UPCL Bowl Series 2021 - Day 1

We're ready to begin an 8-to-10 day showcase of club battles. It's the start of the UPCL Bowl Series, which leads off today with...

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Mams v. Goatee. The designated host returns to an old home in this Oriental United versus Prime battle with the purple cue. Swordpoint's Mams took the win in 7-ball on the break, pinching the 7 into the top right for an instant win and 1-0 series lead over Westside's Goatee. The Blades' Mams had a rough start to 8-ball, but the Rockers' Goatee didn't take long to capitalize on it. Goatee took a gamble and won with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Goatee struck quickly in 9-ball after Mams posted an empty break. Goatee spun around the 5 to make a 1-2-9 combination to the top left for the 2-1 series lead. Mams made a stunning double-pot in 10-ball, earning the win with a cut on the 5 to the top left that caromed to send the 10 there as well. Goatee applauded the play as the series went tied again at 2. Goatee played from behind for part of 12-ball, but Mams stalled out as Goatee defended well. Goatee then made her final pair to the side pockets for the win and 3-2 series lead. Mams had a decent showing in 13-ball, but her last ball wouldn't line up at the bottom side. Goatee charged in the middle and got the win to pull ahead 4-2 in the series. Mams kept herself in the series with a four-ball run-out in Rotation, earning a firm 8-3 win over Goatee, whose series lead was trimmed to 4-3. In 15-ball, Mams had some attacks, but it was a fairly even battle. Mams couldn't get the 15 down late, and Goatee put it away at the bottom right to clinch the series at 5-3. Mams couldn't fight back in Accuracy, and she took a 1-3 loss as Goatee was sharp until the final ball. Goatee won the series 6-3 to claim the Southern Bowl.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Potter v. Dominic. Outcast and Brute Force members clash with the green cue. Pronger's Potter took a couple of turns to get going, but he won with a four-ball run-out in 7-ball after Southern's Dominic didn't do much. The Monarchs' Dominic had some offense in 8-ball, but he was too shaky in attack. The Tridents' Potter showed more confidence and finished off with a short run to take a 2-0 series lead. Potter continued to get the better of the offense against Dominic, who struggled to make shots in 9-ball. Potter handled things with a late three-ball run-out for the win and 3-0 series lead. Dominic got on the board in 10-ball, controlling play on a four-ball run and adding an 8-10 combination to the top left when Potter couldn't battle back late. Potter remains ahead 3-1 in the series. Dominic had a late surge with a three-ball run in 12-ball, but Potter held on just enough to make sure his early four-ball run didn't go to waste. Potter leads the series 4-1. Potter didn't get a great break for 13-ball, and Dominic capitalized on that later with a four-ball run-out for the win. Dominic is still trailing 4-2 in the series. Potter took the early lead in Rotation, but it didn't hold up. Dominic charged late and took an 8-6 win to cut Potter's series lead down to 4-3. Potter again failed to close things out in 15-ball, taking too long before Dominic struck a three-ball run-out at the end to tie the series at 4. Dominic had the lead in Accuracy, but a late skid ruined his chances. Potter held on for a 3-4 win and took the series 5-4 to win the Swordpoint Bowl.

Apple Center, Todavía: Chimpy v. Citrus. The southwestern tour continues with Oriental United and Solid Core clashing with the blue cue. Westside's Chimpy had the better of play in 7-ball, but he couldn't make the 7. Lighton's Citrus poached the win with a tap-in at the top right for a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy allowed a lot of offense by the Prestige's Citrus in 8-ball. Chimpy reversed course just in time, winning on a seven-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Citrus bounced back after her long run in 9-ball ended early. Chimpy stumbled a bit with possession, and Citrus made a pair for the win regain the series lead at 2-1. Chimpy again faltered with his chances on offense in 10-ball, and Citrus cashed in with a 9-10 combination to the bottom left. Citrus leads the series 3-1. In 12-ball, the hope for a quick battle was dashed when both players defended the bottom side hard. Citrus eventually broke through at the end to win on a kick of the 6, while Chimpy wasn't able to execute his final run. Citrus' series lead is up to 4-1. In 13-ball, Chimpy took a significant lead and still couldn't finish it off. A late error for missed contact allowed Citrus to make a five-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 5-1. In Rotation, early errors wasted some chances for Chimpy. Citrus pulled ahead and grabbed an 8-6 win to push her series lead to 6-1. In 15-ball, Chimpy's break left a cluster near the rack, while Citrus eventually navigated her way to a three-ball run-out for a win and 7-1 series lead. In Accuracy, Chimpy nearly kept things perfect, but a late miss allowed Citrus to grab a 0-1 win. Citrus finished the Todavía Bowl with an 8-1 series win.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Charli v. Luigi. The Songstresses' rivalry match with the Guild of Acting also uses the blue cue. Tysini's Charli set the tone in 7-ball, making a three-ball run off the break and a four-ball run-out after that when Commerce's Luigi failed to counterattack. Charli leads the series 1-0. The Hummingbirds' Charli was a little too slow from the start in 8-ball, and her late three-ball run didn't save her. The Tradewinds' Luigi fended Charli off to get the win, tying the series at 1. In 9-ball, the offense swung back to Charli, as she made a three-ball run-out once it was clear Luigi wasn't going to settle his play down. Charli looked confident in 10-ball, but she didn't finish this game. Luigi grabbed the final pair to retie the series at 2 in a close battle so far. Charli got a little too aggressive on her positioning in 12-ball, and she accidentally potted Luigi's last ball to gift away the win. Luigi pulled ahead 3-2 in the series. Charli showed exceptional resilience in 13-ball, as Luigi quickly got onto the 8 but couldn't quite corral it. Charli got the win with a three-ball run-out for the comeback to tie the series at 3. In Rotation, Luigi had a solid start. Charli then found a groove to take the lead, and she ran away with it for an 8-2 win and 4-3 series lead. Luigi had a foul in 15-ball after missing contact on the 5. Charli stepped up with a clutch 5-15 combination to the bottom left, her win securing the series in her favor at 5-3. Charli showed no mercy in Accuracy, locking in for a 1-4 win over Luigi to finish with a 6-3 series win. Charli claimed the Golden Bowl title this year. 

