Today was a big day for Team EnVyUs. After playing a week with a substitute, Nam “LirA” Tae-yoo, NV’s starting jungler was finally cleared to play in the NA LCS. To find out how NV performed with LirA, as well as the results of today’s other matches, check out today’s NA LCS recap.
Cloud9 2-0 Immortals
Cloud9 had complete control of game one, illustrated mostly by Juan “Contractz” Arturo Garcia dominating Joshua “Dardoch” Hartnett in the early game. Contractz had great reads on Dardoch, which allowed him to successfully counter any gank attempts made by Immortals jungler.
C9 as a whole had a much better macro game than IMT. Through better rotational play, C9 took objectives with little-to-no response from IMT. These objectives coupled with a kill lead put C9 very ahead. IMT knowing how far behind they were decided try and not engage with C9 in any fashion. This backfired completely, and IMT’s passivity allowed C9 to take a 19 minute inhibitor. Realizing they were slowly dying, IMT chose to contest the Baron. Unfortunately for IMT, C9 easily turned from the Baron and massacred the underleveled IMT. This teamfight win allowed C9 to rush the mid lane, ending game one at a quick 27 minutes.
After losing game one due to their passivity, IMT came into game two with the intentions of being proactive. But in trying to be proactive, IMT tried force high risk plays. C9 realized this and took advantage of IMT’s overaggressive. The most notable instance of this came during an attempted top lane dive on Jung “Impact” Eon-yeong. IMT poorly coordinated this dive, and instead of finding first blood, they instead gave it away to Impact.
To no fault but their own, IMT entered the mid game with a deficit. Instead of grouping, IMT chose to scatter around their side of the map once the outer turrets were destroyed. C9 noticed this and were able catch out the lone members of IMT. IMT, who were now very behind could no longer contest C9. After 10 minutes of methodically closing out the game, C9 finally found their game winning teamfight in IMT’s decimated base. An easy ace by C9 let them close out game two at 39 minutes.
Team SoloMid 2-1 Team Liquid
This series started with an unexpected solo kill in the bottom lane by Team SoloMid’s duo. Having now found their first lead, TSM looked to extend their advantage through a four man dive in the bottom lane. This secured TSM two kills as well as the first tower gold. TSM then immediately rotated to the top lane, where they found four kills on Team Liquid and another tower. At this point TSM had overwhelming lead.
TL were able to sneak a Baron later on, but this did not even faze TSM. Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg clinched the game though through his phenomenal Ryze ultimates. Not only were TSM able to sneak a Baron through Bjergsen’s realm war, TSM won the game through a sneaky backdoor off the back of Bjergsen’s Ryze ultimate.
TL, looking unfazed from the previous game came back to win game two. After quite an even game from both sides, TL, who found a major teamfight win late in the game took broke the stalemate and took the lead in game two. TSM tried to fight back, but TL overpowered them in every subsequent teamfight. TL, after an ace on TSM at 41 minutes, were able to even out the series.
The final game in series was extremely slow for the most part. Neither team wanted to fully commit on teamfights, instead opting to try to out macro each other. TSM broke this ceasefire at 36 minutes when they took an uncontested Baron. With a clear advantage on hand, TSM were then able to take the Elder Drake. Now cloaked with the two major buffs, TSM slowly closed out the game. TL made a valiant attempt to defend their base, but TSM simply overwhelmed them. TSM ended game three at 45 minutes, thus earning them their first 2-0 week.
Phoenix1 2-0 Team EnVyUs
EnVyUs started game one very promisingly. Through better map rotations and macro play in general, by 20 minutes nV amassed a 4,000 gold lead despite being even in kills with Phoenix1. But as soon as the mid game rolled around, NV began to crumble. P1, who had much better coordination, dominated teamfights, bringing P1 not only back in the game, but now the team with the lead. By 37 minutes P1 had acquired both the Baron and Elder Drake. nV could do little but watch their nexus be destroyed as P1 took game one.
With their game one mistakes fixed, P1 proceeded to dominate game two. It seemed as though NV was simply giving P1 all the map objectives. Besides a few kills, NV did almost nothing in game two. Facing almost no contention from NV, P1 easily closed out the final game in this series in a fast 27 minutes.
Echo Fox 2-1 Team Dignitas
Dignitas started this series off with a strong game one win. Having a small lead for most of the game, DIG really found their stride in a 24 minute teamfight. Taking out the members of Echo Fox, DIG secured an uncontested Baron. DIG then used the Baron to end game one in a speedy 30 minutes.
Echo Fox came back in game two with a very convincing win. Echo Fox seemed to be in complete control for most of game two. Unlike game one, Echo Fox dictated the pace of this game. Henrik “Froggen” Hansen had an amazing game on Twisted Fate, destroying most of DIG with his Rapid Fire Cannon build. Despite faltering a bit in the late game, EF finally closed out game two in 49 minutes.
Fixing their mistakes from the past two games, game three was EF’s most dominant game this season so far. This game EF were able to translate their early lead into the mid game. Outplaying DIG in the first couple teamfights of the game, EF were able to secure an early Baron. EF used this gigantic lead to run through DIG’s base, winning game three in 24 minutes, the quickest game of the night. With this win, EF have now secured their first series win of the spring split.
What was your favorite moment of the night? Let us know by commenting below or tweeting us @GAMURScom.
Article by Malcolm Abbas. Follow him on Twitter @SmashhLoL.
Photos courtesy of LoL Esports
