This is our tenth game day of the top tier of games, and we begin in...
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell v. Juno. The red cue gets a series of Accuracy to lead off the games for the day. Whitewater's Marsell showed promise early in game 1 after a painfully slow start, and while it was tied late, Stonebridge's Juno missed her last three shots to make it look worse than it was. Marsell won 3-6, taking a 1-0 series lead as he controlled the game late. Game 2 went poorly for both sides, but the Shores' Marsell came out on top of the sloppy game with a 4-6 win, as the Wolves' Juno had virtually control over her shot. Marsell's sufficient performance earned him a 2-0 series lead, although quality of play concerns are rampant. Game 3 was even worse, getting to be very close in the end, and while Juno held a late lead, she collapsed and lost 5-6 to Marsell, allowing him to earn the sweep.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Dusky. The blue cue gets its turn in 12-ball for this series that will determine if there are games to play after lunch. Archtown's Dusky received a wild-card ball from the break after Capital City's Missy made one of each. Missy scratched twice late, allowing Dusky to get set up and execute her final shots, giving Dusky the 1-0 series lead when she won game 1. The Arrows' Dusky had a rough time in game 2, trying to maintain position against a more aggressive attack from the Sharpshooters' Missy. In the end, they each needed a side pocket, and Dusky missed contact while Missy was in a bad position. Dusky's next turn ended the game in her favor, clinching the series at 2-0. Missy showed her best performance in game 3, making a five-ball run on her first turn, and patiently positioning herself at the top left for her final shot. Dusky fired back a bit, but Missy would take the win. Dusky advances with a 2-1 series win.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Violetta. A decent sophomore takes on a hyped rookie in 8-ball with the blue cue. Queens' Violetta weathered a four-ball run from Everton's Kirstin early in game 1, and then Violetta went all the way on an eight-ball run-out to snag the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta took a bit longer in game 2, as her more congested break led to choppier runs for herself and for the Eagles' Kirstin. Violetta pulled ahead initially and managed to stave off Kirstin at the end, with Violetta closing out on a pair of tap-ins for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Kirstin had a better pace in game 3, dominating play until the end, where Violetta's trick bank on the 10 actually potted the 12 to the top right and left the 10 in line at the bottom side. Violetta completed the three-ball run-out on the 8 to the bottom right, winning to make it 3-0 series sweep that she'll advance to the second round with.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Valencia. Two big-name captains clash in Accuracy with the silver cue. Game 1 was highly competitive, as neither player missed a shot for much of the game until Harrison's Twinkie II just rattled one out. Golden's Valencia would not budge, holding on for the 0-1 win and 1-0 series lead in about as perfect a game as there could be. The Pilots' Valencia took a step back in game 2, but not as much as the Specters' Twinkie II did, as the perfection of game 1 gave way to a much sloppier battle. Valencia's break was poor, and she just held onto a tie at mid-game before breaking away for the 3-6 win to go ahead 2-0 in the series as Twinkie II collapsed in the end. Valencia made three balls on the break in game 3, but this only served to shorten the runway for her, and in the end, the Pilot captain crashed to a 3-4 loss as Twinkie II held on just long enough to get a win in the end. The mixed series sees Valencia advance on a 2-1 series win.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Prism v. Dusty. A rookie hosts a superstar in 7-ball with the red cue. Stonebridge's Prism got off to a wonderful start, getting the right bounces to put the 7 in the bottom side off the game 1 break, stunning Golden's Dusty as Prism takes a quick 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Prism played well in game 2, making an early three-ball run and adding two more later on, but the Pilots' Dusty made the 7 when it counted after Prism left it short at the top right. Dusty's clutch shot tied the series at 1, and with lots of break movement, could prove critical. Dusty boosted her offense with a three-ball run-out in game 3 on just her second turn, shutting Prism down effectively late in the series. Dusty advances with a hard-fought 2-1 series that was much closer than anticipated.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sugar v. Leonardo. Players in new places meet in another 7-ball series, this with the blue cue. Midland's Leonardo almost leeched game 1 off of Harrison's Sugar, letting the host do the early work on a three-ball run before he struck later. Leonardo missed on the 7, and Sugar tapped it in to take her rightful win and a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sugar kept the Predators' Leonardo from the table in game 2. Sugar made three balls on the break: the 4 to the bottom right, the 1 to the bottom side, and the 7 drifting to the top left for the win, giving her the 2-0 series lead. Sugar didn't have the same command in game 3, slipping around the table and allowing Leonardo to collect enough possession to get on the 7 and sink it, winning the game. Sugar still took the series 2-1, and will host the Neopolitan Surfers' co-captain Neopolitan in the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Hannah. Staying in the Northeast, we have Accuracy with the red cue in this series. Everton's Blizzard had a slow start to game 1, allowing Royal's Hannah to build some confidence. Blizzard squashed this at the end, forcing Hannah into misses, which helped Blizzard eventually win 2-3 for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Hannah played better in game 2, and also smarter, allowing herself to stay calm when she couldn't take an early lead against the Eagles' Blizzard. In the end, Blizzard making a ball on the break hurt her, as she missed the final ball and Hannah converted to win 1-2, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw each player make seven shots in a row after an empty break from Hannah, and once again Blizzard missed on the last ball, which Hannah tapped in for the 0-1 win and the 2-1 series win. Hannah is into the second round for the first time with this bid.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Leonette. The silver cue is back, playing Rotation between these two average veterans. Pacific's Leonette made the 1-5-6-2 combination to the top right in game 1, a double-pot as the 6 also fell. She had trouble shaking Infinity's Mr. Snowman, who tied it on his first turn and had a four-ball run to take the lead later on. Leonette replied with a pair of three-ball runs, the latter winning the game 8-6 for her as she goes ahead 1-0 in the series. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman took control in game 2, a much slower moving game than the previous installment. This pace frustrated the Volcanoes' Leonette, who couldn't assemble a run and fell behind. Mr. Snowman slowly worked his way to the win, tying the series with an 8-4 result in his favor. Mr. Snowman built up an early lead in game 3, but Leonette didn't fall for the same trick twice, bursting forward with a four-ball run to get set. Mr. Snowman offered resistance, but Leonette finished it on long shot to win 8-6, taking the series 2-1 as she advances to the second round.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Shannon v. Bianca. An outgoing veteran faces an incoming rookie in Accuracy with the red cue. Southern's Shannon had a great game 1, and while Southridge's Bianca held on for awhile, she couldn't stick throughout. Shannon eventually pulled away with a 1-3 win to take a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Shannon faltered quite a bit in game 2, throwing away the advantage of breaking very early on. The Defenders' Bianca stepped up into the void, playing a great game, and she was rewarded with the 1-4 win to tie the series at 1. Bianca improved even more in game 3, with Shannon's early miss the only one in the game. Bianca locked things down in her 0-1 win, taking the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Jennifer Livilotti. Strong players meet in 8-ball with the silver cue. Terrace City's Jennifer pulled off a shutout in two turns in game 1, making a five-ball run after a nice break from Pacific's Ms. Kitty, and closing with a clever three-ball run-out for the win, giving Jennifer a well-earned 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer faced a tougher battle in game 2, as the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty paced her attack with a four-ball run. Jennifer made a close finish, but her three-ball run came up short on the 8, and Ms. Kitty made her final two shots to win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 was competitive, but it saw Jennifer go on a run to take the lead, and while Ms. Kitty battled back and tried to defend, Jennifer poked the 8 into the bottom right to take the win and a 2-1 series win. Jennifer advances to the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Isabella. The blue cue is back for a series of Accuracy, a popular game today. Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles refused to come up empty handed in game 1, keeping even with Atlantic's Isabella until he left her with a poor shooting angle at the end. She predictably missed, and Nibbles made the shot to win 2-3 for a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Nibbles fell into a tie late in game 2's regulation rack, and the Pirates' Isabella stayed strong to force overtime. Nibbles successfully did a soft break, buying himself some time, but his third overtime miss allowed Isabella to win 4-5, tying the series at 1. Game 3 looked a lot like game 2 when Isabella couldn't hold a lead in the early going. Nibbles kept it tied up to the end, and he had the overtime break, electing to let fly this time. He missed, but Isabella did too, and it was Nibbles' second miss that doomed him. Isabella converted on the 11 for a 3-4 win, taking the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Dewey v. Klaus. Another pair of rookies goes to battle in 10-ball with the blue cue as we bring the day to an end. Atlantic's Klaus had the better of play in game 1, although both he and Oceanside's Dewey had rookie mistakes throughout the game. Klaus had a number of too-soft shots, but he got the job done and his win takes him to a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw the Waves' Dewey just barely outlast the Pirates' Klaus in a fairly sloppy game for both players. Dewey had an early chance to win, but missed his shot on the 1 that would have led him to a combination. Klaus continued to under-hit a few shots, and his last of those allowed Dewey to win, tying the series at 1. Dewey burst forward in game 3, making a ball on the break and then battling until Klaus worked a three-ball run that could have been more. Dewey shut the door with a four-ball run-out, earning the win for a 2-1 series win. Dewey is through to the second round.
That's all for pool today.
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Tournament 2017: A-level First Round - Day 9
We're back for the middle day of pool this week, beginning with...