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Greg v. Mario. The silver cue will end today's action with a battle between Humanity and the Guild of Acting. Archtown's Greg had a positive start in 7-ball, making a four-ball run and adding a pair after Queens' Mario scratched late. Greg leads the series 1-0. In 8-ball, the Arrows' Greg struck first and looked solid on offense, but the Flames' Mario bounced back late. Mario collected a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Greg had an empty break in 9-ball, and Mario exploited that for a 1-2-4-9 bank combination to the bottom right on his first and only shot. Mario leads the series 2-1 after that miracle play worked. Greg put in a little more work in 10-ball, but he wasn't able to get his attack back on track. Mario shut him down late and won with a pair of shots to take a 3-1 series lead. Greg made a stripe on the break in 12-ball, but solids ended up being the better suit. Mario had little trouble carving up the rack in just a few turns to get the win and 4-1 series lead. Greg did everything he could in 13-ball to keep himself in the series, but he missed on the 8, and Mario made the final pair for the win. Mario's surge has him ahead 5-1, clinching the series. Greg got one back in Rotation, battling from behind as Mario took the early lead but couldn't finish it off this time. Greg's 8-7 win cut the series deficit down to 5-2. Greg took another win in 15-ball, cutting the 9 to the top left with a deflection that collected the 15 in the bottom side. Mario's series lead is down to 5-3. Greg collected one more win in Accuracy, taking a 1-3 result over Mario to make the series look closer than it was. Mario won the Terrace City Bowl 5-4. 

This is just the first day of the Bowl Series. We'll continue throughout the next week or so.

2021 City Cup - Semifinals and Finals

We'll end the City Cup today. We begin with the semifinals, featuring...

3) Web City Spiders v. 10) Pacific Volcanoes. The silver cue will get the first semifinals series. Web City's Nibbles struck on the break in 7-ball, giving his team an instant 1-0 series lead as the 7 fell in the bottom side without Pacific's Leonette taking a shot. The Spiders' Kodiak was a little too choppy on offense in 8-ball. The Volcanoes' Smokey had no problems collecting the win with patience and pace, tying the series at 1. Nibbles returned in 9-ball and made three on the break, but Pacific's Smokey took over on offense with a six-ball run-out. This put Pacific ahead of Web City 2-1 in the series. Smokey wasn't able to sweep his set, dropping 10-ball as the Spiders' Nibbles attacked for a pair at the end. The series is tied again at 2-2. Web City's Jack checked in for 12-ball and controlled the pace of play against Pacific's Ms. Kitty. At the end, Jack got a couple of nice bounces to make it easier to win for the 3-2 series lead. The Spiders' Jack had a little less success in 13-ball, as he couldn't get a look at the bottom side with an aggressive turn from the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty, who then won on a four-ball run-out. The series is tied again at 3. Jack did his part once more in Rotation, grabbing an 8-3 win over Leonette to give Web City the crucial 4-3 series lead. In 15-ball, Kodiak put in a good battle for the Spiders, but Leonette salvaged a win for the Volcanoes to tie the series once more at 4. Kodiak didn't have enough in the tank for Accuracy against Ms. Kitty, who locked down a 2-4 win to get the 5-4 series win for Pacific. The Volcanoes are the first team in the finals, but they'll have to wait for the result of the next series to see if they'll be in the home position or not.

8) Lighton Prestige v. 12) Viewpoint Sound Meteors. The blue cue takes the another semifinals series. Viewpoint Sound's Josie attacked with a five-ball run-out in 7-ball, grabbing the early 1-0 series lead over Lighton's Spirit. The Prestige's Citrus had a decent start to 8-ball, but she couldn't finish the effort. The Meteors' Princess surged on a five-ball run-out to earn the win, putting her team up 2-0 in the series. Spirit looked good again early in 9-ball, only for Josie to fight back late and win on a pair. Josie's late push put Viewpoint Sound ahead 3-0 over Lighton. Spirit commanded a bit more offense in 10-ball, but it didn't change the result. She twice missed on the 10, and the Meteors' Princess tapped it down at the top right to push the lead to 4-0 over the Prestige. Citrus started the comeback push for Lighton with a clutch win in 12-ball. She converted a long shot on her last ball to fend off Viewpoint Sound's Hoot, who was set up strike down a pair if she missed. Lighton remains behind 4-1 in the series. Citrus wasn't as successful in 13-ball, as the Prestige star couldn't set up a long run. The Meteors' Hoot took advantage of that and won on a four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 5-1. Acorn played with some real gusto in Rotation, making four balls on his first two shots. Princess didn't get anything going, as Viewpoint Sound's star lost 8-0 to the Lighton captain. Viewpoint Sound is still ahead 5-2 in the series. Acorn salvaged another win from 15-ball, making the 12 and 15 to the top right and top side on a double-pot from ball-in-hand after a late error by Princess. The Meteors still have a 5-3 lead. In Accuracy, Acorn and Hoot played to a 1-1 tie after an incredible well-played battle. Viewpoint Sound took the series 5-3-1 and they'll be right back in action for the City Cup Finals. 

