldn't break Twinkie II down, as the visitor won 1-2 this time to push her series lead to 2-0. Twinkie II made a ball on the break again in game 3, and she held a lead for awhile, but Zach evened it up twice to force overtime. Zach missed on the break, but Twinkie II missed two turns in overtime, and that gave Zach a 4-5 win to cut the series to 2-1. Twinkie II and Zach dueled to great excitement in game 4, until Twinkie II fell apart at the end, allowing Zach to march away with a 0-3 win to tie the series at 2. Twinkie II and Zach battled well again in game 5, until Zach missed three straight starts as the rack tightened up a bit. Twinkie II would miss twice late, but she held on for the 2-4 win to regain her series lead at 3-2. Twinkie II double-potted and scratched on the game 6 break, leading to an eventful start. Zach wouldn't hold the lead for long, and the two exchanged misses after another Twinkie II double-pot. Zach fell off with another miss near the end, allowing Twinkie II to win 2-3 for a 4-2 series lead. Zach and Twinkie II remained highly competitive in game 7, with Zach only slipping up with about six balls to go. Twinkie II missed after that, but she shut the door when Zach missed on the last ball. Twinkie II won 1-2, clinching the series at 5-2. Game 8 went perfectly on both sides, with Twinkie II making a ball on the break to hold the last shot advantage. Instead of overtime, she sportingly played a miss to give Zach the 0-1 win when he tapped in the last ball. Twinkie II remains ahead 5-3 in the series. Twinkie II fell apart late in game 9 as well, allowing Zach to pull away with a 4-5 win. Twinkie II won the series 5-4, and will visit Westside Rockers captain Misty in the Accuracy championship. Zach is the 161st player to exit the Tournament, giving Twinkie II her a fourth kill this year.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman (B) v. Quincy (S). We've got a veteran against a rookie in Rotation now as the blue cue plays its own series. Infinity's Mr. Snowman had a decent start from a bad break, but Terrace City's Quincy capitalized on the host's errors to build his offense, winning 8-1 on a three-ball run-out. Quincy leads the series at 1-0. The Knights' Quincy took the lead in game 2 early on, but couldn't hold it when the Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman pounded a five-ball run. Mr. Snowman faded too soon, and Quincy fought back, winning 8-7 to go up 2-0 in the series. Mr. Snowman slowly built up a lead in game 3, fouling in ugly manners a couple of times along the way. Quincy couldn't do anything about it, missing most of his shots as Mr. Snowman claimed an 8-1 win to cut the series to 2-1. Mr. Snowman sliced a four-ball run early on, but the lead didn't last, as Quincy shot back with a three-ball run. Mr. Snowman slogged through the rest of the game, and Quincy stung him at the end for the 8-6 win, boosting his series lead to 3-1. Quincy gained the lead early in game 5, and he held it for a good portion of the game as well. Mr. Snowman charged back after Quincy scratched with a five-ball run, but his miss on the 15 led to Quincy winning 8-7 with a tap-in. Quincy is up 4-1 in the series. Mr. Snowman almost faltered in game 6 after taking a three-ball run. Quincy built up a noticeable lead and got onto the brink of victory with a short run, but Mr. Snowman smashed a four-ball run-out for the 8-7 win, pulling back to a 4-2 deficit in the series. Mr. Snowman didn't play particularly well in game 7, but his defense stymied every attack Quincy tried to muster. Mr. Snowman had the time to go at his own pace, winning 8-0 to pull closer at 4-3 overall. Mr. Snowman couldn't get his offense going in game 8, a crucial time for him to come up lame. Quincy attacked on short runs, winning with a three-ball run-out for the 8-2 victory to secure the series at 5-3. Quincy and Mr. Snowman went back and forth throughout the cool-down game 9, with Quincy answering Mr. Snowman's late three-ball run with a pair at the end to take the win. Quincy won the game 8-7 and the series 6-3, earning his spot against Royal Crowns captain Nightfur in the Rotation Finals. Quincy took his fifth kill and a team-kill on the Torpedoes as Mr. Snowman becomes the 162nd eliminated player.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey (S) v. Anton (B). Despite the silver cue being the listed host, the equipment malfunction keeps the blue cue in action here in 7-ball. Stonebridge's Hershey made a ball on the game 1 break, but Todavía's Anton looked sharper with a four-ball run. Anton flubbed his chance on the 7 on the next turn, and Hershey converted it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey participated more in game 2, making a pair on the break and a pair at the end to sandwich a three-ball run from the Stills' Anton. Hershey again took the win, moving to a 2-0 series lead. Hershey wasted no time in laying claim to game 3, burying the 7 to the top left on the break. Anton could only watch as the deficit stretched to 3-0 in the series. Hershey remained strong in game 4, but he lacked dominance. Anton missed a bank on the 4 to the bottom right, which Hershey tapped in, but Hershey's shot on the 7 caused him to scratch, gifting a win to Anton. Hershey still holds a 3-1 series lead. Anton tried to establish himself early in game 5, but it didn't work out. Hershey took a four-ball run, and would pot the last two balls on a later turn for the win, re-upping his series lead to 4-1. Hershey had a three-ball run to start game 6, and he added the 4 later, but Anton used a three-ball run on his second turn to nab the win, cutting the series down to 4-2. Anton had a five-ball run on his second turn in game 7, a big attack but not enough when he whiffed on the 7. Hershey was there to mop up the last ball, taking the win to seal the series at 5-2. Anton did a little bit on offense in game 8, but once again he left the 7 available at the end. Hershey gladly picked it up at the top right, taking the win to push his series lead up to 6-2. Hershey tried hard to keep pressing for a win in game 9, but the chase on the 7 ultimately went in favor of Anton. Hershey won the series 6-3, earning a spot against the Royal Crowns' Jake for the 7-ball title. Hershey took his second kill of the season, a team-kill on the Stills to make Anton the 163rd eliminated player.