Later in the afternoon , the New Jersey High Rollers would face the Columbian Suricatos . Sobbe Glass would show total field dominance in the first two games , and the High Rollers would go up 2-0 . But the Suricatos were undaunted and quickly answered back to tie the match with 7 minutes still remaining . Paige Vasser would then go head to head in the snake with one of the Suricatos in a move that ended up in a penalty , but also demonstrated how much the level of competition and intensity has stepped up in this division in two short seasons . Short bodies , the High Rollers would drop that point , but answered back in quick fashion taking the clock down to 2:39 .
This was where things got a little strange . In the next game , two of the Suricatos would leave the box with their guns off , but somehow still managed to drop two bodies off break and position themselves at the 50 with five alive . Vassar would make a move into the snake wedge , where she clipped two before taking a major for a hopper hit . In the chaos , the referee pulled Vasser , and mistakenly one of the Suricatos instead of a High Roller . The High Rollers would win the point with 34 seconds left , but it quickly came under dispute .
After a long , long review of the play , the referees actually did admit to their error and attempted to remedy the situation . But rather than putting the players back in their spots and restarting the game from the point of the mistake , they opted to swing the point to the Suricatos , add time back to the clock , and start a new point with the High Rollers down one body .
In a heroic move , High Rollers ’ Vayda Dix would make a Superman dive at the buzzer to tie the game back up at 4 each , and send the match to overtime .
In the sudden death overtime , like deja vu , Vassar came out aggressive in the snake once again , and another penalty would cost the High Rollers the point . But as the Suricatos hit the buzzer , another dispute broke out as to whether or not it was a clean hang .
The hang was ruled clean , despite heavy protest , and the Suricatos were awarded a 5-4 win .
Most of the other games played on the first day of Prelims were rather predictable . Both the Cheetahs , the reigning WNXL champions , and the Femmes Fatale , a collaboration of veterans and legends from women ’ s paintball , would both make easy business of the Northern Lights , an expansion team .
Dallas Vibe , last year ’ s victors at World Cup and repeat offenders at the Las Vegas Open would mop up the Arch Angels who , after seeing three ownership changes for their organization this season , were just excited to be here . www . paintball . media
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