10) Pacific Volcanoes v. 12) Viewpoint Sound Meteors. The purple cue plays the Finals series to determine the City Cup Champions. Pacific's Leonette scratched on the break in 7-ball, and Viewpoint Sound's Josie grabbed the win two shots later on a 2-7 combination to the top right. Viewpoint Sound leads 1-0 again. The Volcanoes' Smokey was good on offense in 8-ball, but three scratches dragged him back enough for the Meteors' Princess to collect the win with ease. The Meteors are ahead 2-0 in the series and carrying big momentum. Pacific's Smokey continued to play high-risk offense in 9-ball. He made a four-ball run late that ended in a scratch, allowing Josie to strike the 9 on a ball-in-hand play. She converted for the win and 3-0 series lead for Viewpoint Sound. Josie kept it rolling in 10-ball, striking on a five-ball run-out at the end after another error from the Volcanoes' Smokey. The Meteors lead the series 4-0 and will have five chances to win a trophy. Ms. Kitty got off to a great start with a four-ball run in 12-ball, but Hoot matched it on his first turn and then made his final pair for the win to clinch the City Cup at 5-0 for Viewpoint Sound. Ms. Kitty came close to winning in 13-ball as well, but she left the 8 standing. Hoot struck back late and found another win to stretch the Meteors' lead to 6-0 in the series. Leonette spoiled the sweep bid, as Pacific's veteran picked up an 8-5 win over Princess in Rotation, putting Viewpoint Sound's lead at 6-1. Princess answered in 15-ball with an excellent finish to make it a 7-1 lead for the Meteors over Leonette and the Volcanoes. Both Ms. Kitty and Hoot were sharp in a 1-1 tie in Accuracy. Viewpoint Sound took the City Cup title with a 7-1-1 series win, with Josie named the competition's MVP. 

That'll do it for the main portion of the UPCL playoffs. The Bowl Series is next, expected to start Monday and to last for 8-to-10 days in early November before the offseason commences.

2021 City Cup - Quarterfinals

To little surprise, it's a late start on Quarterfinals day in the City Cup. We'll play all four series in the round today before wrapping up the competition tomorrow. First up...

10) Pacific Volcanoes v. 15) Terrace City Knights. The only matchup where both teams pulled off upsets begins the day with the blue cue. Pacific's Leonette had a decent performance in 7-ball, but Terrace City's Anna earned the win with the final pair for a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Oreo was caught trailing for all of 8-ball. The Volcanoes' Smokey made a five-ball run early and did enough to fight off Oreo's four-ball run for the win. Smokey has tied the series at 1. In 9-ball, Smokey had a fairly solid start, but Anna banked the 9 to the top right for the win. Anna propelled Terrace City to a 2-1 series lead over Pacific. Oreo missed her only shot for the Knights in 10-ball, and Smokey used that to make a deflection off the 1 to drive the 10 to the bottom left. The Volcanoes have tied the series again at 2. Ms. Kitty checked in for Pacific and held a steadier shot than Terrace City's Kiwi in 12-ball. At the end, Ms. Kitty's positioning allowed her to make a pair for the win to put her team ahead 3-2. In 13-ball, Ms. Kitty surged late on a three-ball run to get onto the 8. Kiwi turned desperate for positioning and accidentally made the 8 illegally to gift the win to Ms. Kitty, which extended the Volcanoes' series lead to 4-2. Leonette returned for Pacific in Rotation, but Anna delivered again for Terrace City with an 8-6 win to cut her team's deficit to 4-3 in the series. Leonette bounced back in 15-ball, grabbing her first win of the day on a late pair after Oreo grew frustrated on offense. The Volcanoes sealed the series at 5-3. Ms. Kitty finished strong with a 2-6 win over Kiwi in Accuracy to give Pacific a 6-3 series win to reach the semifinals.

8) Lighton Prestige v. 16) Victoria Spurs. A West Division showdown features the purple cue. Lighton's Spirit had solid offense in 7-ball, but she twice missed on the 7 and allowed Victoria's Strawberry to collect the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Citrus was shaky in 8-ball, taking too long to build her attacks. The Spurs' Rosalina was a bit more concise and picked up the win to put her team ahead 2-0 in the series. Lighton's Spirit put together a much better performance in 9-ball, rallying on a five-ball run-out at the end to beat Victoria's Strawberry. Victoria remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Spirit was able to pick up a sloppy win in 10-ball as the Spurs' Yekaterina stumbled right at the end of the game. Spirit made the final pair to tie the series at 2. Rosalina had a decent start in 12-ball, but her positioning didn't line up late. Citrus was patient and steady on offense to earn the win, pulling Lighton ahead of Victoria 3-2. Rosalina stopped the bleeding for the Spurs in 13-ball, attacking well at the end with a three-ball run-out to beat the Prestige's Citrus. This tied the series at 3. Acorn took a close battle in Rotation, the Lighton captain fending off a late push by Yekaterina to take an 8-5 win. Lighton leads the series again at 4-3. Acorn couldn't lock it down in 15-ball, as Strawberry battled hard and cleaned up late in a slow finish. The Spurs have pulled even at 4 games apiece to set up a one-game finale. Acorn took care of business in Accuracy, taking a 3-5 win over Yekaterina for the 5-4 series win to Lighton.

4) Queens Flames v. 12) Viewpoint Sound Meteors. The green cue is on for this third quarterfinal. Queens' Mario stepped up after a slow start, beating Viewpoint Sound's Josie with a three-ball run-out in 7-ball. Queens leads 1-0. The Flames' Violetta didn't get much of a chance to build offense in 8-ball, as the Meteors' Princess started on a seven-ball run. Princess was able to close out the win, tying the series at 1. Mario had a little less fortune in 9-ball, faltering late. Josie struck back this time, making a pair for the win to pull Viewpoint Sound ahead of Queens 2-1 in the series. Briana opened 10-ball with a somewhat lucky five-ball run. She didn't repeat that surge of offense later, as Josie stepped in for a pair at the end to put the Meteors ahead of the Flames 3-1. In 12-ball, Violetta seemed solid early on, but she couldn't build upon it. Hoot rallied for Viewpoint Sound and took the win, pushing the series lead to 4-1 over Queens. The Flames were nearly extinguished in 13-ball, but Hoot couldn't corral the 8 at the end. Violetta pulled all the way back against the Meteors' captain to get the win, cutting their series lead to 4-2. Briana likewise fell behind early in Rotation for Queens, only to stick it out and beat Princess 8-6 to cut Viewpoint Sound's series lead down to 4-3. Briana had a decent performance in a slow 15-ball game, but her late error allowed Princess to win with a pair of shots. The Meteors clinched the series at 5-3. Mario was able to grab a 0-3 win over Hoot in Accuracy to salvage one more game for Queens. Viewpoint Sound took a 5-4 series win and will face the Lighton Prestige in tomorrow's second semifinal.