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut (B) v. Tigerette (S). The final series of the Preliminary Finals is in 15-ball. Golden's Strut didn't play all that well initially in game 1, as Commerce's Tigerette found a little offense. Strut turned on with a four-ball run, and his next turn was a six-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut did what he could after an empty break in game 2, but he didn't have the strongest runs this time. The Tradewinds' Tigerette countered pretty well when she could, including at the end when she made a pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Strut and Tigerette sparred for much of the middle of game 3 after a hot start on both sides. Tigerette found the heat again at the end, collecting a five-ball run-out for the win and a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette appeared to find her groove pretty well in game 4, making a three-ball run early on, a five-ball run closer to the end, and the final pair of shots to take the win over Strut, who just couldn't connect late in the game. Tigerette leads the series 3-1. Tigerette opened game 5 on a six-ball run, and nearly ran longer were it not for a miss on the 7. Strut countered with fractured possession, but enough to pressure and finally defeat Tigerette for the win. Strut clawed his way back to a 3-2 deficit. Strut kept up his momentum early in game 6, attacking much more cohesively than Tigerette. That changed at the end, where Tigerette made four of the last six balls to claim the win, restoring her series lead of two games at 4-2. Strut made his best attempts on defense in game 7, weathering a rocky start to shutter Tigerette's offense in the middle of the game. Strut had a four-ball run, but lost control on the 13, and Tigerette eventually corralled it to take a three-ball run-out en route to the win. Tigerette clinched the series at 5-2. Tigerette had some half-chances on offense in game 8, belting a few good shots early. She left the 15 near the top side at one point, and Strut used the 6 as a deflecting tool to bump the cue into the 15 to pot it for the win. Tigerette remains ahead 5-3 in the series. Tigerette took game 9 as well with a fair amount of offense, finishing off a late run to beat Strut with the silver cue in its test series for the re-tip job. Tigerette won the series 6-3, giving her a spot in the 15-ball Championship against the Victoria Spurs' Yekaterina. Strut is the 164th eliminated player, with Tigerette earning her third kill of the year.
On Wednesday, the regular season portion of the Tournament closes, and the eight participants in the Tournament of Champions will be named as we enter the postseason.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell (S) v. Cobalt (R). The first series of the day is in 10-ball between strong competitors. Stonebridge's Cobalt had the better of offense in a chippy game 1, just managing to get by Whitewater's Marsell when the host left the 8 at the top right. Cobalt made a pair of shots at the end for the 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt still showed better on offense in game 2, as the Shores' Marsell had some issues stringing shots together. Cobalt's best play won him the game, as he assembled a smart and steady three-ball run-out to take the 2-0 series lead. Cobalt made a turn to dominance in game 3, letting Marsell keep possession after an unplanned shot left a bad position. Cobalt would launch an attack two turns later, winning with a crafty and well-played seven-ball run-out to extend his series lead to 3-0. Cobalt had a large chunk of offense near the end, making five balls over two turns after starting game 4 with a scratch on the break. Marsell interfered just in time, making the 10 on a short counterattack to grab the win, cutting the series back to 3-1. Marsell had a solid start in game 5, and drew a scratch against Cobalt early on. Marsell took a four-ball run to add to his offense, but Cobalt struck back at the end for a three-ball run-out for the win, restoring his three-game advantage at a 4-1 series lead. Game 6 was just outright sloppy on both sides. Neither player looked to be in control of the game at any point, and Marsell wasted a chance to win with a wide shot on the 10. Cobalt kicked it to the bottom left to pick up the win, securing the series at 5-1. Cobalt didn't relent in game 7, challenging Marsell yet again. Marsell did have a three-ball run over the middle in this one, but Cobalt assembled a four-ball run-out at the end with precise cuts to push his series lead to 6-1. Cobalt had a majority of the offense in game 8, but he scratched while potting the 9. Marsell made the 10 just barely from ball-in-hand to the top left, pulling back to a 6-2 deficit in the series. Cobalt and Marsell exchanged mistakes at the end of game 9, the erratic finish favoring Marsell on his perfect cut of the 10 to the top side. Cobalt still won the series 6-3, and will visit the Southridge Defenders' Bianca for the 10-ball title. Marsell is the 157th eliminated player, giving Cobalt his fourth kill of the year. The Wolves completed a team-kill on the Shores.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I (B) v. Ice Cream (R). The next series played is 12-ball, the first of four blue cue series today. Boston's Ice Cream weathered a three-ball run from Pacific's Twinkie I on the first turn of the game, answering with her own three-ball run. Ice Cream showed better with positioning at the end, taking a pair on her last turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Ice Cream made a couple of shots from the game 2 break, but nothing stayed clear for her. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I replied on a three-ball run, and had good positioning on the rest of her shots, finishing with the 2 at the bottom side just as Ice Cream had found a way forward. Twinkie I's win ties the series at 1. Twinkie I had an empty break in game 3, allowing Ice Cream to begin an attack of four balls over two turns. Twinkie I then shot back with a six-ball run-out on her third turn, weaving through the rack effortlessly for the win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Ice Cream had a four-ball run at the start of game 4, attacking with relentlessness, but Twinkie I played solid defense once Ice Cream got down to her final ball. Ice Cream finally fouled via missed contact, and Twinkie I made her final pair of shots for the win, pushing her series lead to 3-1. Twinkie I made three balls cleanly on the game 5 break, but couldn't strike again in the game. Ice Cream started with a four-ball run, and then picked her way to a win slowly from there, giving up a wild-card ball but still slamming the door in time. Ice Cream is only down 3-2 in the series now. Ice Cream claimed stripes on the break of game 6, but promptly scratched on the next shot. Twinkie I had a couple of chances to ignite an attack before Ice Cream stormed forward on her four-ball run-out for the win, retying the series at 3. Ice Cream's offense worked on the break of game 7, making two balls to the right corners, but she converted only one other shot in the game. Twinkie I took over at the end, finding her way with a three-ball run-out to reclaim the series lead at 4-3. Ice Cream had a valiant effort in game 8, taking the lead after Twinkie I managed to make two on the break. Ice Cream gave away a wild-card ball, and couldn't pot her last ball fast enough at the end to stop Twinkie I from winning with a tap-in at the bottom left. Twinkie I clinched the series at 5-3. Ice Cream had some good shots in game 9, but it didn't make any difference when Twinkie I found a four-ball run and a good spot on her last ball. Twinkie I tapped it in on the next turn for the win, icing a 6-3 series win that sends her to battle with the Golden Pilots' Dusty in the 12-ball championship series. Ice Cream is the 158th eliminated player, with Twinkie I taking her second kill of the season.