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Shadow. The blue cue gets another look in 7-ball, the busiest bracket of the round. Whitewater's Twinkie III had the better of play in game 1, but she couldn't convert on a 4-7 combination toward the bottom right, and Web City's Shadow used the 4 to deflect the cue into the 7, scoring it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow continued his good play in game 2, nearly making the 7 on the break at the bottom left. The Shores' Twinkie III never got a good look at it, and Shadow won on a three-ball run-out capped by a solid 6-7 combination, giving him a 2-0 series lead. Twinkie III had a five-ball run after Shadow scratched on the break in game 3, and then she made the last two balls on the next turn, salvaging a win from the series. Shadow advances on a 2-1 series win, and will face the Tradewinds' Tigerette at Commerce's Nike Field Events Center in the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Valencia. A pair of Pilots meet in 8-ball with the silver cue in a celebration of the team. Game 1 saw each player execute a five-ball run, with Charlton's coming earlier in the game than Valencia's. This was critical, as Valencia's ended with a miss on the 8, and Charlton cleaned it up to win, taking a 1-0 series lead. Charlton showed strength in game 2 as well, pushing Valencia around the table and keeping the captain from many good shooting positions. Charlton closed the game out with a well-played three-ball run-out, clinching the series at 2-0. Charlton put up a great run from the break in game 3, making seven of her own balls and one for Valencia before missing on the 8. Valencia, undeterred by the run against her, won with a seven-ball run-out to make it a 2-1 series. Charlton advances to the second round in a solid series.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Mario. The red cue gets its daily debut in 7-ball between a veteran and a rookie. Royal's Nightfur ended up with the game 1 win despite a more dynamic performance from Central's Mario, who made two pairs of shots with significant movement on the ball. Nightfur, however, holds the 1-0 series lead. This win proved critical for the Crowns' Nightfur, who blasted the game 2 break and took the 2 and 7 in the top left for another win, stunning the Warriors' Mario by keeping him from the table as Nightfur clinched the series at 2-0. Nightfur again dominated play in game 3, making a pair of balls early on and a four-ball run-out at the end to make it a 3-0 series sweep over the disheartened Mario. Nightfur advances to the second round with the strong finish.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Gradley. The blue cue returns to lead off the afternoon session, with Accuracy in this series. Boston's Gradley had a slow start in game 1, but everything flipped around when Todavía's Sparkles scratched, the first of many misses. Gradley faltered late but held on for the 3-4 win and a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley just didn't have his shot in game 2, while the Stills' Sparkles showed great improvement in winning 2-6, avoiding any scratches that would have derailed her. Sparkles' growth helped her equalize the series at 1 game apiece. Sparkles had another scratch in game 3, allowing Gradley to dictate much of the game. Sparkles came close but couldn't catch up, as Gradley held on to win 3-4 again, taking the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Paps. The red cue is back for more 7-ball in this series. Queens' Crystal came out strong with a four-ball run from the break in game 1, but she scratched while making the 3, and Eastside's Paps took over from here. Paps converted a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to win, taking a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw both players miss shots to cut their runs short, making for a choppier game. The Sharks' Paps had the worst of it with a late scratch, allowing the Flames' Crystal to even the series at 1 with her last two shots, including a bank on the 7 to the bottom side. Game 3 was even worse for shot quality, and it proved lethal to Crystal, whose miss on the 7 left Paps lined up on the tap-in for the win and a 2-1 series win. Crystal's sudden collapse allowed Paps to advance to the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Nightfur. The red cue stays in action for 9-ball as the host makes a quick return to play. Todavía's Sparkles couldn't get anything on the break, allowing Royal's Nightfur to make a four-ball run before she got hit will illegal use of the stick. Sparkles took a three-ball run, but Nightfur had good positions, only to miss the 9, allowing Sparkles to pick up the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sparkles led off a slow-starting game 2 with a three-ball run, only to be matched by the Crowns' Nightfur. Sparkles shot back with a three-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series at 2-0 with the tough and fast game. Sparkles had a close battle again in game 3, but she defended against Nightfur pretty well, and eventually broke free with the last two shots to get the win, sweeping the series 3-0. Sparkles advances to the second round after a strong series.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Gizmo v. Sprinkles. The blue cue is back now, playing 15-ball between these veterans. Game 1 was fairly normal, as both players made their mistakes early on and had a few misses late. The 15 fell to Capital City's Sprinkles after Central's Gizmo missed on it, and Sprinkles converted for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Gizmo fell quickly in game 2, making illegal contact as he shot at the 2. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles used ball-in-hand for a cluster-buster shot, but the leave allowed her to convert the 2-15 combination easily to the top right, securing the series at 2-0 with the quick result. Gizmo stepped up with a dominant game 3, working an early five-ball run and making the last five balls over two turns as he stomped Sprinkles for the win. Sprinkles ended up taking the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Citrus. The red cue is back as we play 10-ball this time. Diamond's Citrus seemed to make a handful more shots in game 1 than did Boston's Puff II, but it was all for naught when Citrus scratched on her failed attempt at the 10. Puff II made it from ball-in-hand to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Citrus dominated in the early stages of game 2, but she missed on the 7, and the Swifts' Puff II answered Citrus' five-ball run with a three-ball run-out. Puff II clinched the series with the clutch finishing run. Puff II didn't have the same command on her shots in game 3, allowing Citrus a bit more room to dictate play, and Citrus did so to the point of getting the win. Puff II took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Patches. We're back to 7-ball again, and the red cue is in line for the series. Boston's Patches had a decent effort in game 1, but a slight lack of control opened the door for Web City's Shiny to produce a three-ball run-out, using good positioning to pick up the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shiny didn't get much of a chance to support herself in game 2, as the Swifts' Patches needed only one turn to get the win. Patches constructed a four-ball run-out, ending on a long-distance and tough-angle 4-7 bank combination to the top left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Shiny just about had game 3 under control, but she missed on the 7, ending a four-ball run and allowing Patches to tap in the 7 for the win. Patches took the series 2-1 on this shot.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Nightfur. A busy day for the Crowns captain continues as she faces the Blades captain in 8-ball with the blue cue. Royal's Nightfur didn't have the best game 1, as she watched Swordpoint's Snowball post a five-ball run early on. Snowball struggled a bit, but nearly won, as she made the 8 between the 9 and 11, but also scratched to gift Nightfur the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball shot right back with a five-ball run in game 2, which the Crowns' Nightfur immediately matched. In the race to the finish. Nightfur just missed on the 8, and Snowball made the last two shots to win, tying the series at 1 with the determined effort. Nightfur made a huge burst forward in game 3, pushing Snowball into a defensive posture. Snowball needed two turns to pull level, but missed on the 8, ending a three-ball run and allowing Nightfur a simple cut on the 8 for the win on her third try. Nightfur also took the series 2-1 with the win.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Stephanie Livilotti. The silver cue is finally back to play 9-ball, between a troubled captain and fresh rookie. Atlantic's Delila didn't start all that well, allowing Southridge's Stephanie the space to make a three-ball run. Delila clamped down at the end, rattling off a four-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Stephanie had runs of three and four balls in game 2, but she missed on the 9 late in the game, leaving it short at the top right. While not playing all that well, the Pirates' Delila made the tap-in to secure the series at 2-0. Delila had a three-ball run going when she missed contact on the 5 in game 3, and Stephanie stepped up to win in two shots, making the 5 from ball-in-hand and then an easy 6-9 combination to the bottom right. Delila still took the series 2-1, punching her ticket to the uncharted lands of the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Frosty v. B. Chapman. Two of the league's perfect qualifiers meet in Accuracy with the red cue. Stonebridge's Frosty had a strong game 1, but Victoria's Chapman stayed touch-tight until the end, where each player had a late mistake. Frosty scratched on the last ball, giving the overtime break to Chapman, who couldn't make anything of it. Frosty took the win 2-3 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Chapman had a decent game 2, with a break from the Wolves' Frosty that provided a bit more trouble than game 1. Chapman had to stave off Frosty late, earning the 3-4 win to tie the series at 1, setting up a pivotal final game of the day. Game 3 saw a great finish after a shaky start, going into overtime tied. Frosty made a ball on the overtime break, but couldn't make anything on her second shot, and Chapman won 2-3 to take the series 2-1. Chapman is into the second round.
That's all for the Tournament today. We will be back tomorrow.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Shadow. The blue cue gets another look in 7-ball, the busiest bracket of the round. Whitewater's Twinkie III had the better of play in game 1, but she couldn't convert on a 4-7 combination toward the bottom right, and Web City's Shadow used the 4 to deflect the cue into the 7, scoring it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow continued his good play in game 2, nearly making the 7 on the break at the bottom left. The Shores' Twinkie III never got a good look at it, and Shadow won on a three-ball run-out capped by a solid 6-7 combination, giving him a 2-0 series lead. Twinkie III had a five-ball run after Shadow scratched on the break in game 3, and then she made the last two balls on the next turn, salvaging a win from the series. Shadow advances on a 2-1 series win, and will face the Tradewinds' Tigerette at Commerce's Nike Field Events Center in the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Valencia. A pair of Pilots meet in 8-ball with the silver cue in a celebration of the team. Game 1 saw each player execute a five-ball run, with Charlton's coming earlier in the game than Valencia's. This was critical, as Valencia's ended with a miss on the 8, and Charlton cleaned it up to win, taking a 1-0 series lead. Charlton showed strength in game 2 as well, pushing Valencia around the table and keeping the captain from many good shooting positions. Charlton closed the game out with a well-played three-ball run-out, clinching the series at 2-0. Charlton put up a great run from the break in game 3, making seven of her own balls and one for Valencia before missing on the 8. Valencia, undeterred by the run against her, won with a seven-ball run-out to make it a 2-1 series. Charlton advances to the second round in a solid series.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Mario. The red cue gets its daily debut in 7-ball between a veteran and a rookie. Royal's Nightfur ended up with the game 1 win despite a more dynamic performance from Central's Mario, who made two pairs of shots with significant movement on the ball. Nightfur, however, holds the 1-0 series lead. This win proved critical for the Crowns' Nightfur, who blasted the game 2 break and took the 2 and 7 in the top left for another win, stunning the Warriors' Mario by keeping him from the table as Nightfur clinched the series at 2-0. Nightfur again dominated play in game 3, making a pair of balls early on and a four-ball run-out at the end to make it a 3-0 series sweep over the disheartened Mario. Nightfur advances to the second round with the strong finish.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Gradley. The blue cue returns to lead off the afternoon session, with Accuracy in this series. Boston's Gradley had a slow start in game 1, but everything flipped around when Todavía's Sparkles scratched, the first of many misses. Gradley faltered late but held on for the 3-4 win and a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley just didn't have his shot in game 2, while the Stills' Sparkles showed great improvement in winning 2-6, avoiding any scratches that would have derailed her. Sparkles' growth helped her equalize the series at 1 game apiece. Sparkles had another scratch in game 3, allowing Gradley to dictate much of the game. Sparkles came close but couldn't catch up, as Gradley held on to win 3-4 again, taking the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Paps. The red cue is back for more 7-ball in this series. Queens' Crystal came out strong with a four-ball run from the break in game 1, but she scratched while making the 3, and Eastside's Paps took over from here. Paps converted a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to win, taking a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw both players miss shots to cut their runs short, making for a choppier game. The Sharks' Paps had the worst of it with a late scratch, allowing the Flames' Crystal to even the series at 1 with her last two shots, including a bank on the 7 to the bottom side. Game 3 was even worse for shot quality, and it proved lethal to Crystal, whose miss on the 7 left Paps lined up on the tap-in for the win and a 2-1 series win. Crystal's sudden collapse allowed Paps to advance to the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Nightfur. The red cue stays in action for 9-ball as the host makes a quick return to play. Todavía's Sparkles couldn't get anything on the break, allowing Royal's Nightfur to make a four-ball run before she got hit will illegal use of the stick. Sparkles took a three-ball run, but Nightfur had good positions, only to miss the 9, allowing Sparkles to pick up the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sparkles led off a slow-starting game 2 with a three-ball run, only to be matched by the Crowns' Nightfur. Sparkles shot back with a three-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series at 2-0 with the tough and fast game. Sparkles had a close battle again in game 3, but she defended against Nightfur pretty well, and eventually broke free with the last two shots to get the win, sweeping the series 3-0. Sparkles advances to the second round after a strong series.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Gizmo v. Sprinkles. The blue cue is back now, playing 15-ball between these veterans. Game 1 was fairly normal, as both players made their mistakes early on and had a few misses late. The 15 fell to Capital City's Sprinkles after Central's Gizmo missed on it, and Sprinkles converted for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Gizmo fell quickly in game 2, making illegal contact as he shot at the 2. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles used ball-in-hand for a cluster-buster shot, but the leave allowed her to convert the 2-15 combination easily to the top right, securing the series at 2-0 with the quick result. Gizmo stepped up with a dominant game 3, working an early five-ball run and making the last five balls over two turns as he stomped Sprinkles for the win. Sprinkles ended up taking the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Citrus. The red cue is back as we play 10-ball this time. Diamond's Citrus seemed to make a handful more shots in game 1 than did Boston's Puff II, but it was all for naught when Citrus scratched on her failed attempt at the 10. Puff II made it from ball-in-hand to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Citrus dominated in the early stages of game 2, but she missed on the 7, and the Swifts' Puff II answered Citrus' five-ball run with a three-ball run-out. Puff II clinched the series with the clutch finishing run. Puff II didn't have the same command on her shots in game 3, allowing Citrus a bit more room to dictate play, and Citrus did so to the point of getting the win. Puff II took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Patches. We're back to 7-ball again, and the red cue is in line for the series. Boston's Patches had a decent effort in game 1, but a slight lack of control opened the door for Web City's Shiny to produce a three-ball run-out, using good positioning to pick up the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shiny didn't get much of a chance to support herself in game 2, as the Swifts' Patches needed only one turn to get the win. Patches constructed a four-ball run-out, ending on a long-distance and tough-angle 4-7 bank combination to the top left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Shiny just about had game 3 under control, but she missed on the 7, ending a four-ball run and allowing Patches to tap in the 7 for the win. Patches took the series 2-1 on this shot.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Nightfur. A busy day for the Crowns captain continues as she faces the Blades captain in 8-ball with the blue cue. Royal's Nightfur didn't have the best game 1, as she watched Swordpoint's Snowball post a five-ball run early on. Snowball struggled a bit, but nearly won, as she made the 8 between the 9 and 11, but also scratched to gift Nightfur the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball shot right back with a five-ball run in game 2, which the Crowns' Nightfur immediately matched. In the race to the finish. Nightfur just missed on the 8, and Snowball made the last two shots to win, tying the series at 1 with the determined effort. Nightfur made a huge burst forward in game 3, pushing Snowball into a defensive posture. Snowball needed two turns to pull level, but missed on the 8, ending a three-ball run and allowing Nightfur a simple cut on the 8 for the win on her third try. Nightfur also took the series 2-1 with the win.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Stephanie Livilotti. The silver cue is finally back to play 9-ball, between a troubled captain and fresh rookie. Atlantic's Delila didn't start all that well, allowing Southridge's Stephanie the space to make a three-ball run. Delila clamped down at the end, rattling off a four-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Stephanie had runs of three and four balls in game 2, but she missed on the 9 late in the game, leaving it short at the top right. While not playing all that well, the Pirates' Delila made the tap-in to secure the series at 2-0. Delila had a three-ball run going when she missed contact on the 5 in game 3, and Stephanie stepped up to win in two shots, making the 5 from ball-in-hand and then an easy 6-9 combination to the bottom right. Delila still took the series 2-1, punching her ticket to the uncharted lands of the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Frosty v. B. Chapman. Two of the league's perfect qualifiers meet in Accuracy with the red cue. Stonebridge's Frosty had a strong game 1, but Victoria's Chapman stayed touch-tight until the end, where each player had a late mistake. Frosty scratched on the last ball, giving the overtime break to Chapman, who couldn't make anything of it. Frosty took the win 2-3 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Chapman had a decent game 2, with a break from the Wolves' Frosty that provided a bit more trouble than game 1. Chapman had to stave off Frosty late, earning the 3-4 win to tie the series at 1, setting up a pivotal final game of the day. Game 3 saw a great finish after a shaky start, going into overtime tied. Frosty made a ball on the overtime break, but couldn't make anything on her second shot, and Chapman won 2-3 to take the series 2-1. Chapman is into the second round.
