Game 1: Team Curse Academy versus Counter Logic Gaming

Picks


Bans


Commentary:

The nights opener is one of the better rivalries in League of Legends. With Curse's addition of the former CLG Top Laner, Voyboy, and CLG's additions of Aphromoo to support DoubleLift, these two teams did not disappoint.

Laning phase for both teams was solid. Knowing Nunu & Caitlyn would be pushing hard onto Curse's top turret, Olaf was given a level 1 Golem buff to sustain the aggression. The MVP of this game was Saint Vicious playing Xin Zhao, who for the second time in this Season gave First Blood for his team in a 1 for 1 trade at top lane tri-bush.

CLG tried to start the aggression early as they roamed across the map into Curse's jungle. However, mid-game success went completely in Curse's favor. While diving onto Xin Zhao CLG's back line was left open and Olaf, coming in from a well positioned Teleport, picked up a double kill.

Curse played a very consistent and efficient game, taking little risk by picking favorable fights. Counter Logic Gaming, could not respond to the heavy initiation from Xin Zhao and Olaf combined with the crowd control from Command Shockwave, and Crescendo. Time after time, Link's Anivia found himself flattened before he could make a real impact in team-fights. With the score highly in favor for Curse, they would eventually siege the opposing base structures and push for the win.

Winner: Curse

Toxicvip's MVP Choice: Saint Vicious on Xin Zhao
Team Records


Game 2: Team SoloMid versus Team Dignitas

Picks


Bans


Commentary:

Game 2 of the night featured TSM, coming off a 1-1 record in day one, against Team Dignitas, who is still looking for their first win of the Season.

First blood went to Dyrus on Renekton who Flash stunned Kayle with the assistance of TheOddOnes Jarvan IV. TSM had a lot of early success thanks to Jarvan IV's constant lane presence. They took out the first three turrets of the game as well as the first dragon with little resistance and made it look easy at times when they needed to disengage from fights.

The match-up went all in TSM's favor, having full map control during the entire game thanks to excellent ward coverage. TSM was able to catch people out of position; such as Scarra's Kassadin at Golem Camp. Shen was never able to catch up and DIG found themselves losing important 2 versus 2 battles time after time.

TSM forced a fight at Baron Nashor and with a successful Smite for Baron buff, TSM was able to take a 2 for 0 trade and knock down two inhibitors. Kudos to Miss Fortunes Black Cleaver Bullet Time landing on DIG's entire team in almost every team fight. TSM eventually pushed up mid lane with confidence and took the win.

Winner: TSM

Toxicvip's MVP Choice: Chaox on Miss Fortune
Team Records


Game 3: Good Game University versus Team Curse Academy

Picks


Commentary:

The game opens up fairly standard, with little harassment coming in opposing jungles from either team. First blood went to Twitch thanks to a clutch Polymorph from Lulu. Then fighting at dragon in a 3 on 3 team-fight, Curse eliminated Lulu, and dove onto Kayle under the tower. VoyBoy's AP Nidalee landed a menacing spear to Kayle's face after dieing to Twitch for a 2 for 1 trade. It was a fairly even match-up until Trundle from GGU baited three members of Curse down an ally near mid-lane, landing his Pillar, and setting up Twitch for an easy clean up with a double kill.

Curse underestimated GGU and paid for it in the mid-game. As GGU forced a fight at Baron Nashor, Twitch patiently waited cloaked outside of Baron pit, he tanked damage from Curse's entire team and helped his team pick up a 2 for 1 trade. GGU consistently picked up kill after kill, and looked as if they would be the first team to take down Curse this season.

This was not the case however, everything started to change when Voyboy's Nidalee teleported behind the back line of a charging GGU, and sniped multiple important targets. Up until this point, Curse still had a great lead in creep score. After two failed team fights for GGU, both with 3 for 0 trades in favor of Curse, GGU was getting impatient. Knowing that both Nexus Turrets were destroyed in Curse's base, GGU took one last stab at diving in completely, and gunning straight for the nexus. Unfortunately for GGU, Curse was able to hold them back even with the pressure of the approaching super minions, and Curse was able to counter-push for the win.

Winner: Curse

Toxicvip's MVP Choice: Voyboy on Nidalee
Team Records


Game 4: Vulcun versus Team Dignitas

Picks


Bans


Commentary:

Nobody likes starting a tournament with zero wins in the first weekend. The last game of the day featured Dignitas versus Vulcan. Both these teams had lost in early matches today and were hoping to come out with a victory.

First blood went to DIG when Alistar landed an impressive Headbutt & Pulverize combo as Xin Zhao ganked from behind. Knowing VUL had a very scary late game composition consisting of Ryze and Twitch, DIG needed to act quick and snowball early in order to pull out a victory. That is exactly what they did, DIG's mid game aggression featuring KIWIKID's teleporting Katarina shredded VUL as he picked up a double kill at bottom lane. 2 minutes after, Katarina would assassinate Shen in top lane, and once again teleport bottom to assist Alistar's double kill.

VUL didn't give up, roaming as a 5 man wrecking ball, they got a 3 for 0 trade at midlane catching both Katarina and Xin Zhao out of position thanks to a clutch Flash stun from Ryze. In a teamfight at mid-lane, Scarra's Diana gets caught out. Trying to help, Katarina teleports inbehind, but VUL coordination allowed them to focus down Diana and Katarina before any threat from the rest of DIG could help.

With the game fairly even, a team-fight emerged at Dragon, Shen misses his taunt and DIG capitalized. Alistar Flash Pulverizes 3 members of VUL, while Katarina sneaked in from behind helping DIG get the Ace onto Vul trading 5 for 2. With a fed Katarina at 8/2/3 DIG picked up Baron, killed Twitch in a 4 on 3 team-fight, pushed in for the base and ended up Acing VUL again for the win.

Winner: DIG

Toxicvip's MVP Choice: KIWIKID on Katarina
Team Records