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight (B) v. Patches (S). Two of the biggest-name captains in the game meet in 8-ball. Boston's Patches mashed a six-ball run on her first turn in game 1, and then played patiently from there. Central's Twilight got close with a four-ball run, but Patches put away the 8 on the next turn for the win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 saw a messier battle between the two, with a couple of scratches holding the Warriors' Twilight back. The Swifts' Patches just couldn't hit her shots right, allowing Twilight to overcome her mistakes with a five-ball run-out that used collateral damage as a defense against a late scratch. Twilight's bold finish gave her a win to tie the series at 1. Patches had a bold attack to start in game 3, getting all the way down to the 8 before Twilight made a shot. Twilight did pot two balls on the next turn, and Patches missed again on the 8, allowing Twilight to ignite a six-ball run-out for the win. Twilight now leads the series 2-1. Twilight started game 4 on a five-ball run, a potent attack that continued after Patches scratched. Twilight struggled to find a shot on the 8, and Patches quickly got onto it, taking the win when Twilight left the 3 at the bottom side and Patches cut the 10 to the bottom left before putting the 8 in the top left. Patches has retied the series at 2 games apiece. Patches had a calm break in game 5, and she competed well with Twilight in the initial games. This fell apart toward the end, as Twilight found a four-ball run and then made the 8 when Patches couldn't launch a counterattack. Twilight's win here restored her series lead at 3-2. Twilight had an all-out attack at the end of game 6, but twice missed on the 8 around Patches' scratch. Patches took over on Twilight's second miss, potting a three-ball run-out for the win, evening the series again at 3. Patches had plenty of chances to win game 7, all of which went to waste. Twilight charged back on a three-ball run and needed two looks at the 8 before burying it herself, stealing the win for a 4-3 series lead over Patches. Twilight's aggressive break gave her solids early in game 8, but she couldn't strike at the end, ceding possession via ball-in-hand to Patches after missed contact. Patches made a three-ball run-out to take the win, equalizing in the 4-4 series to set up a decisive final game. Game 9 was a fitting finish, with Twilight starting on a bold four-ball run. Patches pulled back later and found a late lead, but Twilight iced the win on a three-ball run-out, using savvy strategy to get the win. Twilight's 5-4 series win sets her up to visit the Queens Flames' Hannah for the 8-ball title. Patches exits 159th in this Tournament, giving Twilight her second kill. The Warriors team-killed the Swifts.
Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta (R) v. Chelsea (S). The games continue with the red cue's only appearance of the day in 9-ball. Queens' Violetta made a pair early in game 1, only for Eastside's Chelsea to answered with a four-ball run. Violetta then shot back with a three-ball run-out for the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Chelsea kept a similar style in game 2, working a four-ball run in the middle, but this time, the Flames' Violetta dropped her chance for a late run. Chelsea chipped in the 7 and the 9 on separate turns after her run to get the win, tying the series at 1. The offense never arrived in game 3, with both players hopelessly chasing the 1. Chelsea tried to deflect off the 1 to pot the 9 at the top right, but she ended up clipping the 2 and sinking the 9 illegally to gift a win and 2-1 series lead back to Violetta. Chelsea continued to take a hefty share of the offense while limiting Violetta's ability to dominate. Chelsea had a four-ball run in the middle of game 4, but she missed her bank on the 9, and Violetta cut it to the top left to snag the win for a 3-1 series lead despite lacking quality in her shots. Violetta absolutely ripped her break shot in game 5, catching air when it met the rack, and the 9 dribbled to the bottom right for the win, her first commanding victory of the series. Violetta is on the brink of advancing with a 4-1 series lead. Violetta scratched after making a ball on the game 6 break, and this led to Chelsea taking a large portion of the offense. Chelsea had a pair of three-ball runs, the latter giving her the win at the end to cut the series to 4-2. Chelsea remained competitive in game 7, but a scratch as she potted the 8 on a second option play ruined any hopes she had for the series. Violetta drilled the 9 to the top right from ball-in-hand, clinching the series at 5-2. Chelsea had a respectable amount of offense again in game 8, but she left her shots hanging at the end, and Violetta mopped them up to find the win, pushing her advantage to 6-2 in the series. Violetta actually looked almost at her best in game 9, pummeling a good number of shots in, but Chelsea took the 8 when Violetta whiffed on the final ball. Violetta settled for a 6-3 series win that sets her up for a Southeastern rivalry match against her mother, the Midland Predators' Fuchsia, in the 9-ball championship. Chelsea is the 160th player ousted from the Tournament, and the second Violetta takes responsibility for. The Flames have team-killed the Sharks.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach (S) v. Twinkie II (B). We're over halfway done, with Accuracy kicking off the second half of the day's series. Pronger's Zach had a terrible game 1, trading misses with Harrison's Twinkie II early on, and then missing a bunch in a row late. Zach then lost the tip off the silver cue on a shot with the game already out of hand. Twinkie II won the odd opener 2-4 for a 1-0 series lead. The blue cue will be used for the rest of the day while the silver cue dries after having the tip reapplied. The Specters' Twinkie II came out firing with a ball on the break in game 2, and she didn't miss until the last ball. The Tridents' Zach fought back well, but he couldn't break Twinkie II down, as the visitor won 1-2 this time to push her series lead to 2-0. Twinkie II made a ball on the break again in game 3, and she held a lead for awhile, but Zach evened it up twice to force overtime. Zach missed on the break, but Twinkie II missed two turns in overtime, and that gave Zach a 4-5 win to cut the series to 2-1. Twinkie II and Zach dueled to great excitement in game 4, until Twinkie II fell apart at the end, allowing Zach to march away with a 0-3 win to tie the series at 2. Twinkie II and Zach battled well again in game 5, until Zach missed three straight starts as the rack tightened up a bit. Twinkie II would miss twice late, but she held on for the 2-4 win to regain her series lead at 3-2. Twinkie II double-potted and scratched on the game 6 break, leading to an eventful start. Zach wouldn't hold the lead for long, and the two exchanged misses after another Twinkie II double-pot. Zach fell off with another miss near the end, allowing Twinkie II to win 2-3 for a 4-2 series lead. Zach and Twinkie II remained highly competitive in game 7, with Zach only slipping up with about six balls to go. Twinkie II missed after that, but she shut the door when Zach missed on the last ball. Twinkie II won 1-2, clinching the series at 5-2. Game 8 went perfectly on both sides, with Twinkie II making a ball on the break to hold the last shot advantage. Instead of overtime, she sportingly played a miss to give Zach the 0-1 win when he tapped in the last ball. Twinkie II remains ahead 5-3 in the series. Twinkie II fell apart late in game 9 as well, allowing Zach to pull away with a 4-5 win. Twinkie II won the series 5-4, and will visit Westside Rockers captain Misty in the Accuracy championship. Zach is the 161st player to exit the Tournament, giving Twinkie II her a fourth kill this year.