That's all for the Tournament today. We will be back tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Tournament 2017: A-level First Round - Day 8
We're back for another day of Tournament action, beginning with...
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Dewey. The first series of the day is on the very busy 7-ball blue cue bracket. North Modernistic's Cheddar had no precision for her shots in game 1, making it fairly easy for a slightly strong Dewey of Oceanside to make the shots necessary to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar stepped better in game 2, capitalizing on some minor mistakes from the Waves' Dewey to score a three-ball run-out for the win. Cheddar's stronger play in the win earned a tying position in the series, at 1 game apiece. Cheddar had a great break in game 3, sinking the 7 to the top left, but the cue fell for a scratch in the bottom side at the same time, gifting the win and the 2-1 series to Dewey, who advances to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shadow v. Potter. The silver cue makes its daily debut in 15-ball for this series. Web City's Shadow saw a number of good turns for himself, between a two-ball break and a seven-ball run late in the game, but he scratched while making the 14. Pronger's Potter got outplayed, but won anyway, making the 15 from ball-in-hand for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Potter came up clutch after an amazing contact play from the Spiders' Shadow, who glanced the 3 after sending the cue between the 13 and 15. Potter replied with a hard jam on the 3, with the intent of taking the 4 at the top right, but with a result of winning as the 15 legally fell in the bottom right, sealing the series at a stunning 2-0. Potter played well in game 3, riding a wave of confidence, but Shadow made sure to salvage a win, making six of the last seven balls on three-ball runs to get the win. Potter stunningly took the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Peach. We stay in place for a venue doubleheader, with the red cue playing 10-ball this time. Web City's Ted needed a little time to get going in game 1, but when he did, he had a five-ball run. North Modernistic's Peach scratched on her turn, and Ted made the final two balls from ball-in-hand to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Ted seemed to have a loose control on game 2, but he couldn't make it hold up when he missed a kick attempt on the 8. The Nighthawks' Peach converted with a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win, tying the series at 1. Peach seemed to have turned a corner in game 3, working a late four-ball run, but it ended with a scratch, and Ted made the final two balls to get the win and a 2-1 series win as well. Ted takes the win to go to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Wings v. Shaggy. The red cue stays in action after lunch, playing 9-ball. Pearl's Wings had a bit of slow start in game 1, but Whitewater's Shaggy never felt comfortable, and Wings grew into the game. Wings controlled the pace of play, making shots in pairs as he marched to the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy was better in game 2, making the first two balls and a three-ball run-out to tie the series, which sufficed to hold off the Surfers' Wings with his four-ball run in the middle of the game. Wings bounced back in a gritty game 3, which saw Shaggy's struggles last a bit too long. Wings made a four-ball run-out, ending on a 7-9 combination to the top right for the win and a 2-1 series win to send Wings through to the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lorde v. Jake. The silver cue returns to action for some 7-ball. Commerce's Lorde skidded out of the gates in game 1, allowing Royal's Jake to make a three-ball run, but he soon lost control of the game, and Lorde replied with the last two shots to win, earning a 1-0 lead in the series. The Crowns' Jake had a four-ball run in game 2, but he was lucky to get the 6 on a second-touch deflection, and he missed the cut on the 7 with a scratch. The Tradewinds' Lorde mopped up the game, tapping in the 7 from ball-in-hand to clinch the series at 2-0. Lorde had the better of play in game 3, but came up with nothing to show for it when she missed the 7 and Jake replied by burying it on his most confident shot of the game. Lorde settled for a 2-1 series win to get to the second round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Nicole v. Starlight. A tough series awaits in 12-ball with the silver cue. Capital City's Nicole had a tough battle in game 1, as she scratched three times while trying to make a ball at the top right. Pacific's Starlight fought for position on her last ball at the bottom left, and then completely whiffed on it, allowing Nicole to make her final two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Nicole did a better job of earning her win in game 2, making the best of a bad break with good positioning, while the Volcanoes' Starlight sputtered around the table on a bunch of half-shots. Nicole secured the series at 2-0 in a dominant effort. Nicole burst out to a big lead in game 3, but Starlight almost managed to turn a heavy defensive task into an offensive outburst. She came within a ball of winning, but Nicole made her final shot just in time to make it a 3-0 series sweep that will take her to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Charli XCX. The silver cue remains in play for 9-ball. Tysini's Charli absolutely got a gift in game 1, as Boston's Puff II had the better game, but she missed on the 9 from ball-in-hand after Charli's scratch, and Charli made the 9 on her second try to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. Charli came up big for the Hummingbirds' in game 2 as well, making a double-pot at the end with the 5-8 combination to the top right and a draw off the 5 to sink the cue in the bottom right, never giving the Swifts' Puff II a chance to reply. Charli clinched the series at 2-0. Charli and Puff II each had something to regret at the end of game 3, as Charli's early run went to waste when she couldn't tap the 9 in after Puff II rattled it out the first time. Puff II made it on her second try, leaving Charli with a 2-1 series win to take to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Spice. The silver cue remains in action for more 7-ball. Victoria's Spice was lucky to win game 1, as Modernistic's Puff I couldn't make the 7 on a long cut shot attempt after Spice's first miss. Spice buried it on her second try, giving her the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Spice couldn't get as lucky in game 2, struggling on occasions and allowing the Union's Puff I to make the final two shots for the win. Puff I's strong finishing play allowed her to tie the series at 1 with the win. Spice was able to get the game 3 win after a major error by Puff I, who was on a three-ball run when she blocked herself on a shot toward the 6. Spice made the last two balls from ball-in-hand, taking the series 2-1 along with the win.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Dusty. The blue cue gets a turn to play Rotation between these well-known competitors. Swordpoint's Dreamy drained four on the break in game 1: the 13 to the top right, the 5 and 10 to the bottom right, and the 7 to the bottom side. That would just about be the extent of her offense, as Golden's Dusty rallied from the early deficit to win 8-5 in a matter of three turns, including a three-ball run-out to give her a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Dreamy built up a lead again in game 2, and while the Pilots' Dusty again drew level with her, Dreamy was faster to shut the door, pulling off a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Dreamy had the early advantage in game 3, as Dusty had a number of scratches nullifying her efforts. Dusty came back around when Dreamy started scratching, and Dusty rallied off a four-ball run-out to win 8-6, taking the series 2-1. Dusty makes it to the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Dewey v. Diddley. The blue cue stays in action this time, playing 8-ball between these familiar foes. Maplewood's Diddley was on the brink of a win in a chippy game 1, but he couldn't corral the 8. Oceanside's Dewey thought he had won with a three-ball run-out, but the cue drifted all the way to the top right, scratching to give Diddley the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Diddley continued to play well at the start of game 2, but it didn't take long for the Waves' Dewey to find his shot, and he executed a stunning six-ball run-out, ending with a perfect bank on the 8 to the bottom side for the winner, tying the series at 1. Diddley survived a five-ball run from Dewey at the start, battling neck-and-neck at the end until Dewey missed on the 8 and Diddley made the last two shots to take the series 2-1. Diddley advances to the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Hannah v. Shawn. The game is once again 9-ball, with the red cue, as a rookie challenges a steady veteran. Midland's Shawn weathered a bold four-ball run from Royal's Hannah over the middle of the game, and then charged back with a bank on the 8 to the bottom right that aligned him on the 9 for the win, putting Shawn ahead 1-0 in the series. The Predators' Shawn made sure game 2 was quick, burying the 9 to the bottom right on the break, and also scoring the 1 to the top side. The Crowns' Hannah never got to the table as Shawn clinched the series at 2-0 with the sturdy shot. Game 3 was also decided on the break, but this didn't go Shawn's way, as the 6 went to the top left while the cue followed the 9 to the bottom right for the loss. Hannah's shotless win made it a 2-1 series win for Shawn as he heads to the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Strut. The last series of the day pits stars against each other in more 9-ball with the red cue. Golden's Strut almost made a 6-9 bank combination in game 1, after earning a spell of possession. Swordpoint's Snowball tried a kick on the same combination, but failed, and Strut converted it from ball-in-hand to win and take a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut continued to carry an advantage in play in game 2, making a ball on the break and ending with a three-ball run-out after a contested middle part of the game. The Blades' Snowball could have gone on the finishing run, but couldn't make the 5 to the top left, and Strut did to earn a 2-0 series lead with his win. Snowball simply outplayed Strut in game 3, as Strut didn't take the final frame too seriously, and Snowball used it to save some face. The series went 2-1 for Strut, sending him to the second round.
