The Atlanta FaZe began their run at the second Major of the 2023 Call of Duty League season today with a hard-fought 3-2 series win over the Boston Breach. But even though the series went the distance, the last two maps weren’t necessarily close.
After Boston opened up the franchise’s first match in front of its home crowd with a Hardpoint win, Atlanta immediately responded with a Search and Destroy victory. The Breach took map three, El Asilo Control, 3-2 to put FaZe’s backs against the wall. But that’s when Atlanta kicked it into another gear.
A dominant 250-105 win on Mercado Las Almas Hardpoint was followed up by a flawless 6-0 victory in game five, El Asilo Search and Destroy, giving FaZe the 3-2 series win. And leading the charge in game five was Atlanta’s newest player, SlasheR, who went 10/1 in the do-or-die map.
Including the latest set of online qualifier matches, this marked Atlanta’s fourth consecutive series that’s gone to a game five. But in SlasheR’s eyes, it doesn’t matter what the game five score is as long as they walk away with the victory.
“I mean, if you’re winning every game five, what’s it matter if you win by an inch or a mile?” SlasheR told Dot Esports. “All that matters at the end of the day is the win, so I’m happy with the dub.”
Going to so many game fives, though, can be a result of struggles in other modes. In the case of Atlanta’s latest match, the team dropped two respawn maps. SlasheR isn’t concerned about the team’s performance in those, however.
“I think we were working through some respawn struggles, online especially, but I think we’re on the right trajectory now and we’re only going to get better the more we play,” SlasheR said. “So I think that’s been our struggle point, but I don’t think it’s like a problem.”
Respawn aside, Search and Destroy has been a staple of Atlanta and SlasheR’s success over the years. Just last year, SlasheR and the L.A. Guerrillas went on an impressive SnD win streak en route to hoisting the trophy at 2022’s Major Two. And now, Slasher and Atlanta have started this year’s Major Two 2-0 in the all-important mode.
The 2016 world champion feels his long history of playing SnD and his teammates combine to contribute to Atlanta’s success in the mode so far.
“I think me, specifically, I’ve just been playing the mode for so long—it’s what I came up playing—and I just feel like I’ve always had a good grasp of how to play the mode, and it’s a slower, more methodical, thinking mode,” SlasheR said. “And then also I’m surrounded by other people who are also some of the best SnD players, so it just clicks very easily. … They just make it easy for me.”
Related: Results for 2023 Call of Duty League Major 2
Atlanta will look to carry their Search and Destroy momentum into their next match of Major Two when they face off against the Toronto Ultra. SlasheR doesn’t care who FaZe play this weekend, though.
“I’m just excited to play again,” SlasheR said. “It doesn’t really matter who we play at the end of the day. As long as we do what we’re supposed to do, it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side of the stage.”
SlasheR and FaZe will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 2pm CT.