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman (B) v. Quincy (S). We've got a veteran against a rookie in Rotation now as the blue cue plays its own series. Infinity's Mr. Snowman had a decent start from a bad break, but Terrace City's Quincy capitalized on the host's errors to build his offense, winning 8-1 on a three-ball run-out. Quincy leads the series at 1-0. The Knights' Quincy took the lead in game 2 early on, but couldn't hold it when the Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman pounded a five-ball run. Mr. Snowman faded too soon, and Quincy fought back, winning 8-7 to go up 2-0 in the series. Mr. Snowman slowly built up a lead in game 3, fouling in ugly manners a couple of times along the way. Quincy couldn't do anything about it, missing most of his shots as Mr. Snowman claimed an 8-1 win to cut the series to 2-1. Mr. Snowman sliced a four-ball run early on, but the lead didn't last, as Quincy shot back with a three-ball run. Mr. Snowman slogged through the rest of the game, and Quincy stung him at the end for the 8-6 win, boosting his series lead to 3-1. Quincy gained the lead early in game 5, and he held it for a good portion of the game as well. Mr. Snowman charged back after Quincy scratched with a five-ball run, but his miss on the 15 led to Quincy winning 8-7 with a tap-in. Quincy is up 4-1 in the series. Mr. Snowman almost faltered in game 6 after taking a three-ball run. Quincy built up a noticeable lead and got onto the brink of victory with a short run, but Mr. Snowman smashed a four-ball run-out for the 8-7 win, pulling back to a 4-2 deficit in the series. Mr. Snowman didn't play particularly well in game 7, but his defense stymied every attack Quincy tried to muster. Mr. Snowman had the time to go at his own pace, winning 8-0 to pull closer at 4-3 overall. Mr. Snowman couldn't get his offense going in game 8, a crucial time for him to come up lame. Quincy attacked on short runs, winning with a three-ball run-out for the 8-2 victory to secure the series at 5-3. Quincy and Mr. Snowman went back and forth throughout the cool-down game 9, with Quincy answering Mr. Snowman's late three-ball run with a pair at the end to take the win. Quincy won the game 8-7 and the series 6-3, earning his spot against Royal Crowns captain Nightfur in the Rotation Finals. Quincy took his fifth kill and a team-kill on the Torpedoes as Mr. Snowman becomes the 162nd eliminated player.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey (S) v. Anton (B). Despite the silver cue being the listed host, the equipment malfunction keeps the blue cue in action here in 7-ball. Stonebridge's Hershey made a ball on the game 1 break, but Todavía's Anton looked sharper with a four-ball run. Anton flubbed his chance on the 7 on the next turn, and Hershey converted it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey participated more in game 2, making a pair on the break and a pair at the end to sandwich a three-ball run from the Stills' Anton. Hershey again took the win, moving to a 2-0 series lead. Hershey wasted no time in laying claim to game 3, burying the 7 to the top left on the break. Anton could only watch as the deficit stretched to 3-0 in the series. Hershey remained strong in game 4, but he lacked dominance. Anton missed a bank on the 4 to the bottom right, which Hershey tapped in, but Hershey's shot on the 7 caused him to scratch, gifting a win to Anton. Hershey still holds a 3-1 series lead. Anton tried to establish himself early in game 5, but it didn't work out. Hershey took a four-ball run, and would pot the last two balls on a later turn for the win, re-upping his series lead to 4-1. Hershey had a three-ball run to start game 6, and he added the 4 later, but Anton used a three-ball run on his second turn to nab the win, cutting the series down to 4-2. Anton had a five-ball run on his second turn in game 7, a big attack but not enough when he whiffed on the 7. Hershey was there to mop up the last ball, taking the win to seal the series at 5-2. Anton did a little bit on offense in game 8, but once again he left the 7 available at the end. Hershey gladly picked it up at the top right, taking the win to push his series lead up to 6-2. Hershey tried hard to keep pressing for a win in game 9, but the chase on the 7 ultimately went in favor of Anton. Hershey won the series 6-3, earning a spot against the Royal Crowns' Jake for the 7-ball title. Hershey took his second kill of the season, a team-kill on the Stills to make Anton the 163rd eliminated player.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut (B) v. Tigerette (S). The final series of the Preliminary Finals is in 15-ball. Golden's Strut didn't play all that well initially in game 1, as Commerce's Tigerette found a little offense. Strut turned on with a four-ball run, and his next turn was a six-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut did what he could after an empty break in game 2, but he didn't have the strongest runs this time. The Tradewinds' Tigerette countered pretty well when she could, including at the end when she made a pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Strut and Tigerette sparred for much of the middle of game 3 after a hot start on both sides. Tigerette found the heat again at the end, collecting a five-ball run-out for the win and a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette appeared to find her groove pretty well in game 4, making a three-ball run early on, a five-ball run closer to the end, and the final pair of shots to take the win over Strut, who just couldn't connect late in the game. Tigerette leads the series 3-1. Tigerette opened game 5 on a six-ball run, and nearly ran longer were it not for a miss on the 7. Strut countered with fractured possession, but enough to pressure and finally defeat Tigerette for the win. Strut clawed his way back to a 3-2 deficit. Strut kept up his momentum early in game 6, attacking much more cohesively than Tigerette. That changed at the end, where Tigerette made four of the last six balls to claim the win, restoring her series lead of two games at 4-2. Strut made his best attempts on defense in game 7, weathering a rocky start to shutter Tigerette's offense in the middle of the game. Strut had a four-ball run, but lost control on the 13, and Tigerette eventually corralled it to take a three-ball run-out en route to the win. Tigerette clinched the series at 5-2. Tigerette had some half-chances on offense in game 8, belting a few good shots early. She left the 15 near the top side at one point, and Strut used the 6 as a deflecting tool to bump the cue into the 15 to pot it for the win. Tigerette remains ahead 5-3 in the series. Tigerette took game 9 as well with a fair amount of offense, finishing off a late run to beat Strut with the silver cue in its test series for the re-tip job. Tigerette won the series 6-3, giving her a spot in the 15-ball Championship against the Victoria Spurs' Yekaterina. Strut is the 164th eliminated player, with Tigerette earning her third kill of the year.
