Day two of the NA LCS showcased the rest of the league that did not get to play in the opening day. Many of the storylines that were created in the offseason finally came into fruition on day two of the NA LCS. How will the imports perform? Can the veterans keep up with these new players? The answers to these questions and more can be found in today’s NA LCS recap.
Team Liquid 2-0 Counter Logic Gaming
Team Liquid started this series with a very dominant game one. After winning an early team-fight in the bot lane, securing four kills in the process, TL found themselves with almost complete control of the game. Counter Logic Gaming tried to keep up, finding kills where they could, but TL’s macro game was superior to their own in this first game. Sneaking a Baron at 26 minutes, Team Liquid used their buff to destroy CLG’s bottom inhibitor. Minutes later, a team-fight broke out, which led to each side losing many members. But while this team-fight occurred, TL’s minions swarmed CLG’s base. Samson “Lourlo” Jackson, recognizing this, teleported into CLG’s base. Lourlo took out both nexus turrets and left the nexus itself at half health before CLG respawned. CLG fought back, taking out an overly aggressive Kim “Reignover” Yeu-jin. But getting over zealous, CLG tried to take Baron. Despite grabbing the buff, TL’s minions yet again swarmed their base, taking out the base, winning TL game one.
CLG came into game two with guns blazing. Finding pick after pick onto TL (especially Reignover), CLG found themselves with a huge lead. But instead of pushing their lead, CLG remained sort of stagnant for 10 minutes before finally finding a Baron at the 27 minute mark. TL staved off CLG’s Baron empowered push, mainly in part due to Greyson “Goldenglue” Gilmer’s amazing Orianna ultimate. Once CLG’s Baron wore off, TL started to come back, winning more and more team-fights. Eventually, TL won a team-fight at 42 minutes, allowing them to end both the game and the series.
Team Dignitas 2-0 Phoenix1
This series would be a faux KT Rolster reunion. This series would be first time Noh “Arrow” Dong-hyeon and Kim “Ssumday” Chan-ho face each other since leaving KT Rolster months ago.
Game one in this series started off great for Phoenix1. Yoo “Ryu” Sang-ook solo killed Jang “Keane” Lae-young in the first few minutes of the game, and P1 won the first team-fight in the bot lane. But after a botched team-fight by the dragon pit, P1 lost their lead. Dignitas used this team-fight win to grab Baron, cementing their newfound lead in game one. With the remainder of the Baron buff, DIG proceeded to grab all three of P1’s inner turrets. Minutes later, DIG found a pick on two members of P1. Already near the pit, DIG found their second Baron, this time at 33 minutes. Empowered by Baron, DIG destroyed P1’s top and mid inhibitor before they retreated back to their base. Seeing an opportunity arise, P1 tried to use this short lull to sneak an Elder Drake. DIG caught wind of this quickly, contesting the drake, and thus started the final team-fight of the game. While this team-fight occurred, minions flooded P1’s base. Unable to recall, P1 was decimated, and DIG cleanly closed out game one.
Like P1 in the previous game, DIG had an amazing start to game two. Throughout the early to mid game, DIG repeatedly collapsed on the players of P1, which granted them a huge lead. But once the game started to head into 30 minute mark, DIG looked to have no idea what to do. This indecisiveness allowed P1 to comeback into the game. For the next 20 minutes, both sides continuously fought one another, with P1 coming out ahead more often than naught. Finally, P1 found a team-fight win at 51 minutes, and with the long death timers enabled, P1 closed out game two to even out the series.
DIG seemed to fixed their previous mistakes heading into game three. Finding themselves with another early game lead, DIG was relentless in pushing their advantage. By 20 minutes, DIG had taken all three of P1’s inner turrets. Despite the Baron P1 snuck, DIG was able to quickly respond, acing their retreating opponents. DIG closed out the game and series in 36 minutes, off the back of Benjamin “LOD” deMunck’s amazing kiting.
FlyQuest 2-0 Team EnVyUs
EnVyUs headed into this series with a disadvantage. Due to visa issues Nam “LirA” Tae-yoo, nV’s jungler could not play in week one. In his stead, Noh “Ninja” Geon-woo, nV’s mid laner role swapped to jungle, and Alexey “Alex Ich” Ichetovkin subbed in as nV’s starting mid laner for week one.
FlyQuest were in complete control of game one. All three of FQ’s lanes were ahead, mainly due to Galen “Moon” Holgate ganks on Lee Sin. FQ transitioned their early game lead beautifully, forcing EnVyUs to face-check blind spots on the map. FQ’s gaming-win play came at 25 minutes when they secured an uncontested Baron. The Baron empowered FQ rushed down the top lane to close out the game, taking down nV on their way. FQ ended game one at a quick 30 minutes.
nV looked to make their comeback in game two. nV had an phenomenal early game, keeping down FQ’s members. nV transitioned this into the mid game, winning many different skirmishes. The moment that shifted the game for FQ came at 28 minutes, when a team-fight by the Baron pit ensued. FQ barely won the fight, and with their slight advantage, they snuck the Baron. From there, like game one, FQ easily closed out the game and the series. While it was important to win their first game, FQ’s first real test will come tomorrow against Team Liquid, who looked pretty strong after beating CLG.
Immortals 2-1 Echo Fox
Echo Fox started this series with a dominant game one win. Matthew “Akaadian” Higginbotham destroyed Immortals in the early game, finding kills all over the place. Throughout the entire early to mid game, EF didn’t let IMT gain an inch. IMT’s couldn’t even find their first kill until 28 minutes into the game. But EF had trouble closing the game, which allowed IMT to come back a bit. But despite Lee “Flame” Ho-jong’s quadra kill on Fiora, IMT couldn’t make a game one comeback.
Game two started similarly to the game one, with EF gaining a huge lead. But unfortunately for EF, like game one, they also allowed IMT to come back mid way through the game. This time though, IMT didn’t squander this chance. IMT came back into the game through a series of teamfights, and were able to stand toe toe with EF. And after 40 minutes of sloppy macro play, IMT finally took down EF’s nexus to even out the series.
Despite a much more even early game among these two teams, through a crucial Baron, EF found themselves with yet another lead in the mid game. But after being unable to close the game for 15 minutes, EF slipped up yet again, losing a team-fight to IMT at 37 minutes. This small win allowed IMT to take the Elder Drake, which is extremely powerful in the later stages of the game. After a few minutes of neither team knowing what to do, IMT found a miraculous team-fight win at 47 minutes. This team-fight propelled IMT to finally end this long final game, earning themselves their first series win of the season.
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, & INVEN Global