That's all for the Pool action today. I anticipate playing cricket today, unlike last night.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Dewey. The first series of the day is on the very busy 7-ball blue cue bracket. North Modernistic's Cheddar had no precision for her shots in game 1, making it fairly easy for a slightly strong Dewey of Oceanside to make the shots necessary to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar stepped better in game 2, capitalizing on some minor mistakes from the Waves' Dewey to score a three-ball run-out for the win. Cheddar's stronger play in the win earned a tying position in the series, at 1 game apiece. Cheddar had a great break in game 3, sinking the 7 to the top left, but the cue fell for a scratch in the bottom side at the same time, gifting the win and the 2-1 series to Dewey, who advances to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shadow v. Potter. The silver cue makes its daily debut in 15-ball for this series. Web City's Shadow saw a number of good turns for himself, between a two-ball break and a seven-ball run late in the game, but he scratched while making the 14. Pronger's Potter got outplayed, but won anyway, making the 15 from ball-in-hand for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Potter came up clutch after an amazing contact play from the Spiders' Shadow, who glanced the 3 after sending the cue between the 13 and 15. Potter replied with a hard jam on the 3, with the intent of taking the 4 at the top right, but with a result of winning as the 15 legally fell in the bottom right, sealing the series at a stunning 2-0. Potter played well in game 3, riding a wave of confidence, but Shadow made sure to salvage a win, making six of the last seven balls on three-ball runs to get the win. Potter stunningly took the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Peach. We stay in place for a venue doubleheader, with the red cue playing 10-ball this time. Web City's Ted needed a little time to get going in game 1, but when he did, he had a five-ball run. North Modernistic's Peach scratched on her turn, and Ted made the final two balls from ball-in-hand to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Ted seemed to have a loose control on game 2, but he couldn't make it hold up when he missed a kick attempt on the 8. The Nighthawks' Peach converted with a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win, tying the series at 1. Peach seemed to have turned a corner in game 3, working a late four-ball run, but it ended with a scratch, and Ted made the final two balls to get the win and a 2-1 series win as well. Ted takes the win to go to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Wings v. Shaggy. The red cue stays in action after lunch, playing 9-ball. Pearl's Wings had a bit of slow start in game 1, but Whitewater's Shaggy never felt comfortable, and Wings grew into the game. Wings controlled the pace of play, making shots in pairs as he marched to the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy was better in game 2, making the first two balls and a three-ball run-out to tie the series, which sufficed to hold off the Surfers' Wings with his four-ball run in the middle of the game. Wings bounced back in a gritty game 3, which saw Shaggy's struggles last a bit too long. Wings made a four-ball run-out, ending on a 7-9 combination to the top right for the win and a 2-1 series win to send Wings through to the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lorde v. Jake. The silver cue returns to action for some 7-ball. Commerce's Lorde skidded out of the gates in game 1, allowing Royal's Jake to make a three-ball run, but he soon lost control of the game, and Lorde replied with the last two shots to win, earning a 1-0 lead in the series. The Crowns' Jake had a four-ball run in game 2, but he was lucky to get the 6 on a second-touch deflection, and he missed the cut on the 7 with a scratch. The Tradewinds' Lorde mopped up the game, tapping in the 7 from ball-in-hand to clinch the series at 2-0. Lorde had the better of play in game 3, but came up with nothing to show for it when she missed the 7 and Jake replied by burying it on his most confident shot of the game. Lorde settled for a 2-1 series win to get to the second round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Nicole v. Starlight. A tough series awaits in 12-ball with the silver cue. Capital City's Nicole had a tough battle in game 1, as she scratched three times while trying to make a ball at the top right. Pacific's Starlight fought for position on her last ball at the bottom left, and then completely whiffed on it, allowing Nicole to make her final two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Nicole did a better job of earning her win in game 2, making the best of a bad break with good positioning, while the Volcanoes' Starlight sputtered around the table on a bunch of half-shots. Nicole secured the series at 2-0 in a dominant effort. Nicole burst out to a big lead in game 3, but Starlight almost managed to turn a heavy defensive task into an offensive outburst. She came within a ball of winning, but Nicole made her final shot just in time to make it a 3-0 series sweep that will take her to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Charli XCX. The silver cue remains in play for 9-ball. Tysini's Charli absolutely got a gift in game 1, as Boston's Puff II had the better game, but she missed on the 9 from ball-in-hand after Charli's scratch, and Charli made the 9 on her second try to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. Charli came up big for the Hummingbirds' in game 2 as well, making a double-pot at the end with the 5-8 combination to the top right and a draw off the 5 to sink the cue in the bottom right, never giving the Swifts' Puff II a chance to reply. Charli clinched the series at 2-0. Charli and Puff II each had something to regret at the end of game 3, as Charli's early run went to waste when she couldn't tap the 9 in after Puff II rattled it out the first time. Puff II made it on her second try, leaving Charli with a 2-1 series win to take to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Spice. The silver cue remains in action for more 7-ball. Victoria's Spice was lucky to win game 1, as Modernistic's Puff I couldn't make the 7 on a long cut shot attempt after Spice's first miss. Spice buried it on her second try, giving her the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Spice couldn't get as lucky in game 2, struggling on occasions and allowing the Union's Puff I to make the final two shots for the win. Puff I's strong finishing play allowed her to tie the series at 1 with the win. Spice was able to get the game 3 win after a major error by Puff I, who was on a three-ball run when she blocked herself on a shot toward the 6. Spice made the last two balls from ball-in-hand, taking the series 2-1 along with the win.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Dusty. The blue cue gets a turn to play Rotation between these well-known competitors. Swordpoint's Dreamy drained four on the break in game 1: the 13 to the top right, the 5 and 10 to the bottom right, and the 7 to the bottom side. That would just about be the extent of her offense, as Golden's Dusty rallied from the early deficit to win 8-5 in a matter of three turns, including a three-ball run-out to give her a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Dreamy built up a lead again in game 2, and while the Pilots' Dusty again drew level with her, Dreamy was faster to shut the door, pulling off a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Dreamy had the early advantage in game 3, as Dusty had a number of scratches nullifying her efforts. Dusty came back around when Dreamy started scratching, and Dusty rallied off a four-ball run-out to win 8-6, taking the series 2-1. Dusty makes it to the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Dewey v. Diddley. The blue cue stays in action this time, playing 8-ball between these familiar foes. Maplewood's Diddley was on the brink of a win in a chippy game 1, but he couldn't corral the 8. Oceanside's Dewey thought he had won with a three-ball run-out, but the cue drifted all the way to the top right, scratching to give Diddley the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Diddley continued to play well at the start of game 2, but it didn't take long for the Waves' Dewey to find his shot, and he executed a stunning six-ball run-out, ending with a perfect bank on the 8 to the bottom side for the winner, tying the series at 1. Diddley survived a five-ball run from Dewey at the start, battling neck-and-neck at the end until Dewey missed on the 8 and Diddley made the last two shots to take the series 2-1. Diddley advances to the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Hannah v. Shawn. The game is once again 9-ball, with the red cue, as a rookie challenges a steady veteran. Midland's Shawn weathered a bold four-ball run from Royal's Hannah over the middle of the game, and then charged back with a bank on the 8 to the bottom right that aligned him on the 9 for the win, putting Shawn ahead 1-0 in the series. The Predators' Shawn made sure game 2 was quick, burying the 9 to the bottom right on the break, and also scoring the 1 to the top side. The Crowns' Hannah never got to the table as Shawn clinched the series at 2-0 with the sturdy shot. Game 3 was also decided on the break, but this didn't go Shawn's way, as the 6 went to the top left while the cue followed the 9 to the bottom right for the loss. Hannah's shotless win made it a 2-1 series win for Shawn as he heads to the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Strut. The last series of the day pits stars against each other in more 9-ball with the red cue. Golden's Strut almost made a 6-9 bank combination in game 1, after earning a spell of possession. Swordpoint's Snowball tried a kick on the same combination, but failed, and Strut converted it from ball-in-hand to win and take a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut continued to carry an advantage in play in game 2, making a ball on the break and ending with a three-ball run-out after a contested middle part of the game. The Blades' Snowball could have gone on the finishing run, but couldn't make the 5 to the top left, and Strut did to earn a 2-0 series lead with his win. Snowball simply outplayed Strut in game 3, as Strut didn't take the final frame too seriously, and Snowball used it to save some face. The series went 2-1 for Strut, sending him to the second round.
That's all for the Pool action today. I anticipate playing cricket today, unlike last night.
Monday, April 17, 2017
Tournament 2017: A-level First Round - Day 7
We're back after taking the weekend off, which will be a common occurrence over the summer as pace play a bit more conservatively. Resuming the operations for this week, we have...
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Jake. The first series of the day is in 12-ball with the red cue. Queens' Crystal got a nice boost from making two balls on the break, giving her an edge she would never relinquish in game 1. Royal's Jake came close, but two late scratches derailed the effort, and Crystal took a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Flames' Crystal had it even easier in game 2, giving a wild-card ball away on the break to the Crowns' Jake, but getting very strong positioning for her chosen suit of stripes. While her shooting accuracy lacked, Jake didn't make any progress, and Crystal had the game done in three more turns, sealing the series at 2-0. Crystal didn't get very good positions in game 3, and Jake was just a touch faster to get through his suit, setting up and burying his last ball just ahead of Crystal trying to do the same. Crystal still won the series 2-1, and advances to the second round as well.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dominic v. Hoppy. The silver cue is up for 10-ball in this battle between Coastal rivals. Game 1 showed a bit of balance between the players, as neither one really emerged over the other. The end saw Viewpoint Sound's Dominic leave the 10 short at the bottom right after converting the 9 that Southern's Hoppy had just missed on a bank. Hoppy made the 10 on a tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dominic had a stronger game 2 appearance despite a bad break from the Monarchs' Hoppy. Once the congestion cleared a bit, Dominic lined up and converted a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw Dominic serve up a good break, but Hoppy had the early run of play with a three-ball run. It looked like Dominic would finish strong after a scratch from Hoppy, but Dominic missed on the 9, and Hoppy eventually made the last two balls to get the win and a 2-1 series win to send her through to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Solaris. One of the best qualifiers takes on one of the best rookies in a series of Rotation with the blue cue. Infinity's Solaris had the early good play, but Maplewood's Bryant overtook him around mid-game. Bryant got no farther, and Solaris retook the lead with a three-ball run, before winning with individual shots after Bryant's scratches to take the 8-4 win. Solaris leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw a similar pattern emerge early on, as the Torpedoes' Solaris gained an early lead, but the Lumberjacks' Bryant caught up to him. This time, Solaris got on the edge of victory, but couldn't make this second lead stand, as Bryant rallied back patiently for the 8-7 win, tying the series at 1. Bryant showed some of the skill that helped him in qualifying, using a pair of three-ball runs to build a huge lead over Solaris, who didn't help his own cause by scratching. Bryant converted a 7-13 combination to the bottom right, and then made the 7 on the next shot to win 8-1, taking the series 2-1 in a surprising finish.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Frosty. The final season debut is here, as the Wolves veteran takes on a Spiders newcomer in 9-ball with the blue cue. Web City's Dani started game 1 a bit slow, but came on strong at the end, with a four-ball run on one turn and the final two balls taken after Stonebridge's Frosty left the 8 short at the top right, giving Dani the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Dani lacked the killer instinct in her shooting in game 2, allowing the Wolves' Frosty to hang around a bit longer than expected. Frosty kept herself in the game with the occasional make, and she got the 9 from ball-in-hand after Dani scratched on a bank attempt. Frosty's win tied the series at 1. Dani showed a bit better in game 3, getting an early burst before trading shots right up to the finish, where Frosty's cut on the 9 left it short, and Dani made it on her second try to get the win and a 2-1 series win to advance on.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Brownie. The blue cue stays up for a bit more 9-ball with this series. Pronger's Precious laid in wait in game 1, allowing Tysini's Brownie to do more of the creative shooting. Precious took advantage when the 9 was left near the top right, using the 3 to direct the cue onto it, and the shot worked, giving Precious the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious took a more active role in game 2, and it worked well, as she sandwiched a make from the Hummingbirds' Brownie with two three-ball runs, the latter of those serving as the clinching stretch of shots. Precious took the game and secured the series at 2-0. Brownie played a rough game 3, scratching on two separate turns, with the latter of those shots allowing Precious to set up a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, giving Precious a 3-0 series sweep with the win. Precious is through to the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Diddley. The game is still 9-ball, but the silver cue has tagged in for this series. Infinity's Mr. Snowman seemed in control of game 1 at the end, piecing together a five-ball run, but it ended in a scratch as he made the 9, gifting a win to Maplewood's Diddley, who leads 1-0 in the series thanks to the ill-timed error by Mr. Snowman. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman didn't have much luck in game 2, but he made the 9 on his third try after the Lumberjacks' Diddley peaked on a five-ball run that ended with a miss on the 8. Diddley's late game struggles allowed Mr. Snowman to tie the series at 1 with this win. Diddley again had a five-ball run in game 3, but missed on the 9, and Mr. Snowman was there to poach the win and earn a 2-1 series win with the timely shot. Mr. Snowman advances to the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Rainmane. The blue cue is back, playing 7-ball in this appearance. Southridge's Bianca made a ball on the break in game 1, and she kept the pace of play up throughout, shooting around Midland's Rainmane with ease as Bianca took the win when Rainmane missed on the 7. Bianca leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Bianca played a long game in game 2, making a three-ball run from the break, and then battling hard with the Predators' Rainmane late in the game. Rainmane had a chance to win when Bianca missed contact on the 7, but Rainmane rattled it out of the bottom side, and Bianca made it in the top left for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Bianca had two balls on the break and dominated possession in game 3, but a scratch as she made the 6 dashed her hopes of a sweep, and Rainmane made the 7 to the bottom side for the win. Bianca still took the series 2-1, and will host the Central Warriors' Twilight in this venue in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Waluigi v. Marsell. The blue cue gets another look at 7-ball, easily the most played bracket so far. Maplewood's Waluigi couldn't ask for a better start in game 1, making the 7 on the break after the cue gave the 7 a couple of correcting deflections to pot it in the top left. Waluigi leads Whitewater's Marsell 1-0 in the series. The Lumberjacks' Waluigi had a pair of balls potted on the break in game 2, but also scratched, allowing the Shores' Marsell to take some shots. Marsell made a three-ball run, but couldn't convert on the 5, and Waluigi made it and the 7 to end the game in a win for himself, clinching the series at 2-0. Waluigi completed the 3-0 series sweep with a slow start and hot finish, winning game 3 with a five-ball run-out to put Marsell away for good in this event. Waluigi will host the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette at this venue in the second round after his dominant series.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Sally. The red cue is back in action for 8-ball in this series between steady veterans. Web City's Shiny took a little time to get going in game 1, allowing Archtown's Sally quite the stretch of play without resistance. Sally couldn't close the game out, and Shiny came roaring back with a six-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sally cleaned up her play in game 2, going from start to finish in one turn, an eight-ball run-out after a decent break from the Spiders' Shiny ended up not benefiting her at all. Sally's win tied the series at 1. Sally had an acceptable break in game 3, and she traded four-ball runs with Shiny at one point in the middle of the game. Shiny got defensive positioning with the 8, and allowed Sally to do the rest, as Shiny won when Sally illegally potted the 8 while trying to sneak the 7 past it. Shiny's 2-1 series win was not without trouble, but it gets her to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Paige. The blue cue is up for 15-ball between these proxies of Southeastern rivals. Queens' Paige absolutely dominated in game 1, highlighted by an eight-ball run that ended with a scratch as she shot toward the 15. Boston's Gradley won from ball-in-hand, stealing the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley put up a bit more of a fight in game 2, at least early on, but the Flames' Paige broke free with another deep run, making seven in a row before missing on the 15 again. Gradley had to shoot from where the cue rested, and he made the 15, poaching another win to clinch the series at 2-0 despite getting out-possessed badly so far. Paige had a similar game 3, playing better toward the end only to err and give away the late possession to Gradley, who managed to make two shots in a row for the win this time, giving Gradley a 3-0 series sweep as he heads to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Shannon. The red cue is back for a series of 7-ball between a rookie and a soon-to-retire veteran. Atlantic's Isabella did well to spread out the rack on the game 1 break, but Southern's Shannon never let her back to the table, as Shannon pieced together a table-clearing seven-ball run for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Shannon saw a very lateral break in game 2, and the Pirates' Isabella had a little success early on. Shannon answered with a five-ball run, but rattled the 7 out of the top side, and Isabella buried it in the bottom left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw a much more balanced contest, as Isabella was right in it until the end, but she missed on the 6, and Shannon made the last two shots for the win, taking the series 2-1 as well as she gets to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Wings. Today's final series is in Rotation with the silver cue. Modernistic's Daisy battled hard in game 1 with Pearl's Wings, who played well at the start and held a tie late, but couldn't make it last. Daisy won with a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win, giving her a 1-0 series lead with the strong finish. Game 2 was not an example of good game play, as neither player could score early on. The Surfers' Wings saw the Union's Daisy cover a couple of leads, but Wings was able to make the last two balls on separate turns, winning 8-6 to tie the series at 1 in a close battle so far. In game 3, things were even until the end, where Wings downed Daisy with a four-ball run-out to win 8-4, taking the series 2-1 as well to get to the second round.