On Wednesday, the regular season portion of the Tournament closes, and the eight participants in the Tournament of Champions will be named as we enter the postseason.
Friday, November 9, 2018
Tournament 2018 - Bracket Finals Day 4
It's the last day of bracket-divided play. We have six series on to end the sixth round of action, beginning with...
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Noelle. Two underrated players meet in the blue cue's last series of the round, in 10-ball. Southridge's Bianca put the 10 in on the break in game 1, but didn't attack well later in the game. Central's Noelle would make four of the last five balls to pick up the win, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Noelle did the same thing to start game 2, which featured less organized offense between the two players. The Defenders' Bianca had plenty of chances to build her offense late in the game and she let them go, while Noelle tapped the 10 to the bottom left to claim the win, going up 2-0 in the series. Noelle scratched while making two balls on the break in game 3. Bianca had a lackluster first turn, but made the 7-10 combination to the top right after Noelle's three-ball run came to an end with a miss on the 7. Bianca's win cut the series to 2-1, favoring Noelle. Bianca made the 10 on the break again to start game 4. Noelle didn't have the best offense, faltering late after having a chance to answer Bianca's four-ball run. Bianca would clutch her performance at the end, taking the 10 Noelle missed for the win to tie the series at 2. Noelle made an early three-ball run in game 5, and added a five-ball run on her next turn as well. Bianca stepped up on the last turn to make a pair of shots for the win, poaching the win to take a 3-2 series lead. Noelle didn't have the cleanest of performances in game 6, but she still had a chance at the end before butchering a tap-in at the top side on the 10. Bianca served the 10 to the top left for the win, continuing her streak to clinch the series at 4-2. Noelle finally got a win again in game 7, challenging Bianca from the very start and getting lucky that Bianca missed on the 10. Noelle put it away to leave Bianca with a 4-3 series win, which puts the host into the Finals. Bianca went 19-11 in the event to earn her spot, and she took her fifth kill of the year to make Noelle the 151st eliminated player.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Zach. The silver cue's first appearance of the day comes in Accuracy. Pronger's Zach had a deficit in game 1 three times, but he stayed close and pushed on Terrace City's Oreo. At the end, Oreo had two quick misses, and Zach surged forward for the 3-4 win to take a 1-0 series lead with a savvy finish. The Tridents' Zach missed first in game 2, but he successfully baited the Knights' Oreo into missing as well. Zach then battled with Oreo before the host's positioning fell apart, allowing Zach to take a relatively easy 1-4 win for the 2-0 series lead. Zach made a ball on the break in game 3, but he would have a later double-pot that proved very costly to him. Oreo used the advantage late in the game to push Zach around, eventually claiming a 2-5 win for herself to cut the series to 2-1. Oreo barely kept game 4 close enough, but she managed to drag Zach down with a couple of late misses, and he couldn't do anything with his overtime break. Oreo made her shot, a 4-5 win helping her to tie the series at 2. Oreo kept going with a positive game 5 performance. The early going went well for both players, but Zach soon slipped far behind as the bottom right gave him some troubles. Oreo held her ground, winning 2-5 to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Oreo had a triple-pot from the break in a very good start in game 6. Oreo unfortunately had a pair of misses later in the game, and Zach held on with a long shot at the end to win 1-2, retying the series at 3. Zach had a ball on the break in game 7 as well, giving him the advantage early on. Oreo stayed close for the first half of the game, but she fell off with a pair of misses, and Zach closed the door with another 1-2 win. Zach took the series 4-3, and he went 20-10 on the bracket prior to the Finals. Oreo is the 152nd player out of the Tournament, giving Zach his fourth kill this year.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Shadow. Two strong opponents clash in the red cue's finale series in 12-ball. Boston's Ice Cream made quick work of game 1, attacking on a four-ball run and getting good positioning thanks to a directionless style from Web City's Shadow. Ice Cream easily took the win in four turns, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow showed a lot more intensity in game 2, making a three-ball run. The Swifts' Ice Cream had some questionable decision-making on her turns, allowing Shadow to claim the win without much challenge, tying the series at 1. Shadow had nothing on the game 3 break, allowing Ice Cream to claim stripes early on. Shadow bounced back with a four-ball run on his next turn, and he had decent positioning, never in fear of Ice Cream catching him. Shadow made a pair of shots on his last turn, earning the win for a 2-1 series lead. Ice Cream answered with five balls over two turns in game 4, putting Shadow under significant pressure. Shadow made his best attempt to play for positioning and defense, but he missed a kick on the 2 toward the bottom side, and Ice Cream made her last ball from there for the win. The series is tied at 2. Ice Cream had some good play early in game 5, but she had to bunker at the bottom left to protect it from Shadow's last shot. Ice Cream scratched a couple of times, trying to ignite a later run, but she removed her defense, and Shadow eventually slammed the 6 home for the win to regain the series lead at 3-2. Shadow started with a three-ball run early in game 6, but he went cold until making a late pair to pull even with Ice Cream. This wasn't enough, as Ice Cream tapped her last shot in at the top left for the win on the next turn, evening the series again at 3 games apiece. Ice Cream showed a bit too much gusto on the game 7 break, potting two for herself, one for Shadow as a wild-card ball, and sending the cue off the table. As the game progressed, Shadow lost the wild-card ball and gave one to Ice Cream, which allowed her a critical option at the end, as she made the 6 in the vacant bottom side for the unlikely comeback win. Ice Cream took the series 4-3, doing the minimum 18-12 on the bracket to reach the Finals. Shadow's two bids this round both failed, making him the 153rd player eliminated, while Ice Cream gets her second kill this year. This is the Swifts' second team-kill as the Spiders will go home without a medal.