3) Web City Spiders v. 6) Whitewater Shores. The top team remaining draws the red cue in today's finale. Web City's Nibbles looked to be in a little danger in 7-ball, but Whitewater's Rachel couldn't sink the 7. Nibbles made it at the top left for a 1-0 series lead. Kodiak had a lot go right for him in 8-ball, but the Spiders veteran faltered at the end. The Shores' Shaggy rallied for a four-ball run-out to earn the win and tie the series at 1. Rachel took a swipe at a 2-5-9 combination and missed in 9-ball. Nibbles struck right back with a 2-9 combination to the bottom left, reclaiming the 2-1 series lead for Web City over Whitewater. Shaggy had the late momentum for the Shores, but she couldn't make the 10 on either of her attempts. Nibbles cashed it in at the top left to push the Spiders ahead 3-1 in the series. Jack couldn't get organized at the end of 12-ball, as Web City's captain watched Whitewater's Rachel tally a confident win. Web City remains ahead 3-2 in the series. The Shores' Katharine had a productive showing early in 13-ball, but she couldn't finish it off. The Spiders' Jack showed some resilience with a four-ball run-out to grab the win that put his team ahead 4-2 in the series. Jack couldn't get the job done for Web City in Rotation, as Katharine held him off late in a slow-paced 8-5 win. Whitewater is down 4-3 in the series. Katharine couldn't save the Shores one more time, as a late miss on the 15 allowed Kodiak to bury it on a bank to the top side to seal the series at 5-3 for the Spiders. Kodiak and Shaggy ended in a 4-4 tie in Accuracy, making it a 5-3-1 series win for Web City over Whitewater. They'll face the Pacific Volcanoes in the first semifinal tomorrow. 

That's all for today's action. The last postseason award will be granted at the end of tomorrow's three-series finale to the City Cup.

2021 City Cup - First Round, Day 2

The City Cup's opening round continues today with the matchups near the middle of the participating teams. First up...

5) Everton Eagles v. 12) Viewpoint Sound Meteors. The purple cue gets today's opening series, which could be a lesson in late-season momentum. Everton's Goldy nearly gave the team a dream start, but she scratched as she made the 7 on the break in 7-ball, gifting the win and 1-0 series lead to Viewpoint Sound's Josie. The Eagles' Vincent put in a good fight in 8-ball, but he wasn't able to grind out a win as the Meteors' Princess was steady on offense. Princess kept her advantage enough to give her team a 2-0 series lead. Goldy again took just one shot in 9-ball, but this time it got Everton on the board, cutting Viewpoint Sound's series lead to 2-1. Goldy denied Josie a shot for a second game by sinking the 9 to the bottom left. Panda made an impact for the Eagles in 10-ball, sniping the 8-10 combination to the bottom right after a close battle with the Meteors' Josie. The series is now tied at 2. Vincent couldn't keep the momentum going for Everton in 12-ball, falling short with his late offense while Hoot held strong. Hoot was able to make the final pair with trouble to give Viewpoint Sound a 3-2 series lead. Hoot couldn't get his offense going in 13-ball, as Vincent rallied on solids despite an unfavorable distribution early. Vincent's win helped the Eagles retie the series at 3 against the Meteors. Goldy had to battle for every shot in Rotation, but Viewpoint Sound's Princess got sloppy at the end and lost control. Goldy's composed effort earned her an 8-4 win, putting Everton up 4-3 in the series. Panda wasn't able to lock it down for the Eagles, his late three-ball run falling short while Princess scooped up the final pair to tie the series at 4. Panda fell apart in Accuracy as well, allowing Hoot to emerge with a 2-5 win in the game and a 5-4 series win for Viewpoint Sound overall. The Meteors will face the Queens Flames in the quarterfinals.

6) Whitewater Shores v. 11) Harrison Specters. The City Cup hosts join the action here, using the green cue. Whitewater's Rachel didn't get much going in 7-ball, and Harrison's Bucco was able to deliver a pair of shots at the end for the win. Harrison leads the series 1-0. The Shores' Shaggy had the lead for much of 8-ball, but she couldn't get the 8 down at the end. The Specters' Twinkie II stepped up with a five-ball run-out to grab the win, putting her team ahead 2-0 in the series. Harrison's Snuggle didn't get a shot in 9-ball, as Whitewater's Rachel redeemed herself by bumping the 9 to the bottom left on the break. Harrison still leads the series 2-1. Snuggle again faltered in 10-ball, but it was more from the strength of the Shores' Shaggy, who curled a shot on the 7 to ignite a four-ball run-out for the win. The series is tied at 2. Rachel stayed composed in a difficult game of 12-ball, fending off Twinkie II after the latter's four-ball run near the end. Rachel grabbed the win and gave Whitewater a 3-2 series lead over Harrison. Katharine checked in for the Shores and struggled a bit with positioning in 13-ball. Twinkie II was sharp at the end to grab the win, retying the series at 3. Rotation was a pivotal game, and it had plenty of turning points. Neither player could get a run, but Katharine was able to step in late for a pair of shots to win 8-7 over Bucco, propelling Whitewater to a 4-3 series lead. Katharine continued for the Shores in 15-ball, and she surged in the middle, only for Snuggle to reply for the Specters with a four-ball run-out. The series is tied once more at 4. Bucco led for almost all of Accuracy after Shaggy scratched on the break. Bucco then scratched late and missed on the last ball, allowing Shaggy to take the 2-3 win and 5-4 series win for Whitewater, who will play another Eastern team in the Web City Spiders in the quarterfinals.