That's all for today, and we'll be back tomorrow with more.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Jake. The first series of the day is in 12-ball with the red cue. Queens' Crystal got a nice boost from making two balls on the break, giving her an edge she would never relinquish in game 1. Royal's Jake came close, but two late scratches derailed the effort, and Crystal took a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Flames' Crystal had it even easier in game 2, giving a wild-card ball away on the break to the Crowns' Jake, but getting very strong positioning for her chosen suit of stripes. While her shooting accuracy lacked, Jake didn't make any progress, and Crystal had the game done in three more turns, sealing the series at 2-0. Crystal didn't get very good positions in game 3, and Jake was just a touch faster to get through his suit, setting up and burying his last ball just ahead of Crystal trying to do the same. Crystal still won the series 2-1, and advances to the second round as well.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dominic v. Hoppy. The silver cue is up for 10-ball in this battle between Coastal rivals. Game 1 showed a bit of balance between the players, as neither one really emerged over the other. The end saw Viewpoint Sound's Dominic leave the 10 short at the bottom right after converting the 9 that Southern's Hoppy had just missed on a bank. Hoppy made the 10 on a tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dominic had a stronger game 2 appearance despite a bad break from the Monarchs' Hoppy. Once the congestion cleared a bit, Dominic lined up and converted a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw Dominic serve up a good break, but Hoppy had the early run of play with a three-ball run. It looked like Dominic would finish strong after a scratch from Hoppy, but Dominic missed on the 9, and Hoppy eventually made the last two balls to get the win and a 2-1 series win to send her through to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Solaris. One of the best qualifiers takes on one of the best rookies in a series of Rotation with the blue cue. Infinity's Solaris had the early good play, but Maplewood's Bryant overtook him around mid-game. Bryant got no farther, and Solaris retook the lead with a three-ball run, before winning with individual shots after Bryant's scratches to take the 8-4 win. Solaris leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw a similar pattern emerge early on, as the Torpedoes' Solaris gained an early lead, but the Lumberjacks' Bryant caught up to him. This time, Solaris got on the edge of victory, but couldn't make this second lead stand, as Bryant rallied back patiently for the 8-7 win, tying the series at 1. Bryant showed some of the skill that helped him in qualifying, using a pair of three-ball runs to build a huge lead over Solaris, who didn't help his own cause by scratching. Bryant converted a 7-13 combination to the bottom right, and then made the 7 on the next shot to win 8-1, taking the series 2-1 in a surprising finish.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Frosty. The final season debut is here, as the Wolves veteran takes on a Spiders newcomer in 9-ball with the blue cue. Web City's Dani started game 1 a bit slow, but came on strong at the end, with a four-ball run on one turn and the final two balls taken after Stonebridge's Frosty left the 8 short at the top right, giving Dani the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Dani lacked the killer instinct in her shooting in game 2, allowing the Wolves' Frosty to hang around a bit longer than expected. Frosty kept herself in the game with the occasional make, and she got the 9 from ball-in-hand after Dani scratched on a bank attempt. Frosty's win tied the series at 1. Dani showed a bit better in game 3, getting an early burst before trading shots right up to the finish, where Frosty's cut on the 9 left it short, and Dani made it on her second try to get the win and a 2-1 series win to advance on.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Brownie. The blue cue stays up for a bit more 9-ball with this series. Pronger's Precious laid in wait in game 1, allowing Tysini's Brownie to do more of the creative shooting. Precious took advantage when the 9 was left near the top right, using the 3 to direct the cue onto it, and the shot worked, giving Precious the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious took a more active role in game 2, and it worked well, as she sandwiched a make from the Hummingbirds' Brownie with two three-ball runs, the latter of those serving as the clinching stretch of shots. Precious took the game and secured the series at 2-0. Brownie played a rough game 3, scratching on two separate turns, with the latter of those shots allowing Precious to set up a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, giving Precious a 3-0 series sweep with the win. Precious is through to the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Diddley. The game is still 9-ball, but the silver cue has tagged in for this series. Infinity's Mr. Snowman seemed in control of game 1 at the end, piecing together a five-ball run, but it ended in a scratch as he made the 9, gifting a win to Maplewood's Diddley, who leads 1-0 in the series thanks to the ill-timed error by Mr. Snowman. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman didn't have much luck in game 2, but he made the 9 on his third try after the Lumberjacks' Diddley peaked on a five-ball run that ended with a miss on the 8. Diddley's late game struggles allowed Mr. Snowman to tie the series at 1 with this win. Diddley again had a five-ball run in game 3, but missed on the 9, and Mr. Snowman was there to poach the win and earn a 2-1 series win with the timely shot. Mr. Snowman advances to the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Rainmane. The blue cue is back, playing 7-ball in this appearance. Southridge's Bianca made a ball on the break in game 1, and she kept the pace of play up throughout, shooting around Midland's Rainmane with ease as Bianca took the win when Rainmane missed on the 7. Bianca leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Bianca played a long game in game 2, making a three-ball run from the break, and then battling hard with the Predators' Rainmane late in the game. Rainmane had a chance to win when Bianca missed contact on the 7, but Rainmane rattled it out of the bottom side, and Bianca made it in the top left for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Bianca had two balls on the break and dominated possession in game 3, but a scratch as she made the 6 dashed her hopes of a sweep, and Rainmane made the 7 to the bottom side for the win. Bianca still took the series 2-1, and will host the Central Warriors' Twilight in this venue in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Waluigi v. Marsell. The blue cue gets another look at 7-ball, easily the most played bracket so far. Maplewood's Waluigi couldn't ask for a better start in game 1, making the 7 on the break after the cue gave the 7 a couple of correcting deflections to pot it in the top left. Waluigi leads Whitewater's Marsell 1-0 in the series. The Lumberjacks' Waluigi had a pair of balls potted on the break in game 2, but also scratched, allowing the Shores' Marsell to take some shots. Marsell made a three-ball run, but couldn't convert on the 5, and Waluigi made it and the 7 to end the game in a win for himself, clinching the series at 2-0. Waluigi completed the 3-0 series sweep with a slow start and hot finish, winning game 3 with a five-ball run-out to put Marsell away for good in this event. Waluigi will host the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette at this venue in the second round after his dominant series.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Sally. The red cue is back in action for 8-ball in this series between steady veterans. Web City's Shiny took a little time to get going in game 1, allowing Archtown's Sally quite the stretch of play without resistance. Sally couldn't close the game out, and Shiny came roaring back with a six-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sally cleaned up her play in game 2, going from start to finish in one turn, an eight-ball run-out after a decent break from the Spiders' Shiny ended up not benefiting her at all. Sally's win tied the series at 1. Sally had an acceptable break in game 3, and she traded four-ball runs with Shiny at one point in the middle of the game. Shiny got defensive positioning with the 8, and allowed Sally to do the rest, as Shiny won when Sally illegally potted the 8 while trying to sneak the 7 past it. Shiny's 2-1 series win was not without trouble, but it gets her to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Paige. The blue cue is up for 15-ball between these proxies of Southeastern rivals. Queens' Paige absolutely dominated in game 1, highlighted by an eight-ball run that ended with a scratch as she shot toward the 15. Boston's Gradley won from ball-in-hand, stealing the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley put up a bit more of a fight in game 2, at least early on, but the Flames' Paige broke free with another deep run, making seven in a row before missing on the 15 again. Gradley had to shoot from where the cue rested, and he made the 15, poaching another win to clinch the series at 2-0 despite getting out-possessed badly so far. Paige had a similar game 3, playing better toward the end only to err and give away the late possession to Gradley, who managed to make two shots in a row for the win this time, giving Gradley a 3-0 series sweep as he heads to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Shannon. The red cue is back for a series of 7-ball between a rookie and a soon-to-retire veteran. Atlantic's Isabella did well to spread out the rack on the game 1 break, but Southern's Shannon never let her back to the table, as Shannon pieced together a table-clearing seven-ball run for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Shannon saw a very lateral break in game 2, and the Pirates' Isabella had a little success early on. Shannon answered with a five-ball run, but rattled the 7 out of the top side, and Isabella buried it in the bottom left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw a much more balanced contest, as Isabella was right in it until the end, but she missed on the 6, and Shannon made the last two shots for the win, taking the series 2-1 as well as she gets to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Wings. Today's final series is in Rotation with the silver cue. Modernistic's Daisy battled hard in game 1 with Pearl's Wings, who played well at the start and held a tie late, but couldn't make it last. Daisy won with a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win, giving her a 1-0 series lead with the strong finish. Game 2 was not an example of good game play, as neither player could score early on. The Surfers' Wings saw the Union's Daisy cover a couple of leads, but Wings was able to make the last two balls on separate turns, winning 8-6 to tie the series at 1 in a close battle so far. In game 3, things were even until the end, where Wings downed Daisy with a four-ball run-out to win 8-4, taking the series 2-1 as well to get to the second round.
That's all for today, and we'll be back tomorrow with more.
Sunday, April 16, 2017
UPCL Cricket - Week 14 Part 3
We're back for the final segment of Week 14, beginning in...
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots begin a three-game home stand against a well-traveled Gems side. Smokey did alright for Diamond, scoring 361 on the opening turn to provide a stable base for the visitors to build upon. Valencia covered the deficit with ease for Golden, lining 615 to give the hosts the initial lead. Citrus suffered a few deflections for the Gems on her turn, posting a paltry 113 on her technical error replay. Dusty tacked on another 448 for the Pilots, keeping their lead strong at the halfway mark of the game. Pedey put a dent in the deficit for Diamond, smacking 535 on a good turn from the sophomore. Strut fought back with 546 for Golden, undoing Pedey's damage as the hosts hold a big lead heading into the final players' turns. Rosalina was solid with 424 for the Gems, but they lost with 1433 against a superior team. A. Charlton supplied another 515 for the Pilots on her turn, setting their final at 2124. Golden continues to excel despite a busy week, going to 20-10, while Diamond falls to 10-22.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: The Torpedoes have a ten-game winning streak as they look to retake first, but the Volcanoes plan to provide a challenge to that. Starlight set quite the tone with 665 for Pacific, giving them an early advantage in what promises to be a tough game. Smudge had an awkwardly high hit for Infinity, ending her turn at 224 as the hosts find themselves behind. Ms. Kitty thoroughly punished the mistake, crushing 969 for the Volcanoes to bring their lead to a new height. Solaris had a meager 111 for the Torpedoes, making it glaringly obvious that this is not their game. Leonette chipped 286 for Pacific on her turn, doing well enough to maintain a large lead. Whiskers had only 145, making Infinity what has gone wrong with this lopsided game. Chicky Phil shrugged his way to 450 for the Volcanoes, giving them 2370 for their final score in what should be a win. Mr. Snowman tried a late rally with 681 for the Torpedoes, but they lost badly with 1161. Pacific surges forward to 22-9, taking over second place, while Infinity is 19-8 in a nearby fourth.
Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The Specters, fresh off their home win versus the Prestige are set to face them again, looking to complete the series sweep on the road. Sydney continued her recent good play with 634 for Harrison this time out, starting the visitors off quite well. Acorn fired back with 608 for Lighton on his turn, making it a close start this time. Twinkie II doubled down for the Specters, ripping 659 as their lead is restored in the second attack. Spirit had only 185 for the Prestige, putting them at a significant deficit at the midway mark. Lexi did fairly well with 408 for Harrison on her turn, maintaining their lead. Twinkie I couldn't get her angle to settle down for Lighton, and this cost the team greatly when she bowed out at 144. Sugar supplied another 424 for the Specters on her turn, bringing them to a lofty final score of 2125 in what should go for a win and the sweep. Salmo had a measly 66 for the Prestige, setting their final at 1003 in a brutal loss. Harrison continues to surge in recent games, improving to 11-21, while Lighton is now 10-15 after the defeat.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators bring in Southeast Division rival Flames for a game, as the Flames have quite a test in two games on the road. Crystal had a decent pace, but she splattered her hits all over the place, and ended with 354 as Queens gets off to a passable start. Shawn was barely any better for Midland, posting 387 to give them a slight advantage initially. Paige sent a firmer score over for the Flames, tallying 497 to produce a stronger lead. Rainmane slipped up a bit with 455 for the Predators, but it sufficed to keep the game close at the halfway mark. Violetta stayed on course with 447 for Queens, keeping their lead in about the same shape as before. Leonardo couldn't keep pace, taking a false start and then ending at 180 on the replay as Midland is in a hole late in the game. Max scored 384 for the Flames on his turn, setting their final at 1682 with the hopes that it will be enough. Fuchsia had 419 for the Predators, a good score but not enough as they lost with 1441. Queens is now 19-11 on the year, while Midland drops to 16-16. Queens also has a six-game winning streak.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters look to keep their surge going against a weak Meteors team. Mams wasted little time in establishing Viewpoint Sound, pounding 867 on the opening turn to give them a nice lead. Sydney fell out of rhythm slightly for Harrison, which aided in ending her turn at a solid 527, giving the hosts a hill to climb. Hoot answered with 441 for the Meteors, a good mark to keep their lead fairly steady. Twinkie II swung her way to 844 for the Specters, a great performance that covered the deficit at the halfway mark. Nibbles replied with 632 for Viewpoint Sound, striking back to keep things interesting in the later stages. Lexi countered with 783 for Harrison, wiping out the most recent attack to keep the hosts in front with a player each to go. Dominic just barely covered the deficit with his 231 for the Meteors, giving them a final of 2171. Sugar hit 199 for the Specters, giving them 2353 in the win. Harrison is surging now, going to 12-21, flying past the 7-14 Viewpoint Sound side they just defeated.
Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs host their third of five straight at home, while the Cascades are in the second of a seven-game road trip. Jasmine had a solid opening turn for Freedom with 487, staking out a fairly decent lead. Panda opened things up quite a bit for Southern, blasting 1161 on his turn to give them a huge initial lead. Stinky tried to keep the deficit manageable for the Cascades, tallying 520 to shrink the gap a bit. Hoppy didn't get too much for the Monarchs, as the rookie met a quick collapse at 131, weakening their lead. Roxy belted 964 to cover the deficit and put Freedom firmly in the lead, a rapid change of events thanks to her efforts. Pounce offered virtually no support for Southern, scoring a measly 160 on his turn. Nikolai posted another 505 for the Cascades on his turn, doing a significant part to end their offense at 2476. Shannon had a paltry 80 for the Monarchs, giving them the losing final at 1532 in an embarrassing offensive collapse for the hosts. Freedom is up to 9-12, while Southern is 9-17.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents play their seventh of an eight-game home stand, while the Sharpshooters kick off a three-game road trip. Chris had a major down turn for Capital City, hitting only 63 to get things going. Precious was hardly any better, getting stuck on a backhand attempt to end with 72 for Pronger in a slow start for both sides. Missy got beat by a deft deflection off a dead ball on the pitch, ending at 319 for the Sharpshooters, leaving them far from safe. Zach stepped up well for the Tridents, slicing 639 to give them a substantial lead at the halfway mark. Sprinkles failed to cover the deficit with only 232 for Capital City, making it more likely that they will slip in this game. Spot rocked his way to 926 for Pronger, another big turn that makes the hosts a bit more comfortable in their late lead. Nicole tried to reply for the Sharpshooters, but her 510 only got them to 1124 in the loss. Potter had only 146 for the Tridents, but this sealed their win at 1783. Pronger jumps to 14-11, while Capital City is 17-11.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks host the second of their four-game home stand as the first team to reach midway for the season, while the Warriors are in the fourth of a six-game road trip. Twilight performed well for Central, hitting 659 to lead off the game. Peach couldn't cover the deficit with 472 for North Modernistic, putting them slightly behind at first. Dustin is back to having struggles on the road, taking just 239 this time as the Warriors lead has fallen into danger. Luigi made things extremely close with his 424 for the Nighthawks, leaving the back halves of the rosters to settle this game. Mario faded against his brother's team, scoring only 33 as Central is now in deep trouble. Cheddar had a rare off game with 176 for North Modernistic, but they still hold a small lead with a player each to go. Gizmo was knocked back by deflections, ending with a measly 28 as the Warriors fall with only 959 total. Bright scooped up 609 for the Nighthawks at the end, icing their win at 1681. North Modernistic is up to 20-15 on the year at the halfway mark, while Central falls to 17-8.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves and the Sharks meet in a battle of Eastern Hills Division rivals. Chelsea led off with 591 for Eastside, giving the visitors a nice lead in the first game played on Miniclip due to technical difficulties on the UPCL site. Juno took her time to get going for Stonebridge, but did well overall with 726 to give the hosts a slight lead. Taylor slipped up at 168 for the Sharks on her turn, just barely covering the deficit. Frosty did well for the Wolves, countering with 620 to grow their lead at the halfway point of the game. Niki chipped back with 400 for Eastside, falling well short of the current mark as the visitors remain behind. Cobalt pummeled another 992 for Stonebridge on his turn, further securing their lead late in the game. Paps fell with 328 for the Sharks, ending their efforts at 1487 in a deep loss. Prism racked on another 554 for the Wolves, giving them 2892 in a big win for the expansion side. Stonebridge improves to 13-20, while Eastside is at a similar 11-18.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks make the long trip home to face the Knights, who play in their second of a five-game road trip. Kiwi fell much quicker than expected for Terrace City, under-performing with a score of 193 to begin the game. Chelsea had another stable appearance for Eastside, slicing 564 to give them the early lead. Jennifer didn't react very quickly to an odd deflection, ending at 225 as it took out her wicket, doubling the Knights' troubles. Taylor answered effectively for the Sharks, extending their lead quite a bit with her 599. Oreo pulled back with 619 for Terrace City, shrinking the gap and giving the visitors a chance if they get a lucky break. Niki didn't slip for Eastside, holding firm with 504 to keep the hosts in front as the final players come to bat. Stripes had a reasonable 336 for the Knights, but this left them far short at 1373, a surprising loss for the top-tier side. Paps had only 92 for the Sharks, but they closed out the win with 1759. Eastside jumps to 12-18 with the effort, while Terrace City is 19-10, on the verge of losing their status with the top-tier.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Shores begin a three-game road trip against the Meteors, who are just back after a trip of their own. Bear's struggles on the road continued for Whitewater, as he had only 139 in this appearance. Mams had a rare off game for Viewpoint Sound, poking only 129 as the hosts are just a bit behind early on in the game. Twinkie III put in a better performance for the Shores with 489, giving them a better second attack. Hoot fired back with 359 on a mandatory replay after he played through an error. While an upgrade, Hoot's effort left the Meteors farther behind. Marsell had a bad swing and miss on a ball, which brought him down at 431 for Whitewater, padding the lead a little more. Nibbles had a bad turn for Viewpoint Sound, hitting a meager 33 as the hosts are in deep trouble late in the game. Shaggy left the door open with only 136 for the Shores, giving them a low final of 1193. Dominic got cut down at only 51 due to a deflection, leaving the Meteors in a pathetic loss with 572. Whitewater rises to 9-11, while Viewpoint Sound is 7-15 on the year.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks are in the third of a four-game home stand, while the Swifts begin a four-game road trip wearing their third jerseys. Patches has shown some recent road consistency, and did so again with 580 for Boston in this appearance. Peach got knocked back by a deflection, ending with a paltry 51 for North Modernistic. Puff II answered with 742 for the Swifts, giving them a big boost as their lead grows. Luigi fell with only 90 for the Nighthawks as they appear to be having a team-wide collapse in this game. Gradley picked up another 441 for Boston, padding their lead a bit more. Cheddar tried a bit of a rally for North Modernistic, but her 671 barely touched the very steep deficit. Sweetheart contributed 595 for the Swifts on her turning, leaving their final at a lofty 2358. Bright's 337 brought the Nighthawks to their losing total of 1149. Boston dominated to get to 15-12, and they are now even with North Modernistic, who has an equal record of 20-16.
That's all for Week 14. Expect a similar spread of games in the coming Week 15 action, as well as some Midseason Reports, the first of which is already up.
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots begin a three-game home stand against a well-traveled Gems side. Smokey did alright for Diamond, scoring 361 on the opening turn to provide a stable base for the visitors to build upon. Valencia covered the deficit with ease for Golden, lining 615 to give the hosts the initial lead. Citrus suffered a few deflections for the Gems on her turn, posting a paltry 113 on her technical error replay. Dusty tacked on another 448 for the Pilots, keeping their lead strong at the halfway mark of the game. Pedey put a dent in the deficit for Diamond, smacking 535 on a good turn from the sophomore. Strut fought back with 546 for Golden, undoing Pedey's damage as the hosts hold a big lead heading into the final players' turns. Rosalina was solid with 424 for the Gems, but they lost with 1433 against a superior team. A. Charlton supplied another 515 for the Pilots on her turn, setting their final at 2124. Golden continues to excel despite a busy week, going to 20-10, while Diamond falls to 10-22.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: The Torpedoes have a ten-game winning streak as they look to retake first, but the Volcanoes plan to provide a challenge to that. Starlight set quite the tone with 665 for Pacific, giving them an early advantage in what promises to be a tough game. Smudge had an awkwardly high hit for Infinity, ending her turn at 224 as the hosts find themselves behind. Ms. Kitty thoroughly punished the mistake, crushing 969 for the Volcanoes to bring their lead to a new height. Solaris had a meager 111 for the Torpedoes, making it glaringly obvious that this is not their game. Leonette chipped 286 for Pacific on her turn, doing well enough to maintain a large lead. Whiskers had only 145, making Infinity what has gone wrong with this lopsided game. Chicky Phil shrugged his way to 450 for the Volcanoes, giving them 2370 for their final score in what should be a win. Mr. Snowman tried a late rally with 681 for the Torpedoes, but they lost badly with 1161. Pacific surges forward to 22-9, taking over second place, while Infinity is 19-8 in a nearby fourth.
Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The Specters, fresh off their home win versus the Prestige are set to face them again, looking to complete the series sweep on the road. Sydney continued her recent good play with 634 for Harrison this time out, starting the visitors off quite well. Acorn fired back with 608 for Lighton on his turn, making it a close start this time. Twinkie II doubled down for the Specters, ripping 659 as their lead is restored in the second attack. Spirit had only 185 for the Prestige, putting them at a significant deficit at the midway mark. Lexi did fairly well with 408 for Harrison on her turn, maintaining their lead. Twinkie I couldn't get her angle to settle down for Lighton, and this cost the team greatly when she bowed out at 144. Sugar supplied another 424 for the Specters on her turn, bringing them to a lofty final score of 2125 in what should go for a win and the sweep. Salmo had a measly 66 for the Prestige, setting their final at 1003 in a brutal loss. Harrison continues to surge in recent games, improving to 11-21, while Lighton is now 10-15 after the defeat.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators bring in Southeast Division rival Flames for a game, as the Flames have quite a test in two games on the road. Crystal had a decent pace, but she splattered her hits all over the place, and ended with 354 as Queens gets off to a passable start. Shawn was barely any better for Midland, posting 387 to give them a slight advantage initially. Paige sent a firmer score over for the Flames, tallying 497 to produce a stronger lead. Rainmane slipped up a bit with 455 for the Predators, but it sufficed to keep the game close at the halfway mark. Violetta stayed on course with 447 for Queens, keeping their lead in about the same shape as before. Leonardo couldn't keep pace, taking a false start and then ending at 180 on the replay as Midland is in a hole late in the game. Max scored 384 for the Flames on his turn, setting their final at 1682 with the hopes that it will be enough. Fuchsia had 419 for the Predators, a good score but not enough as they lost with 1441. Queens is now 19-11 on the year, while Midland drops to 16-16. Queens also has a six-game winning streak.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters look to keep their surge going against a weak Meteors team. Mams wasted little time in establishing Viewpoint Sound, pounding 867 on the opening turn to give them a nice lead. Sydney fell out of rhythm slightly for Harrison, which aided in ending her turn at a solid 527, giving the hosts a hill to climb. Hoot answered with 441 for the Meteors, a good mark to keep their lead fairly steady. Twinkie II swung her way to 844 for the Specters, a great performance that covered the deficit at the halfway mark. Nibbles replied with 632 for Viewpoint Sound, striking back to keep things interesting in the later stages. Lexi countered with 783 for Harrison, wiping out the most recent attack to keep the hosts in front with a player each to go. Dominic just barely covered the deficit with his 231 for the Meteors, giving them a final of 2171. Sugar hit 199 for the Specters, giving them 2353 in the win. Harrison is surging now, going to 12-21, flying past the 7-14 Viewpoint Sound side they just defeated.
Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs host their third of five straight at home, while the Cascades are in the second of a seven-game road trip. Jasmine had a solid opening turn for Freedom with 487, staking out a fairly decent lead. Panda opened things up quite a bit for Southern, blasting 1161 on his turn to give them a huge initial lead. Stinky tried to keep the deficit manageable for the Cascades, tallying 520 to shrink the gap a bit. Hoppy didn't get too much for the Monarchs, as the rookie met a quick collapse at 131, weakening their lead. Roxy belted 964 to cover the deficit and put Freedom firmly in the lead, a rapid change of events thanks to her efforts. Pounce offered virtually no support for Southern, scoring a measly 160 on his turn. Nikolai posted another 505 for the Cascades on his turn, doing a significant part to end their offense at 2476. Shannon had a paltry 80 for the Monarchs, giving them the losing final at 1532 in an embarrassing offensive collapse for the hosts. Freedom is up to 9-12, while Southern is 9-17.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents play their seventh of an eight-game home stand, while the Sharpshooters kick off a three-game road trip. Chris had a major down turn for Capital City, hitting only 63 to get things going. Precious was hardly any better, getting stuck on a backhand attempt to end with 72 for Pronger in a slow start for both sides. Missy got beat by a deft deflection off a dead ball on the pitch, ending at 319 for the Sharpshooters, leaving them far from safe. Zach stepped up well for the Tridents, slicing 639 to give them a substantial lead at the halfway mark. Sprinkles failed to cover the deficit with only 232 for Capital City, making it more likely that they will slip in this game. Spot rocked his way to 926 for Pronger, another big turn that makes the hosts a bit more comfortable in their late lead. Nicole tried to reply for the Sharpshooters, but her 510 only got them to 1124 in the loss. Potter had only 146 for the Tridents, but this sealed their win at 1783. Pronger jumps to 14-11, while Capital City is 17-11.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks host the second of their four-game home stand as the first team to reach midway for the season, while the Warriors are in the fourth of a six-game road trip. Twilight performed well for Central, hitting 659 to lead off the game. Peach couldn't cover the deficit with 472 for North Modernistic, putting them slightly behind at first. Dustin is back to having struggles on the road, taking just 239 this time as the Warriors lead has fallen into danger. Luigi made things extremely close with his 424 for the Nighthawks, leaving the back halves of the rosters to settle this game. Mario faded against his brother's team, scoring only 33 as Central is now in deep trouble. Cheddar had a rare off game with 176 for North Modernistic, but they still hold a small lead with a player each to go. Gizmo was knocked back by deflections, ending with a measly 28 as the Warriors fall with only 959 total. Bright scooped up 609 for the Nighthawks at the end, icing their win at 1681. North Modernistic is up to 20-15 on the year at the halfway mark, while Central falls to 17-8.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves and the Sharks meet in a battle of Eastern Hills Division rivals. Chelsea led off with 591 for Eastside, giving the visitors a nice lead in the first game played on Miniclip due to technical difficulties on the UPCL site. Juno took her time to get going for Stonebridge, but did well overall with 726 to give the hosts a slight lead. Taylor slipped up at 168 for the Sharks on her turn, just barely covering the deficit. Frosty did well for the Wolves, countering with 620 to grow their lead at the halfway point of the game. Niki chipped back with 400 for Eastside, falling well short of the current mark as the visitors remain behind. Cobalt pummeled another 992 for Stonebridge on his turn, further securing their lead late in the game. Paps fell with 328 for the Sharks, ending their efforts at 1487 in a deep loss. Prism racked on another 554 for the Wolves, giving them 2892 in a big win for the expansion side. Stonebridge improves to 13-20, while Eastside is at a similar 11-18.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks make the long trip home to face the Knights, who play in their second of a five-game road trip. Kiwi fell much quicker than expected for Terrace City, under-performing with a score of 193 to begin the game. Chelsea had another stable appearance for Eastside, slicing 564 to give them the early lead. Jennifer didn't react very quickly to an odd deflection, ending at 225 as it took out her wicket, doubling the Knights' troubles. Taylor answered effectively for the Sharks, extending their lead quite a bit with her 599. Oreo pulled back with 619 for Terrace City, shrinking the gap and giving the visitors a chance if they get a lucky break. Niki didn't slip for Eastside, holding firm with 504 to keep the hosts in front as the final players come to bat. Stripes had a reasonable 336 for the Knights, but this left them far short at 1373, a surprising loss for the top-tier side. Paps had only 92 for the Sharks, but they closed out the win with 1759. Eastside jumps to 12-18 with the effort, while Terrace City is 19-10, on the verge of losing their status with the top-tier.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Shores begin a three-game road trip against the Meteors, who are just back after a trip of their own. Bear's struggles on the road continued for Whitewater, as he had only 139 in this appearance. Mams had a rare off game for Viewpoint Sound, poking only 129 as the hosts are just a bit behind early on in the game. Twinkie III put in a better performance for the Shores with 489, giving them a better second attack. Hoot fired back with 359 on a mandatory replay after he played through an error. While an upgrade, Hoot's effort left the Meteors farther behind. Marsell had a bad swing and miss on a ball, which brought him down at 431 for Whitewater, padding the lead a little more. Nibbles had a bad turn for Viewpoint Sound, hitting a meager 33 as the hosts are in deep trouble late in the game. Shaggy left the door open with only 136 for the Shores, giving them a low final of 1193. Dominic got cut down at only 51 due to a deflection, leaving the Meteors in a pathetic loss with 572. Whitewater rises to 9-11, while Viewpoint Sound is 7-15 on the year.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks are in the third of a four-game home stand, while the Swifts begin a four-game road trip wearing their third jerseys. Patches has shown some recent road consistency, and did so again with 580 for Boston in this appearance. Peach got knocked back by a deflection, ending with a paltry 51 for North Modernistic. Puff II answered with 742 for the Swifts, giving them a big boost as their lead grows. Luigi fell with only 90 for the Nighthawks as they appear to be having a team-wide collapse in this game. Gradley picked up another 441 for Boston, padding their lead a bit more. Cheddar tried a bit of a rally for North Modernistic, but her 671 barely touched the very steep deficit. Sweetheart contributed 595 for the Swifts on her turning, leaving their final at a lofty 2358. Bright's 337 brought the Nighthawks to their losing total of 1149. Boston dominated to get to 15-12, and they are now even with North Modernistic, who has an equal record of 20-16.
That's all for Week 14. Expect a similar spread of games in the coming Week 15 action, as well as some Midseason Reports, the first of which is already up.
North Modernistic Nighthawks at Midseason
Friday, April 14, 2017
Tournament 2017: A-level First Round - Day 6
This is the last game day this week, with Saturday definitely being a day off, and Sunday more than likely also not having any pool played. You can expect Cricket to occur a little bit tonight and on Sunday to help finish up week 14. We begin this pool day with...
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Wario. The red cue gets to open the festivities today, playing 12-ball. Victoria's Wario had a good game 1, while Queens' Max scratched twice, gave away a wild-card ball, and had no positioning advantage. Wario, predictably took the win in a patient battle, only striking when the time was right to get a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a colossal failure for the Flames' Max, who was down to his last ball and had the Spurs' Wario retreating with scratches, but Wario made a three-ball run and gained enough position to earn a draw and a replay. In the replay, Wario got the win cleanly, but it took a bit of time, as Max held his defenses for as long as possible. Wario's persistence earned him a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 went to Max, and at this point, the details are unimportant except to say that it was another sloppy, painfully slow to develop game driven by defense. Wario won the series 2-1, although barely deserving to as he heads to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Stripes v. Bear. The red cue stays up for a series of 8-ball between Urban Division rivals, with hopefully less frustration. Whitewater's Bear had a decent start to game 1, but Terrace City's Stripes took over with a four-ball run followed by a three-ball run. Stripes' scratch slowed her game, and Bear rallied back with a four-ball run and then the final two shots on the next turn for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Stripes shot back well in game 2, keeping the Shores' Bear off the board until she was onto the 8. Bear did make a couple of short runs, but a chipped shot lined Stripes up for the winner, which she made to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw Bear hold the early advantage, but he couldn't get any position on the 3, his final ball before the 8. Stripes cleared things up with a four-ball run, but twice missed the 8, and Bear buried it on his first try for the win, taking the series 2-1 as he advances to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Sparkles. The silver cue comes on for a series of Rotation. Pearl's Boots had the early lead in game 1, and while Todavía's Sparkles encroached early on, Boots had a three-ball run to assert herself and ended up with the 8-3 win. Boots leads the series 1-0 thanks to the good first game. The Stills' Sparkles weathered two three-ball runs from the Surfers' Boots in game 2, once early and one more late. Sparkles had to tie the game after the first one, and she made two shots after the last one to earn the 8-6 win, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Game 3 saw Sparkles break out on a five-ball run to take a lead, but she melted after Boots converted an 8-15-10 bank combination to the top side, which tied the game and gave her momentum to win 8-6 eventually. Boots took the series 2-1.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Sprinkles. Two of Youth Movement's members face off in 7-ball with the silver cue. Capital City's Sprinkles needed only one shot in game 1, as Oceanside's Celestia made two balls on the break but left the 7 up at the bottom left. Celestia's shot on the 1 brought it close, and Sprinkles double-potted the 7 on a deflection to the bottom left and the 1 to the top right to win for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia had the better of play in game 2 as well, making a three-ball run after the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles came up empty on the break. Celestia then made the last two balls on cuts after another rough turn for Sprinkles, and Celestia's win tied the series at 1. Celestia made a four-ball run from the break, including a double-pot of the 4 on a deflection to the bottom side, and the 1 in the bottom right. Sprinkles had the first chance to win, but her run ended with a miss on the 7, and Celestia made it to win, taking the series 2-1. Celestia punches her ticket to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Dewey. The final player to debut is the visitor in this series of 15-ball with the blue cue. Oceanside's Dewey was a bit jittery in his first competitive game at this level, scratching twice, the latter of which Maplewood's Diddley used the ball-in-hand to make the 6-15 combination to the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Dewey had to fight hard for the game 2 win, and his frustration showed late as he battled for position with a stubborn Diddley of the Lumberjacks. Dewey eventually prevailed with a rocket shot on the 14 to the top left, and a cut on the 15 to win, tying the series at 1 as the shooting quality drops again. Diddley showed no mercy for a scratch by Dewey around the middle of the game, which had been fairly even and mediocre to that point. Diddley used the ball-in-hand to make the 9-15 combination to the bottom side, winning the game and the series 2-1. Diddley is through to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Snowball. The blue cue remains at the table for a series of 12-ball. A comedy of errors early in game 1 gave way to brilliance later. Swordpoint's Snowball scratched while trying to claim a suit, allowing Terrace City's Oreo to take solids. Snowball ended up being okay with this, making a five-ball run-out a few turns later to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Oreo had to be patient in game 2, not only because she scratched but because positioning was hard to come by. This was a fact very familiar to the Blades' Snowball, who couldn't get anything going at the left corners. This allowed Oreo enough time to position herself, and she made her last two shots to win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 was much higher paced for both players, as Oreo had a good break but also gave away a wild-card ball to Snowball, who would return it later. Snowball almost made this meaningless, but she shanked a shot on her final ball after Oreo missed a shot from distance. Oreo had a second chance and converted to win, taking the game and the 2-1 series win to the second round with her.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Stealth v. Luigi. The Blades veteran takes on a Nighthawks rookie as the silver cue gets another Rotation series today. Swordpoint's Stealth broke free with a five-ball run from the break in game 1, never letting North Modernistic's Luigi into the game. Stealth would later pull off a kick to sink the 9 at the bottom side, and he won 8-2 for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi had control in game 2, building up a very large lead, but he flailed at the end under the pressure of a rally from the Blades' Stealth, whose choppy turns eventually led to him winning 8-7 with a three-ball run-out, securing the series at 2-0. Stealth burst out with another five-ball run from the break in game 3, but he faltered a bit more in this appearance. Luigi answered, getting pretty close at one point, but Stealth locked it down for the 8-4 win and 3-0 series sweep. Stealth heads to the second round with the win.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Shadow. Captains collide in this 8-ball series with the red cue. Web City's Shadow made quick work of Capital City's Chris in game 1, making a three-ball run on his first turn and then a five-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after Chris scratched with no balls potted. Shadow's shutout earned him the 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Chris was much better in game 2, working an amazing six-ball run for the early advantage. The Spiders' Shadow nearly outdid him late in the game, but Shadow's run stopped with a miss on the 8 at six balls, and Chris tapped in the last two shots to win, tying the series at 1 in a fast-paced battle. Chris had a highlight in game 3, triple-potting the 1 and 7 to the top right and the 3 to the bottom right with an assist off the 10. Chris rallied from here, with a fair amount of resistance from Shadow, but Chris made the final two shots for the win. Chris takes the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Gradley. The Pirates captain faces a Swifts stalwart in 7-ball with the silver cue. Boston's Gradley nearly won early in game 1, but a deflection spared Atlantic's Delila from illegally potting the 7. She still struggled, and Gradley would get the win in due time, making the last two shots to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Pirates' Delila didn't have as many close calls in game 2, playing a cleaner game that saw neither player develop much of a run. The Swifts' Gradley had the first chance on the 7, but he missed contact, and Delila won with a shot from ball-in-hand to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was very similar, as the shooting was poor, and Delila ended up with a loss when her hard shot on the 7 failed, but left Gradley lined up. He converted, winning the series 2-1 with the game 3 win.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Stinky. The blue cue is back for 9-ball in this series with a rookie and a veteran. Central's Mario seemed to have a slight edge in game 1, but it didn't matter when he couldn't end the game on a run after Freedom's Stinky scratched. Mario left the 9 standing, and Stinky took care of it, winning for a 1-0 series lead after losing hope when he scratched. The Warriors' Mario undoubtedly held a possession advantage in game 2, but he couldn't make anything of it this time either, as the Cascades' Stinky was responsible for making one ball on the break and two more at the end for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Stinky left no doubt to who deserved the game 3 win, serving up a near perfect break that sank the 9 in the bottom right immediately to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Stinky is through to the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Shawn v. Diddley. The M-Line Derby is on in 10-ball with the red cue for this series. Midland's Shawn scratched on the break of game 1, giving Maplewood's Diddley a short-lived advantage. Things were even throughout the game, with Diddley making a three-ball run answered by Shawn's three-ball run-out at the end, giving Shawn a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 also came out pretty even, although the Lumberjacks' Diddley was a bit less sharp and no runs developed on either side with much force. The Predators' Shawn prevailed in the end, making his third shot at the 10 after Diddley's soft attempt was short at the bottom right. Shawn clinched the series at 2-0. Shawn had his shots in game 3, but it was Diddley coming out on top this time, making the 6-7-10 combination to the bottom right after Shawn left the 10 too close to the pocket. Shawn still won the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Rosalina v. Potter. The final series of the day is also in 10-ball with the red cue, between a pair of rookies. Diamond's Rosalina was doing fine until a late scratch after her attempt at the 8 in game 1. Pronger's Potter, who had also had a decent game, pounced for a three-ball run-out to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Potter spent much of game 2 snookered by a wonderful defensive stance from the Gems' Rosalina. She wasn't just defense either, as Rosalina made a five-ball run at one point, but she faltered on the 9, and Potter made the last two shots to win, taking the series at 2-0. Rosalina clearly had the better of play in game 3, but she couldn't suppress her nerves, as a four-ball run and a three-ball run went to waste when she rattled the 10 out of the bottom left. Potter tapped it in for the win, sweeping the series 3-0 en route to the second round.
