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LCS NA: Week 3, Day 1 Recap

By Dan 'Danheim' Greeno
Feb 22, 2013 03:18


ImageThe first day of Week 3 is here, and with two teams still without a win how will the day unfold for the NA scene?

With the sun rising on the third week of the LCS there is plenty of underlying tones to set the mood for the day. Two teams, Vulcan and compLexity, are coming in win-less, and the undefeated Curse must hold their own against the team that beat them out in last years North American Regionals. The dust may be settling since the opening flag, but the stakes are still high for everyone involved.

Game 1: Vulcan versus US Counter Logic Gaming

Picks
Vulcan: Nidalee, Hecarim, Kog'Maw, Singed, Alistar
CLG: Sona, Lee Sin, Nasus, Vayne, Syndra


Bans
Vulcan: Twisted Fate, Thresh, Rumble
CLG: Xin Zhao, Jarvan IV, Kayle


Vulcan versus Counter Logic Gaming was a match that fans of either team have been waiting for. Ever since Vulcan (formerly FeaR) qualified for the LCS it's become a test of patience to wait and see how their new adc Zuna would match up against their old ones newest team, Aphromoo on support for CLG after having left his adc role on FeaR.

Both teams started off passive, taking to their own jungles with no counter play from the other. The lanes followed suit, the first blood not coming until just after the seven minute mark. A Hecarim gank top secured the first blood, and although Vayne was able to execute Kog'Maw she quickly fell to Hecarim as well. Doublelift on Vayne was not out of the game yet, however, and for the next several minutes he was allow to farm as he pleased. Vulcan was on a mission to shut down Doublelift's adc, and with another successful gank top Vulcan pulled ahead 5 kills to 2.

CLG had their first kill by the twelve minute mark, but by then Vulcan had already started to build a global advantage. With Hecarim camping the top lane it forced CLG to focus on it as well, allowing for easy towers in the other lanes and relatively uncontested objectives.

Even though Vulcan wasn't able to pull away in kills they did what we've seen all too often: pushing objectives wins games. CLG's lone turret of the game came after the thirty minute mark, but the global advantage for Vulcan was overwhelming by that point. Vulcan would secure their first win of the tournament and move on with their heads held high.

Winner: Vulcan

Team Records
Vulcan: 1-5
CLG: 2-2


Game 2: US Team Curse Academy versus US Good Game University

Picks
Curse: Taric, Jarvan IV, Twisted Fate, Twitch, Akali
GGU: Graves, Leona, Jayce, Zyra, Fizz


Bans
Curse: Rumble, Lulu, Nidalee
GGU: Xin Zhao, Elise, Kayle


The win-less Vulcan had triumphed, so now it was up to Curse to keep their streak rather than break it. The game began smoothly, but with the unexpected Leona jungle Curse brought out the big guns early and attempted to pressure the entire map to abuse her slow clears and early deficiency. It worked with efficiency, Curse claiming the first tower and first blood before the 10 minute mark. GGU would not go down easy, however, and playing off of the over aggressiveness of Curse they were able to get themselves a dragon and tower of their own shortly after.

The teams continued to farm, but when the second dragon spawned a full fledged fight broke out with Curse coming out on top in a 5 for 1 exchange. A second encounter happened shortly after, and once again Curse won in another 5 for 1 outcome with superior positioning and composure.

By the thirty minute mark there was nothing GGU could do, behind 11k gold and with Curse pushing into their base their Nexus fell shortly after and Curse remains at the top of the rankings with a spotless record.

Winner: Curse

Team Records
Curse: 6-0
GGU: 1-4


Game 3: US Team Dignitas versus Counter Logic Gaming

Picks
DIG: Kayle, Vi, Singed, Draven, Zyra
CLG: Alistar, Dr. Mundo, Ahri, Galio, Kog'Maw


Bans
DIG: Nidalee, Syndra
CLG: Xin Zhao, Gragas


The highest profile match of the day, Dignitas versus Counter Logic Gaming started off as every spectator would want: a five on five level 1 fight before minions had spawned. Even though no kills were made many summoner spells were blown which lead to a three man tower dive before the four minute mark and Scarra giving up first blood.

Although the match began to simmer down from its exciting start Dignitas was fighting back by controlling map vision and outplaying CLG at every objective. By the fifteen minute mark Dignitas had started to pull ahead, but with the massive front line of CLG it was quickly coming to a point that the dominate team fighting would win the game.

Luckily for Dignitas there was Scarra to save the day. Through perfectly timed Kayle ultimates in almost every fight, the sheer power of Draven, and proper positioning the early lead that CLG tried to acquire had quickly faded. The story of the match was who could shut down Scarra in team fights, but CLG had no answer for Kayle.


Winner: Dignitas

Team Records
DIG: 5-2
CLG: 2-3


Game 4: US compLexity Gaming versus Vulcan

Picks
compLexity Gaming: Taric, Miss Fortune, Kha'Zix, Jarvan, Malphite
Vulcan: Shen, Xin, Sona, Kog'Maw, Ryze


Bans
compLexity Gaming: Hecarim, Singed, Jarvan IV
Vulcan: Zed, Kayle, Thresh


Curse had kept their record, Vulcan had broken theirs, and now it was compLexity's turn to try and break their own win-less record. Without a win to their name they looked to come in strong and prove they could hang with the big guns, but Vulcan wasn't about to let them off easy.

Although a lot was on the line for compLexity the story of the game would be misplay after misplay for the former Brunch Club. By five minutes in Vulcan was three kills ahead with all of deaths going on compLexity's adc and support. The early snowballing lead allowed Vulcan to attempt a dragon at the eight minute mark, and in an attempt to steal it Lautemortis threw his life away only to lose out on the dragon as well. Things were looking grim for compLexity, and it was a slow and painful process that eventually lead to Vulcan bolstering a 12k gold lead by twenty-five minutes.

The game was over shortly after thirty minutes, and in one of the biggest stompings we've seen in the LCS thus far compLexity did not even manage to pick up a single kill.

Now at the bottom of the win column they will have to look towards next time to get on the score board.

Winner: Vulcan

Team Records
compLexity: 0-2
Vulcan: 2-5


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