7) Infinity Torpedoes v. 10) Pacific Volcanoes. The red cue gets the call for a battle of depth against top-end talent. Infinity's Blaze made a pair on the break and struck late in 7-ball to take the win and 1-0 series lead over Pacific and Leonette. The Torpedoes' Shelley led for much of 8-ball but it got away from her in the end. The Volcanoes' Smokey charged back on a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Smokey was relentless in 9-ball with an eight-ball run-out, lifting Pacific to another win and a 2-1 series lead over Infinity's Blaze. In 10-ball, Blaze looked to get the upper hand early on, only for Smokey to reply at the end with a sharp pair for the win that extended the Volcanoes' series lead to 3-1. Fuchsia had an attack late in 12-ball to get within a ball of winning, but Ms. Kitty had enough of a lead and good positioning to make a pair of tap-ins for the win. Pacific now leads Infinity 4-1 in the series. Ms. Kitty tried to make a comeback in a tough 13-ball battle, but Shelley held her off after starting hot on solids. Shelley's win cut the Torpedoes' deficit to 4-2 against the Volcanoes. Fuchsia was caught off guard early in Rotation, and Leonette was strong enough to guide it home for an 8-3 win that secured the series at 5-2 for Pacific. Fuchsia showed a little better in 15-ball. The Volcanoes' Leonette made a four-ball run early, but Fuchsia replied with a four-ball run-out that ended on a 6-15 combination to the bottom left to get the Torpedoes to a 5-3 deficit. Infinity's Shelley skidded late in Accuracy after a good start, allowing Pacific's Ms. Kitty to take a 1-3 win to finish off a 6-3 series win. The Volcanoes will have the home-field advantage against the Terrace City Knights in the quarterfinals.

8) Lighton Prestige v. 9) Diamond Gems. The last series today uses the silver cue. Both players showed skill in 7-ball, but Lighton's Spirit got the better of Diamond's Shadow with a pair both early and late. Lighton leads the series 1-0. The Prestige's Citrus had a good showing in 8-ball until she illegally sank the 8 after trying to get a better position. This gifted the win to the Gems' Autumn, who did well to keep things close. The series is tied at 1. In a rematch of the 9-ball gold-medal series this year, Spirit and Shadow went to battle again. It was as close as expected, with Shadow winning on a perfectly weighted spinning cut on the 9 to the top left to give Diamond a 2-1 series lead over Lighton. In 10-ball, Spirit clearly had an edge on offense over the Gems' Leonardo. While no big runs developed, Spirit got the win on a late pair to pull the Prestige even again at 2-2. In 12-ball, Citrus struck first on stripes, but a pair of three-balls runs quickly gave the win to Autumn and Diamond, who now lead 3-2. Citrus stayed on for 13-ball and cleaned up some of her mistakes from earlier games. Leonardo wasn't able to settle in with positioning as Citrus helped the Prestige again pull even with the Gems at 3 games apiece. Leonardo got on the edge of victory in a pivotal Rotation battle, but he couldn't get one more shot down. Acorn fought all the way back from a six-point deficit, opening his turn at the table with an 8-7 win to give Lighton the upper hand 4-3 over Diamond. A battle between two of the league's most tactical captains saw Acorn and Shadow clash evenly. At the end, Acorn faded with a pair of scratches that allowed Shadow to piece together a win that kept the Gems alive with the series tied at 4. Acorn and Autumn went to battle in Accuracy with the series on the line, and it was close the whole way. Autumn dropped off with late misses, allowing Acorn to lock down a 1-2 win for the 5-4 series win that sent Lighton to the quarterfinals. They'll face the Victoria Spurs in a West Division grudge match. 

We expect to only play the City Cup Quarterfinals tomorrow, but it's possible we push toward the end of this part of the postseason instead if time permits.

2021 City Cup - First Round, Day 1

We'll take things slow during the City Cup, which opens with four series featuring the highest-ranked teams today. All matches are at Samsung Arena in Whitewater. First up...

4) Queens Flames v. 13) Pronger Tridents. These teams have drawn the green cue for their first-round series. Queens' Mario had to wait for Pronger's Spot to scratch late in 7-ball before striking for a three-ball run-out. Queens' series lead is at 1-0. The Flames' Violetta dominated in 8-ball, attacking at will with a four-ball run that left the Tridents' Precious facing a big deficit. Violetta made a three-ball run-out to finish it off, extending the Flames' series lead to 2-0. Mario and Spot squared off again in 9-ball, and Spot had some struggles with finishing. This allowed Mario to clean up a few shots, pushing Queens ahead 3-0 in the series. Spot looked his best in 10-ball, but he again came up empty despite an early five-ball run. Spot's miss on the 9 allowed the Flames' Briana to sink the final pair of shots for more of a stolen win to push her team to a 4-0 series lead. Pronger's Potter struck first in 12-ball, but he had no chance to answer for a four-ball run-out by Queens' Violetta, which secured the series for her team at 5-0. Violetta kept the Flames perfect in 13-ball, grinding out another win over Potter, who got himself into positional trouble. The series lead stands at 6-0. Briana returned for Queens in Rotation, and she didn't see the lead until the final ball as Pronger's Precious twice missed on the 15. Briana took an 8-7 win to stretch Queens' lead to 7-0 in the series. In 15-ball, Precious again saw a majority of the offense, but the Tridents' captain saw her four-ball run end with a miss on the 15 despite a good positioning play. Briana tapped it down, grabbing another win to push the Flames to an 8-0 series lead. Mario held things down once more in Accuracy, escaping with a 1-2 win over Potter as Queens completed a 9-0 series sweep to start the City Cup. 