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Patches. Representatives from strong teams meet in 8-ball with the silver cue here. Boston's Patches ripped a four-ball run on her first turn, which Modernistic's Daisy answered with a five-ball run. Both players skidded to a slower stretch at the end, with Patches winning on a pair of shots for the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Daisy countered a pair of shots on the game 2 break from the Swifts' Patches with a magnificent eight-ball run-out. Daisy used brilliant positioning and a perfect touch on the 8 to the bottom left at the end for her one-turn win to tie the series at 1. Patches had a quick three-ball run in game 3, looking to regain control of the series with such an attack. She didn't get the chance, as Daisy took a seven-ball run-out a turn later, weaving around with her shots to grab another impressive win for the 2-1 series lead. Daisy wouldn't get a miracle run to bail her out in game 4, as Patches used three turns of positive offense to pace her attack. Patches won with a pair of shots, sending the 5 and then the 8 to the top left while Daisy had only one ball down. The series is tied again at 2. Patches began with a fierce six-ball run in game 5, which Daisy countered on her second turn to make things even before she scratched. Patches made her last ball and then put the 8 in the top right, but she scratched, giving the win away to Daisy, who takes the pivotal 3-2 series lead. Patches and Daisy exchanged three-ball runs early in game 6, keeping an even battle until Patches unraveled Daisy's defense with a five-ball run-out, including banks on the last two shots. Patches' brilliant shooting helped her get a clean win here, tying the series once more at 3. Daisy and Patches engaged in a tight game 7, neither player able to string a long run together but never wasting their turns on offense. Daisy faltered on the 8 at the end, leaving it at the top left, and Patches converted, taking the win for a 4-3 series win to get to the Finals. Patches went 19-11 on the bracket, and took her fourth kill of the year to make Daisy the 154th eliminated player. This also served as a club-kill against Celebrity and a team-kill on the Union.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Celestia. Young players play the penultimate series of the day in 7-ball with the silver cue. Stonebridge's Hershey made three balls on the break and won three shots later with a 5-7 combination to the bottom right, taking a 1-0 series lead before Oceanside's Celestia took a shot. The Wolves' Hershey eased up a bit in game 2, allowing the Waves' Celestia to take a couple of shots this time. Hershey still held a majority of the offense, winning on a three-ball run-out to push his series lead to 2-0. Hershey assembled another strong attack in game 3 with a five-ball run in the middle of the game, but he left the 7 standing. Celestia took no time to pot it at the end, poaching a win to get on the board in the 2-1 series. Celestia finally enjoyed all of the offense in game 4, beginning with a pair on the break to start a four-ball run, and she made the other three balls as well, but her bank on the 7 led to a scratch that gifted Hershey the win. Hershey leads the series 3-1 despite not potting a ball in the most recent victory. Hershey didn't have a lot to be proud about in game 5, struggling for offense for much of the game before eventually beating Celestia on a three-ball run-out. Hershey's win here sealed the series in his favor at 4-1. Hershey did everything but win in game 6, taking a six-ball run from the break but just whiffing on the 7 at the top right. Celestia buried the 7 in the top side for the win, cutting the series back to 4-2. Hershey didn't quite connect on his late offense in game 7, allowing Celestia to scoop another win by cleaning up on the 7 at the top right. Hershey settled for a 4-3 series win here to get to the Finals, having gone 21-9 in the event. Celestia is the 155th player out of the Tournament, while Hershey takes the first kill of his career. The Wolves team-killed the Waves with this series win.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Crystal. A hotshot rookie takes on a dominant captain in the final bracket-level series, using the silver cue in Rotation. Terrace City's Quincy got two balls on the break, and then he assembled a four-ball run later to hold off Queens' Crystal, who had a small counterattack but fell 8-4 to Quincy after her scratch. Quincy leads the series 1-0 early on. The Flames' Crystal had plenty of chances to generate offense in game 2 with three scratches by the Knights' Quincy. Crystal scratched once herself early to keep things close, but she pulled away on an 8-5 win at the end to tie the series at 1. Quincy bounced back with a cleaner game 3 performance, building his lead on a four-ball run and adding to it on a couple of later turns. Quincy had trouble finishing the game, allowing Crystal to rally enough to tie it, but she missed the 14 and Quincy made it for the 8-7 win to restore a series lead at 2-1. Quincy started out well enough in game 4, but he got passed when Crystal made a five-ball run to take the lead for herself. Quincy tied the game with a pair of shots, but Crystal ran away again on a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win, tying the series at 2. Crystal came up empty on the break in game 5, and her aggressive style early on allowed Quincy to stake out a lead. Two turns of offense restored a lead for Crystal, and she made a pair of shots at the end to close an 8-5 win, pulling ahead 3-2 in the series. Crystal had a solid break in game 6, but she stood no match for Quincy, who was determined to make the final game of this series count for something. Quincy attacked at a steady pace, winning 8-3 with a pair of shots including a banked 11 to the bottom right to secure the victory. The series is tied at 3. Quincy brought his absolute best in game 7, struggling off the break but making a five-ball run out of nothing to pressure Crystal. Quincy stayed strong, finishing with an 8-0 win to clinch the series at 4-3, and he goes to the Finals with an 18-12 record from the bracket. Crystal is the 156th player eliminated, the last before the Finals, giving Quincy his fourth kill this season.