We're done with a testy, occasionally poor day of pool. As mentioned at the start, the most likely scenario is resuming Tournament action on Monday.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Wario. The red cue gets to open the festivities today, playing 12-ball. Victoria's Wario had a good game 1, while Queens' Max scratched twice, gave away a wild-card ball, and had no positioning advantage. Wario, predictably took the win in a patient battle, only striking when the time was right to get a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a colossal failure for the Flames' Max, who was down to his last ball and had the Spurs' Wario retreating with scratches, but Wario made a three-ball run and gained enough position to earn a draw and a replay. In the replay, Wario got the win cleanly, but it took a bit of time, as Max held his defenses for as long as possible. Wario's persistence earned him a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 went to Max, and at this point, the details are unimportant except to say that it was another sloppy, painfully slow to develop game driven by defense. Wario won the series 2-1, although barely deserving to as he heads to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Stripes v. Bear. The red cue stays up for a series of 8-ball between Urban Division rivals, with hopefully less frustration. Whitewater's Bear had a decent start to game 1, but Terrace City's Stripes took over with a four-ball run followed by a three-ball run. Stripes' scratch slowed her game, and Bear rallied back with a four-ball run and then the final two shots on the next turn for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Stripes shot back well in game 2, keeping the Shores' Bear off the board until she was onto the 8. Bear did make a couple of short runs, but a chipped shot lined Stripes up for the winner, which she made to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw Bear hold the early advantage, but he couldn't get any position on the 3, his final ball before the 8. Stripes cleared things up with a four-ball run, but twice missed the 8, and Bear buried it on his first try for the win, taking the series 2-1 as he advances to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Sparkles. The silver cue comes on for a series of Rotation. Pearl's Boots had the early lead in game 1, and while Todavía's Sparkles encroached early on, Boots had a three-ball run to assert herself and ended up with the 8-3 win. Boots leads the series 1-0 thanks to the good first game. The Stills' Sparkles weathered two three-ball runs from the Surfers' Boots in game 2, once early and one more late. Sparkles had to tie the game after the first one, and she made two shots after the last one to earn the 8-6 win, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Game 3 saw Sparkles break out on a five-ball run to take a lead, but she melted after Boots converted an 8-15-10 bank combination to the top side, which tied the game and gave her momentum to win 8-6 eventually. Boots took the series 2-1.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Sprinkles. Two of Youth Movement's members face off in 7-ball with the silver cue. Capital City's Sprinkles needed only one shot in game 1, as Oceanside's Celestia made two balls on the break but left the 7 up at the bottom left. Celestia's shot on the 1 brought it close, and Sprinkles double-potted the 7 on a deflection to the bottom left and the 1 to the top right to win for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia had the better of play in game 2 as well, making a three-ball run after the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles came up empty on the break. Celestia then made the last two balls on cuts after another rough turn for Sprinkles, and Celestia's win tied the series at 1. Celestia made a four-ball run from the break, including a double-pot of the 4 on a deflection to the bottom side, and the 1 in the bottom right. Sprinkles had the first chance to win, but her run ended with a miss on the 7, and Celestia made it to win, taking the series 2-1. Celestia punches her ticket to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Dewey. The final player to debut is the visitor in this series of 15-ball with the blue cue. Oceanside's Dewey was a bit jittery in his first competitive game at this level, scratching twice, the latter of which Maplewood's Diddley used the ball-in-hand to make the 6-15 combination to the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Dewey had to fight hard for the game 2 win, and his frustration showed late as he battled for position with a stubborn Diddley of the Lumberjacks. Dewey eventually prevailed with a rocket shot on the 14 to the top left, and a cut on the 15 to win, tying the series at 1 as the shooting quality drops again. Diddley showed no mercy for a scratch by Dewey around the middle of the game, which had been fairly even and mediocre to that point. Diddley used the ball-in-hand to make the 9-15 combination to the bottom side, winning the game and the series 2-1. Diddley is through to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Snowball. The blue cue remains at the table for a series of 12-ball. A comedy of errors early in game 1 gave way to brilliance later. Swordpoint's Snowball scratched while trying to claim a suit, allowing Terrace City's Oreo to take solids. Snowball ended up being okay with this, making a five-ball run-out a few turns later to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Oreo had to be patient in game 2, not only because she scratched but because positioning was hard to come by. This was a fact very familiar to the Blades' Snowball, who couldn't get anything going at the left corners. This allowed Oreo enough time to position herself, and she made her last two shots to win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 was much higher paced for both players, as Oreo had a good break but also gave away a wild-card ball to Snowball, who would return it later. Snowball almost made this meaningless, but she shanked a shot on her final ball after Oreo missed a shot from distance. Oreo had a second chance and converted to win, taking the game and the 2-1 series win to the second round with her.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Stealth v. Luigi. The Blades veteran takes on a Nighthawks rookie as the silver cue gets another Rotation series today. Swordpoint's Stealth broke free with a five-ball run from the break in game 1, never letting North Modernistic's Luigi into the game. Stealth would later pull off a kick to sink the 9 at the bottom side, and he won 8-2 for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi had control in game 2, building up a very large lead, but he flailed at the end under the pressure of a rally from the Blades' Stealth, whose choppy turns eventually led to him winning 8-7 with a three-ball run-out, securing the series at 2-0. Stealth burst out with another five-ball run from the break in game 3, but he faltered a bit more in this appearance. Luigi answered, getting pretty close at one point, but Stealth locked it down for the 8-4 win and 3-0 series sweep. Stealth heads to the second round with the win.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Shadow. Captains collide in this 8-ball series with the red cue. Web City's Shadow made quick work of Capital City's Chris in game 1, making a three-ball run on his first turn and then a five-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after Chris scratched with no balls potted. Shadow's shutout earned him the 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Chris was much better in game 2, working an amazing six-ball run for the early advantage. The Spiders' Shadow nearly outdid him late in the game, but Shadow's run stopped with a miss on the 8 at six balls, and Chris tapped in the last two shots to win, tying the series at 1 in a fast-paced battle. Chris had a highlight in game 3, triple-potting the 1 and 7 to the top right and the 3 to the bottom right with an assist off the 10. Chris rallied from here, with a fair amount of resistance from Shadow, but Chris made the final two shots for the win. Chris takes the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Gradley. The Pirates captain faces a Swifts stalwart in 7-ball with the silver cue. Boston's Gradley nearly won early in game 1, but a deflection spared Atlantic's Delila from illegally potting the 7. She still struggled, and Gradley would get the win in due time, making the last two shots to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Pirates' Delila didn't have as many close calls in game 2, playing a cleaner game that saw neither player develop much of a run. The Swifts' Gradley had the first chance on the 7, but he missed contact, and Delila won with a shot from ball-in-hand to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was very similar, as the shooting was poor, and Delila ended up with a loss when her hard shot on the 7 failed, but left Gradley lined up. He converted, winning the series 2-1 with the game 3 win.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Stinky. The blue cue is back for 9-ball in this series with a rookie and a veteran. Central's Mario seemed to have a slight edge in game 1, but it didn't matter when he couldn't end the game on a run after Freedom's Stinky scratched. Mario left the 9 standing, and Stinky took care of it, winning for a 1-0 series lead after losing hope when he scratched. The Warriors' Mario undoubtedly held a possession advantage in game 2, but he couldn't make anything of it this time either, as the Cascades' Stinky was responsible for making one ball on the break and two more at the end for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Stinky left no doubt to who deserved the game 3 win, serving up a near perfect break that sank the 9 in the bottom right immediately to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Stinky is through to the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Shawn v. Diddley. The M-Line Derby is on in 10-ball with the red cue for this series. Midland's Shawn scratched on the break of game 1, giving Maplewood's Diddley a short-lived advantage. Things were even throughout the game, with Diddley making a three-ball run answered by Shawn's three-ball run-out at the end, giving Shawn a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 also came out pretty even, although the Lumberjacks' Diddley was a bit less sharp and no runs developed on either side with much force. The Predators' Shawn prevailed in the end, making his third shot at the 10 after Diddley's soft attempt was short at the bottom right. Shawn clinched the series at 2-0. Shawn had his shots in game 3, but it was Diddley coming out on top this time, making the 6-7-10 combination to the bottom right after Shawn left the 10 too close to the pocket. Shawn still won the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Rosalina v. Potter. The final series of the day is also in 10-ball with the red cue, between a pair of rookies. Diamond's Rosalina was doing fine until a late scratch after her attempt at the 8 in game 1. Pronger's Potter, who had also had a decent game, pounced for a three-ball run-out to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Potter spent much of game 2 snookered by a wonderful defensive stance from the Gems' Rosalina. She wasn't just defense either, as Rosalina made a five-ball run at one point, but she faltered on the 9, and Potter made the last two shots to win, taking the series at 2-0. Rosalina clearly had the better of play in game 3, but she couldn't suppress her nerves, as a four-ball run and a three-ball run went to waste when she rattled the 10 out of the bottom left. Potter tapped it in for the win, sweeping the series 3-0 en route to the second round.
We're done with a testy, occasionally poor day of pool. As mentioned at the start, the most likely scenario is resuming Tournament action on Monday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)