3) Web City Spiders v. 14) Eastside Sharks. The second series today uses the red cue. Web City's Nibbles had to scrap for possession early in 7-ball, but he turned around with a five-ball run-out to fend off Eastside's Maison. Web City leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Kodiak stumbled a bit in 8-ball, unable to keep the pace with the Sharks' Taylor M. At the end, Taylor M. slowed down but still had time to sink the 8 to the top left for the win, tying the series at 1. In 9-ball, Eastside's Lily made a five-ball run that included a jump and a kick before she missed on the 8. Nibbles deflected off the 8 to get the 9 at the top left, restoring a 2-1 series lead for Web City. Nibbles got a little too fancy in trying to finish off 10-ball, leaving the 10 short at the top left. The Sharks' Maison capitalized with a tap-in to steal the win and retie the series at 2. Taylor M. pushed Eastside to the lead in an intense 12-ball battle with Jack. Both players left chances on the table, but Taylor M. kicked in the winning shot on the 9 at the top right to put her team up 3-2. Taylor M. put in a good comeback effort in 13-ball, but the Sharks' captain came up a little short this time as the Spiders' Jack rallied for a three-ball run-out and the win. The series is tied again at 3 games each. Lily led for much of Rotation, but she couldn't find a finishing shot when she needed it. Jack stormed back for Web City, taking the 8-7 win on a three-ball run-out to regain a series lead at 4-3 over Eastside. The Spiders' Kodiak served as the hero in 15-ball, burying the 15 on his second chance after a competitive and close battle with Lily. This sealed the series for the Spiders at 5-3. With the game tied late in Accuracy, Web City's Kodiak sportingly allowed Maison to grab the 1-2 win. Web City took the series 5-4 over Eastside to reach the quarterfinals. 

2) Westside Rockers v. 15) Terrace City Knights. A North Division rivalry is reignited in the City Cup, using the silver cue. Terrace City's Anna struck fast in 7-ball, making a 2-7 combination to the top left for the win and 1-0 series lead over Westside's Goatee. The Knights' Oreo did well in 8-ball, keeping the lead over the Rockers' Chimpy. Oreo finished with a kick of the 8 to the bottom left to put her team ahead 2-0 in the series. Westside's Snowball was baffled that the 8 stayed up at the bottom left late in 9-ball. Terrace City's Anna capitalized on it with the final pair of shots for the win, extending the series lead to 3-0. Snowball finally got the Rockers on the board in 10-ball, battling evenly with the Knights' Oreo at first. Snowball then surged late on a four-ball run-out for the win, trimming the Knights' series lead to 3-1. Goatee tried to keep things going in the right direction for Westside, but she couldn't finish off 12-ball. Terrace City's Kiwi had a nice surge in the middle and was faster to make her last ball to push her team's lead to 4-1. Kiwi had a productive 13-ball game at the start, but she couldn't seal the series for the Knights, as the Rockers' Goatee made a three-ball run for the win. The Knights' lead stands at 4-2. Snowball fell behind early in Rotation and never gave Westside a chance to catch up as Anna capped an 8-5 win to seal the series at 5-2 for Terrace City. Chimpy grew frustrated while playing out 15-ball. He found a late three-ball run, then missed contact on the 15 that allowed Oreo to bury it on a free play, pushing the Knights' series lead to 6-2. Chimpy got one back in Accuracy, grabbing a 1-2 win as Kiwi faltered a bit. Terrace City won the series 6-3 to make the quarterfinals. 

1) Capital City Sharpshooters v. 16) Victoria Spurs. The regular-season champions and the last City Cup winners clash in today's last series with the blue cue. Capital City's Ellie got stunned in 7-ball, as errors and misses on her side allowed Victoria's Strawberry to dominate in a win. Victoria holds a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Rosalina pushed in 8-ball and was first on the 8, but she missed it. The Sharpshooters' Missy struck back on a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. In 9-ball, Ellie scratched on the break and Strawberry immediately converted a 1-9 combination from ball-in-hand to restore Victoria's series lead at 2-1. The Sharpshooters' Ellie came up short again in a fast-paced 10-ball battle. The Spurs' Yekaterina was able to make the final pair after an earlier three-ball run to earn the win and 3-1 series lead. Victoria's Rosalina appeared to be in trouble after a scratch, but Capital City's Kelsea failed to position her last ball right. Rosalina made a pair at the end to earn the win, pushing Victoria to the brink of advancing with a 4-1 series lead. Rosalina made a three-ball run early in 13-ball, but the Spurs star faltered later. Kelsea charged with a six-ball run that ended in a scratch, but her positioning worked better this time as she grabbed the win to cut the deficit to 4-2. Missy put in a good fight for Capital City in Rotation, but she wasn't able to stop Victoria's Yekaterina on a late three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win and 5-2 clincher for the series. Kelsea made a ball on the break in 15-ball, but her next shot was a miss. Strawberry remained opportunistic, striking a 1-15 combination deflected to the top left for the win and 6-2 series lead for the Spurs. Missy salvaged one more result in Accuracy, taking a 2-4 win over Yekaterina. Victoria won the series 6-3, an upset to reach the quarterfinals. 

We'll continue tomorrow with the closer-ranked matchups in the first round.

2021 Clan Cup - Semifinals and Finals

We'll play the last three days of the Clan Cup today. Outcast has decided to take the first semifinal to get rest ahead of a potential Finals appearance, so they'll begin the day. Here we go.