That's it for the brackets. We switch over to cross-cue action, with the cue used in the remaining series being the higher-ranked player's cue. Rankings for the Finals are determined by record in event, with the tiebreaker being event qualifying rank. The Preliminary Finals (loser earns Bronze) will be on Monday, while the Championship Finals (winner earns gold, loser takes silver) will be on Wednesday.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Noelle. Two underrated players meet in the blue cue's last series of the round, in 10-ball. Southridge's Bianca put the 10 in on the break in game 1, but didn't attack well later in the game. Central's Noelle would make four of the last five balls to pick up the win, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Noelle did the same thing to start game 2, which featured less organized offense between the two players. The Defenders' Bianca had plenty of chances to build her offense late in the game and she let them go, while Noelle tapped the 10 to the bottom left to claim the win, going up 2-0 in the series. Noelle scratched while making two balls on the break in game 3. Bianca had a lackluster first turn, but made the 7-10 combination to the top right after Noelle's three-ball run came to an end with a miss on the 7. Bianca's win cut the series to 2-1, favoring Noelle. Bianca made the 10 on the break again to start game 4. Noelle didn't have the best offense, faltering late after having a chance to answer Bianca's four-ball run. Bianca would clutch her performance at the end, taking the 10 Noelle missed for the win to tie the series at 2. Noelle made an early three-ball run in game 5, and added a five-ball run on her next turn as well. Bianca stepped up on the last turn to make a pair of shots for the win, poaching the win to take a 3-2 series lead. Noelle didn't have the cleanest of performances in game 6, but she still had a chance at the end before butchering a tap-in at the top side on the 10. Bianca served the 10 to the top left for the win, continuing her streak to clinch the series at 4-2. Noelle finally got a win again in game 7, challenging Bianca from the very start and getting lucky that Bianca missed on the 10. Noelle put it away to leave Bianca with a 4-3 series win, which puts the host into the Finals. Bianca went 19-11 in the event to earn her spot, and she took her fifth kill of the year to make Noelle the 151st eliminated player.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Zach. The silver cue's first appearance of the day comes in Accuracy. Pronger's Zach had a deficit in game 1 three times, but he stayed close and pushed on Terrace City's Oreo. At the end, Oreo had two quick misses, and Zach surged forward for the 3-4 win to take a 1-0 series lead with a savvy finish. The Tridents' Zach missed first in game 2, but he successfully baited the Knights' Oreo into missing as well. Zach then battled with Oreo before the host's positioning fell apart, allowing Zach to take a relatively easy 1-4 win for the 2-0 series lead. Zach made a ball on the break in game 3, but he would have a later double-pot that proved very costly to him. Oreo used the advantage late in the game to push Zach around, eventually claiming a 2-5 win for herself to cut the series to 2-1. Oreo barely kept game 4 close enough, but she managed to drag Zach down with a couple of late misses, and he couldn't do anything with his overtime break. Oreo made her shot, a 4-5 win helping her to tie the series at 2. Oreo kept going with a positive game 5 performance. The early going went well for both players, but Zach soon slipped far behind as the bottom right gave him some troubles. Oreo held her ground, winning 2-5 to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Oreo had a triple-pot from the break in a very good start in game 6. Oreo unfortunately had a pair of misses later in the game, and Zach held on with a long shot at the end to win 1-2, retying the series at 3. Zach had a ball on the break in game 7 as well, giving him the advantage early on. Oreo stayed close for the first half of the game, but she fell off with a pair of misses, and Zach closed the door with another 1-2 win. Zach took the series 4-3, and he went 20-10 on the bracket prior to the Finals. Oreo is the 152nd player out of the Tournament, giving Zach his fourth kill this year.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ice Cream v. Shadow. Two strong opponents clash in the red cue's finale series in 12-ball. Boston's Ice Cream made quick work of game 1, attacking on a four-ball run and getting good positioning thanks to a directionless style from Web City's Shadow. Ice Cream easily took the win in four turns, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow showed a lot more intensity in game 2, making a three-ball run. The Swifts' Ice Cream had some questionable decision-making on her turns, allowing Shadow to claim the win without much challenge, tying the series at 1. Shadow had nothing on the game 3 break, allowing Ice Cream to claim stripes early on. Shadow bounced back with a four-ball run on his next turn, and he had decent positioning, never in fear of Ice Cream catching him. Shadow made a pair of shots on his last turn, earning the win for a 2-1 series lead. Ice Cream answered with five balls over two turns in game 4, putting Shadow under significant pressure. Shadow made his best attempt to play for positioning and defense, but he missed a kick on the 2 toward the bottom side, and Ice Cream made her last ball from there for the win. The series is tied at 2. Ice Cream had some good play early in game 5, but she had to bunker at the bottom left to protect it from Shadow's last shot. Ice Cream scratched a couple of times, trying to ignite a later run, but she removed her defense, and Shadow eventually slammed the 6 home for the win to regain the series lead at 3-2. Shadow started with a three-ball run early in game 6, but he went cold until making a late pair to pull even with Ice Cream. This wasn't enough, as Ice Cream tapped her last shot in at the top left for the win on the next turn, evening the series again at 3 games apiece. Ice Cream showed a bit too much gusto on the game 7 break, potting two for herself, one for Shadow as a wild-card ball, and sending the cue off the table. As the game progressed, Shadow lost the wild-card ball and gave one to Ice Cream, which allowed her a critical option at the end, as she made the 6 in the vacant bottom side for the unlikely comeback win. Ice Cream took the series 4-3, doing the minimum 18-12 on the bracket to reach the Finals. Shadow's two bids this round both failed, making him the 153rd player eliminated, while Ice Cream gets her second kill this year. This is the Swifts' second team-kill as the Spiders will go home without a medal.