This article is part of our LoL Recap series.
Misfits vs. Splyce
With its back against the wall, Misfits accomplished an improbable reverse sweep of Splyce on Saturday during the European League of Legends Championship Series Spring Split quarterfinals in Berlin.
Game 1 started with Splyce relentlessly pressuring Misfits in all three lanes, and the tempo helped Splyce gain a nice gold lead. Misfits held out until the mid-game, when it started to change its fortunes with a 3-for-0 teamfight in the mid lane. After a solid initiation from Misfits, Splyce managed to turn the fight around to pick up an ace on Misfits, which Splyce used to push into Misfits' base to go up 1-0 in the series. Splyce AD carry Kasper "Kobbe" Kobberup was a consistent damage threat throughout the game, posting a 3/1/4 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) as Ezreal.
Game 2 started much like the first as Splyce showed better teamplay around the map than Misfits. Misfits looked lost in the mid-game while Splyce surged, finding picks and taking down the first Baron of the game. Splyce pushed into Misfits' base and nearly ended the game, but Misfits managed to stay alive and force a second assault. After securing a second Baron kill, Splyce moved to take the Elder Dragon while Splyce top laner Martin "Wunder" Hansen's Kled teleported into the Misfits' base and snuck in the finishing blows on the Nexus to put his team up 2-0 in the series.
In a match point Game 3, Splyce started strong, but the momentum shifted after a well-played teamfight in the bot lane that went 3-for-2 for Misfits. This wouldn't have been about an even trade on any other character, but Misfits AD carry Steven "Hans sama" Liv earned two kills on Kalista in the skirmish and began snowballing hard en route to a flawless 11/0/6 KDA. Misfits began to force fights and roam around the map in order to slowly break down Splyce. It took 48 minutes, but Misfits finally got on the board with a Game 3 win to bring the series to 1-2.
Game 4 started off in favor of Misfits for the first time this series. However, instead of Hans sama taking over, it was Misfits mid-laner Tristan "PowerOfEvil" Schrage who decided to carry his team to victory. Posting a 9/1/7 KDa as LeBlanc, PowerOfEvil punished any overaggression or mispositioning by Splyce. After wearing down Splyce through smothering vision control, Misfits evened out the series at 2-2 with a late Baron kill and charged-up Elder Dragon buff.
The series decider started off with PowerOfEvil nabbing a double kill as LeBlanc. This early play wasn't the end of his reign of terror, as he continued to annihilate Splyce and rack up a KDA of 9/1/4. After being punished time and time again by PowerOfEvil, Splyce looked desperate as it sought to make a late play to book its ticket to the semi-finals. After many well-played skirmishes around the map in a 39-minute round, Misfits finished the reverse sweep of Splyce and closed out the series at 3-2.
Misfits moved on to the semis, where it will face the winner of Sunday's matchup between H2K Gaming and Fnatic. That match is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET. Splyce finished as a fifth-sixth-place squad, which earned it €10,000 ($10,591) and 10 Championship points.
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H2K Gaming vs. Fnatic
In the second quarterfinal of the European League of Legends Championship Series Spring Split playoffs, H2K faced off against Fnatic. Fnatic shocked the world on Sunday, seamlessly sweeping H2K to advance to the next round of the postseason in Berlin.
Game 1 featured some unconventional champion picks, as Fnatic AD carry Martin "Rekkles" Larsson locked in Twitch. Despite giving up two kills to H2K jungler Marcin "Jankos" Jankowski's Rengar, Fnatic didn't allow Jankos to run wild over the course of the game. Going into the mid-game, Fnatic consistently out-rotated H2K, building an ever-mounting gold lead. After Baron and Elder Dragon kills around the 35-minute mark, Fnatic was nigh unstoppable, led by Rekkles who earned a 9/2/8 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) as Twitch, pushing into the H2K base and going up 1-0 in the series.
The second game kicked off with Rekkles opting to play yet another unorthodox champion in Vayne. The early game went well for Fnatic with Rekkles finding two kills while mid laner Rasmus "Caps" Winther's Ryze pressured his lane to prevent any early roams. Fnatic surged into the mid-game thank to playing the "Protect the Vayne" team composition well, taking great initiative to find picks to secure Baron at 36 minutes. With its fresh Baron buff, Fnatic found more picks and pushed into H2K's base to go up 2-0 in the series. Rekkles was again dominant throughout the game, posting a 6/0/5 KDA.
In match point for Fnatic, it was Caps' turn to take an unusual champion as he locked in Aurelion Sol. Despite Jankos as Elise ganking and grabbing first blood for H2K, Caps came back with a vengeance, eventually finishing with an 8/3/9 KDA. Rekkles as Kennen and Fnatic jungler Mads "Broxah" Brock-Pedersen's Kha'Zix both roamed around the map effectively, eliminating any form of H2K momentum when H2K tried to make a play. The mid-game saw Fnatic dodging skillshots and forcing teamfights, overcoming expectations and H2K to soar into the semifinals with a 3-0 sweep.
With its victory, Fnatic will be advancing to the semifinals against G2 Esports, while H2K will be going home with a fifth/sixth placement, 10,000 Euros and 10 Championship Points.