1) Outcast v. 5) Songstresses. The silver cue will be on hand for this series. Outcast's Hughbert took care of business in 7-ball, taking a four-ball run-out to beat the Songstresses' Charli. Outcast leads the series 1-0. Outcast's Cobalt did a fair amount of offense in game 2 with an early five-ball run, but he also made a pair for the Songstresses' Maren. In the end, Maren took that jump start and added a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Charli came back for 9-ball, but she couldn't win this one either. Her cut on the 9 resulted in a scratch to gift the win to Outcast's Summer, and Outcast now has a 2-1 series lead. Summer was a little more in control during 10-ball, while Maren pushed hard but couldn't get much offense. Summer took the win with a three-ball run-out to extend Outcast's series lead to 3-1. In 12-ball, Quincy made one of each on the break. He chose to play stripes, and that was the right choice. The Songstresses' Carly couldn't get positioning before Quincy double-potted the last two balls at the right corners for the win and 4-1 series lead. Quincy got stunned in 13-ball, as Carly got her revenge with a two-turn win capped by a four-ball run-out. Outcast remains ahead of the Songstresses 4-2 overall. Dewey faced his Stonebridge Wolves teammate Lindsay in Rotation, and it was Lindsay who charged away for an 8-2 win for the Songstresses. Outcast's series lead is down to 4-3 as the two teammates clash again. Lindsay's luck ran out in 15-ball, as she struggled to get clear looks. A miscue led to her sinking the 15 illegally, gifting the win to Dewey. Outcast also clinched the series at 5-3. Cobalt held on for another win for Outcast in Accuracy, taking a tough battle 3-4 over Lorde to finish a 6-3 series win over the Songstresses. Outcast will await the winner of the next series for the Finals match. 

2) Oriental United v. 3) Prime. The red cue's semifinals turn is here. OU's Stealth had a tough time getting his offense on track in game 1, and Prime's Strut eventually punished that to grab the win in 7-ball. Prime holds a 1-0 series lead. Prime's Tigerette tried to keep the momentum up in 8-ball, but she fell short on the 8. OU's Mams charged late on a four-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Prime got back in front in 9-ball, taking another close battle as Diddley made a pair when OU's Sparkles faltered late. Prime's series lead is at 2-1. Sparkles put in a strong effort in game 4, headlined by a four-ball run, but her bank on the 10 at the end didn't land. Ms. Puppy had no problem tapping it in at the bottom right for another Prime to grab a 3-1 series lead. Prime's Delila didn't have the pace to keep up with OU's Mams in 12-ball. Mams put in a strong performance for the win, trimming Prime's lead to 3-2. Tigerette got stalled out in 13-ball, as the Prime star couldn't navigate the 8 at the bottom left. Shiny had much more success for OU, working a four-ball run-out at the end to grab the win and tie the series at 3. Bells played from behind for virtually all of the Rotation game. Prime's Ms. Puppy took an early lead and then rallied with a late three-ball run-out for an 8-6 win to restore her club's advantage at 4-3 in the series. Bells stormed out of the gate in 15-ball with a five-ball run before a failed jump shot turned possession over to Diddley. Prime's Diddley made the 5 and then used the 6 as a decoy to deflect the 15 in to the top right for the win, sealing the series at 5-3 in favor of Prime. Stealth had a good effort in Accuracy, but he came up short at the end as Strut held on for a 2-3 win. Prime took the series 6-3 to reach the Clan Cup Finals. 

1) Outcast v. 3) Prime. The Clan Cup Finals will be contested with the green cue. Prime's Strut couldn't handle the offense in 7-ball, while Outcast's Hughbert struck for a four-ball run-out to earn the win in his only game. Outcast leads the series 1-0. Outcast's Cobalt was hurt by a couple of errors in 8-ball, allowing Prime's Tigerette to dictate the pace and earn the win. The series is tied at 1. Summer looked solid for Outcast early in 9-ball, but her foul in the middle allowed Prime's Diddley to rally with a four-ball run-out for the win. Prime took the series lead at 2-1. Ms. Puppy took advantage of the slow pace in 10-ball to deflect a shot off the 7 that sent the 10 to the top right for the win over Outcast's Summer. Prime's series lead is up to 3-1 as they look to upset the regular-season champions. Quincy took the early lead in 12-ball and had a fairly strong alignment, but Delila rallied for a five-ball run and kicked the 5 to the top right on the next turn to give Prime the 4-1 series lead over Outcast. Quincy didn't have any extra luck in 13-ball, as he attempted to play defense late but Tigerette refused to back down in earning the win and securing the series at 5-1 for Prime. Ms. Puppy kept things rolling for Prime in Rotation, picking up an 8-5 win over Dewey's valiant effort to make things look better for Outcast. Prime's series lead is up to 6-1. Dewey tried again in 15-ball, only for Diddley to step in with a spinning kick deflection off the 6 to drive the 15 to the bottom side for another Prime win. They lead 7-1 over Outcast now. Strut mailed it in for Accuracy, taking a 3-8 loss to Outcast's Cobalt in the finale. It didn't dampen the celebrations for Prime for the 7-2 win to take the Clan Cup, their first as a club. Tigerette was named the Clan Cup MVP, namely for her work in the quarterfinals and then for winning the clincher in this series. 

That's it for the Clan Cup. The City Cup's two-day first round begins tomorrow with the top-four teams in action.

2021 Clan Cup - First Round

It's time to put the focus on the clubs for two days, as the Clan Cup is set to be played from Mercedes-Benz Forum in Harrison. First up in today's first-round action...

4) Enterprise v. 5) Songstresses. The red cue will get the first of the quarterfinals series. Enterprise's Molly had a solid performance in 7-ball, but she scratched late and Songstresses' Charli attacked for the win and 1-0 series lead. In 8-ball, the Songstresses' Maren got one shot, which ended in a scratch. Enterprise's Whiskers made a pair off the break and a six-ball run-out on her next turn for the win, tying the series at 1. In 9-ball, Molly was back to control the early offense before another late scratch doomed her. Charli won with an 8-9 combination to the bottom left, giving the Songstresses a 2-1 series lead. Enterprise's Ruby produced a strong offense in 10-ball, but her late four-ball run ended with a miss on the 10. Maren sank it instead, securing another win for the Songstresses, who now lead 3-1. Whiskers tried her best for Enterprise in 12-ball, but Songstresses' Carly dictated the pace better. Carly was able to close out with a three-ball run-out to give her club a 4-1 series lead. Carly wasn't able to find the same success in 13-ball, coming up a turn short of the win as Puff III kept Enterprise in the fight. The Songstresses' lead is down to 4-2. Sunshine fell flat for Enterprise in Rotation, allowing Lindsay to run away with an 8-2 win that secured the series at 5-2 for the Songstresses. Lindsay wasn't able to double up in her games, dropping a tough 15-ball battle to Enterprise's Ruby, which cut the deficit down to 5-3. Sunshine salvaged a little more respect in Accuracy, grabbing a 3-4 win over Lorde. Songstresses beat Enterprise 5-4 in the series to reach the semifinals.