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Patches. Representatives from strong teams meet in 8-ball with the silver cue here. Boston's Patches ripped a four-ball run on her first turn, which Modernistic's Daisy answered with a five-ball run. Both players skidded to a slower stretch at the end, with Patches winning on a pair of shots for the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Daisy countered a pair of shots on the game 2 break from the Swifts' Patches with a magnificent eight-ball run-out. Daisy used brilliant positioning and a perfect touch on the 8 to the bottom left at the end for her one-turn win to tie the series at 1. Patches had a quick three-ball run in game 3, looking to regain control of the series with such an attack. She didn't get the chance, as Daisy took a seven-ball run-out a turn later, weaving around with her shots to grab another impressive win for the 2-1 series lead. Daisy wouldn't get a miracle run to bail her out in game 4, as Patches used three turns of positive offense to pace her attack. Patches won with a pair of shots, sending the 5 and then the 8 to the top left while Daisy had only one ball down. The series is tied again at 2. Patches began with a fierce six-ball run in game 5, which Daisy countered on her second turn to make things even before she scratched. Patches made her last ball and then put the 8 in the top right, but she scratched, giving the win away to Daisy, who takes the pivotal 3-2 series lead. Patches and Daisy exchanged three-ball runs early in game 6, keeping an even battle until Patches unraveled Daisy's defense with a five-ball run-out, including banks on the last two shots. Patches' brilliant shooting helped her get a clean win here, tying the series once more at 3. Daisy and Patches engaged in a tight game 7, neither player able to string a long run together but never wasting their turns on offense. Daisy faltered on the 8 at the end, leaving it at the top left, and Patches converted, taking the win for a 4-3 series win to get to the Finals. Patches went 19-11 on the bracket, and took her fourth kill of the year to make Daisy the 154th eliminated player. This also served as a club-kill against Celebrity and a team-kill on the Union.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Celestia. Young players play the penultimate series of the day in 7-ball with the silver cue. Stonebridge's Hershey made three balls on the break and won three shots later with a 5-7 combination to the bottom right, taking a 1-0 series lead before Oceanside's Celestia took a shot. The Wolves' Hershey eased up a bit in game 2, allowing the Waves' Celestia to take a couple of shots this time. Hershey still held a majority of the offense, winning on a three-ball run-out to push his series lead to 2-0. Hershey assembled another strong attack in game 3 with a five-ball run in the middle of the game, but he left the 7 standing. Celestia took no time to pot it at the end, poaching a win to get on the board in the 2-1 series. Celestia finally enjoyed all of the offense in game 4, beginning with a pair on the break to start a four-ball run, and she made the other three balls as well, but her bank on the 7 led to a scratch that gifted Hershey the win. Hershey leads the series 3-1 despite not potting a ball in the most recent victory. Hershey didn't have a lot to be proud about in game 5, struggling for offense for much of the game before eventually beating Celestia on a three-ball run-out. Hershey's win here sealed the series in his favor at 4-1. Hershey did everything but win in game 6, taking a six-ball run from the break but just whiffing on the 7 at the top right. Celestia buried the 7 in the top side for the win, cutting the series back to 4-2. Hershey didn't quite connect on his late offense in game 7, allowing Celestia to scoop another win by cleaning up on the 7 at the top right. Hershey settled for a 4-3 series win here to get to the Finals, having gone 21-9 in the event. Celestia is the 155th player out of the Tournament, while Hershey takes the first kill of his career. The Wolves team-killed the Waves with this series win.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Quincy v. Crystal. A hotshot rookie takes on a dominant captain in the final bracket-level series, using the silver cue in Rotation. Terrace City's Quincy got two balls on the break, and then he assembled a four-ball run later to hold off Queens' Crystal, who had a small counterattack but fell 8-4 to Quincy after her scratch. Quincy leads the series 1-0 early on. The Flames' Crystal had plenty of chances to generate offense in game 2 with three scratches by the Knights' Quincy. Crystal scratched once herself early to keep things close, but she pulled away on an 8-5 win at the end to tie the series at 1. Quincy bounced back with a cleaner game 3 performance, building his lead on a four-ball run and adding to it on a couple of later turns. Quincy had trouble finishing the game, allowing Crystal to rally enough to tie it, but she missed the 14 and Quincy made it for the 8-7 win to restore a series lead at 2-1. Quincy started out well enough in game 4, but he got passed when Crystal made a five-ball run to take the lead for herself. Quincy tied the game with a pair of shots, but Crystal ran away again on a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win, tying the series at 2. Crystal came up empty on the break in game 5, and her aggressive style early on allowed Quincy to stake out a lead. Two turns of offense restored a lead for Crystal, and she made a pair of shots at the end to close an 8-5 win, pulling ahead 3-2 in the series. Crystal had a solid break in game 6, but she stood no match for Quincy, who was determined to make the final game of this series count for something. Quincy attacked at a steady pace, winning 8-3 with a pair of shots including a banked 11 to the bottom right to secure the victory. The series is tied at 3. Quincy brought his absolute best in game 7, struggling off the break but making a five-ball run out of nothing to pressure Crystal. Quincy stayed strong, finishing with an 8-0 win to clinch the series at 4-3, and he goes to the Finals with an 18-12 record from the bracket. Crystal is the 156th player eliminated, the last before the Finals, giving Quincy his fourth kill this season.
That's it for the brackets. We switch over to cross-cue action, with the cue used in the remaining series being the higher-ranked player's cue. Rankings for the Finals are determined by record in event, with the tiebreaker being event qualifying rank. The Preliminary Finals (loser earns Bronze) will be on Monday, while the Championship Finals (winner earns gold, loser takes silver) will be on Wednesday.
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