3) Prime v. 6) Solid Core. The green cue is up for this series. Prime's Strut couldn't get anything going in 7-ball, and Solid Core's Crystal took the win on a banked 2-7 combination to the bottom left. Solid Core leads 1-0 in the series. Solid Core's Frosty couldn't find her offense in 8-ball. Prime's Tigerette was relentless in this one, overcoming a scratch and some shaky play to earn the win and tie the series at 1. Prime's Diddley was sloppy in 9-ball, scratching a couple of times and missing too many shots. Solid Core's Blizzard punished it with a four-ball run-out for the win, restoring her club's 2-1 series lead. Blizzard kept the momentum up in 10-ball, burying a four-ball run-out with a double-potted 4-10 combination at the top left after Prime's Ms. Puppy failed to make an impact. Solid Core now has a 3-1 series lead. Solid Core's Misty had a chance to take full control of the series, but she didn't find much joy in 12-ball. Prime's Delila instead played her best her in lone game, cutting the series deficit to 3-2. Misty did a bit better in 13-ball, but she failed to bring in a win for Solid Core. Tigerette played through Misty's defense at the end to grab the win, tying the series at 3. Crystal and Ms. Puppy went into a battle for the ages in Rotation, giving each other hardly any space to operate. Crystal picked up the 8-7 win late, restoring Solid Core's series lead at 4-3. Diddley got a double-pot from a shot on the 5 early in 15-ball, a stunningly fast win for Prime to shock Solid Core's Smudge as the series is tied once more at 4. It all came down to Accuracy, where Strut stood much firmer for Prime than Frosty did for Solid Core. Strut's 1-4 win gave Prime a 5-4 series win and a path to the semifinals. 

2) Oriental United v. 7) Forest SC. The purple cue is ready for this quarterfinal series. OU's Stealth started well in 7-ball with a three-ball run, but a foul allowed FSC's Marsell to push back on a four-ball run-out for a fast win. FSC leads the series 1-0. Hershey staked out a nice lead for FSC in 8-ball, but it wasn't without a challenge from OU's Mams, who put in a good effort too. Hershey was able to strike a pair at the end for the win and 2-0 series lead. FSC's Marsell couldn't double down in 9-ball, taking too many shaky looks. OU's Sparkles got her club on the board with a 4-9 combination to the bottom left, cutting FSC's lead to 2-1. FSC got a huge boost in 10-ball from Blair, the last man on the roster, as he delivered a four-ball run-out when Sparkles couldn't settle things down for OU. FSC is back up to a 3-1 series lead. Mams spoiled FSC's plans a bit in 12-ball. Roxy couldn't find an attack fast enough, and her late scratch helped Mams make three balls over her last two turns to help OU to the win. FSC remains ahead 3-2 overall. FSC's Roxy fell short again in 13-ball, although she was much more competitive this time. OU's Shiny stepped up with a late three-ball run-out to take the win and tie the series at 3. FSC's Dustin led for much of Rotation, but OU's Bells surged and got a controversial refereeing decision to go in her favor on the final shot. Dustin was steamed after the 8-5 loss, which put OU ahead 4-3 in the series, but the two players battle again in 15-ball. Dustin got his revenge quickly, playing a brilliant 2-15 kick combination through traffic to the bottom left for the win, retying the series at 4 as Bells had nothing going on. Hershey fell behind early in Accuracy, and Stealth held on long enough for a 3-4 win to give OU the 5-4 series win over FSC. 

1) Outcast v. 8) Brute Force. The last quarterfinal is with the blue cue. Outcast's Hughbert didn't get much right in game 1, but he sniped the 7 to the top right after Brute Force's Rainmane missed it. Outcast holds a 1-0 series lead. In 8-ball, Outcast's Cobalt looked to have a bit of momentum at the end, but he couldn't get the 8 to drop at the bottom right. Noelle had kept it close and made a pair for the win to tie it at 1 for Brute Force. The trend of shaky finishes continued in 9-ball, as Outcast's Summer simply missed on the 9 at the top left. Rainmane buried it for Brute Force to give her club a 2-1 series lead. Summer quickly got a chance to redeem herself in 10-ball, and she did it by tapping down the 10 at the top left when Nightfur left it standing. Outcast has again pulled even at 2-2 against Brute Force. Outcast's Quincy botched a couple of attempts to finish in 12-ball, but capitalized late when Brute Force's Leandra did the same. Quincy's win put Outcast ahead 3-2 in the series. Quincy looked doomed in 13-ball, but a cut on the 15 to the bottom side, a bank for the 14 at the top side and a cut on the 8 to the top left gave him a stunning final run to take down Noelle. Outcast's series lead is up to 4-2. Dominic needed to win in Rotation to keep Brute Force in the series, but he couldn't keep pace with Outcast's Dewey, who took an 8-3 win. Outcast sealed the series at 5-2. Dewey didn't push too hard in 15-ball, letting plays develop. At the end, he missed on the 15, and Dominic knocked it down to cut the deficit to 5-3. Cobalt didn't get anything to stick in Accuracy, taking the 4-5 loss to Leandra in the game. Outcast beat Brute Force 5-4 overall. 

We'll wrap up the Clan Cup tomorrow after a schedule change due to fitness issues.