This article is part of our LoL Recap series.
Phoenix1 vs. Immortals
Week 3, Day 1 of the North American League of Legends Championship Series kicked off in Los Angeles on Friday with a struggling Immortals taking on a surging Phoenix1. While it was by no means clean, Phoenix1 soared over Immortals to take home a 2-0 series sweep.
Immortals had a strong start in Game 1 as jungler Joshua "Dardoch" Hartnett picked up several early kills on Lee Sin. While Dardoch and top laner Lee "Flame" Ho-Jong's Jayce were performing well, they couldn't capitalize on their leads in a meaningful way before Phoenix1 came back on the back of mid laner Yoo "Ryu" Sang-ook, who was a monster on Cassiopeia. Dealing massive damage throughout the game, Ryu landed a couple of Petrifying Gazes in the late game to put P1 ahead, leading to two Barons and two Elder Dragons. In a back-and-forth game where both teams looked scared to act, Ryu carried P1 through the ups and downs, dealing nearly 27,000 damage to enemy champions while posting a 8/2/6 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) as Phoenix1 won the longest game of the season in 54:47.
While Immortals picked up first blood around seven minutes to start Game 2, Ryu's Corki kept Phoenix1 within striking distance by picking up a solo kill on Eugene "Pobelter" Park's Syndra, who struggled throughout the series. With a poor draft from Immortals, Phoenix1 was free to set up and siege IMT towers down with impunity thanks to the massive poke damage coming out from Ryu and No "Arrow" Dong-hyeon's Varus. Phoenix1 was methodical in its approach, taking almost every objective on the map in the mid to late game while starving Immortals of much needed resources and gold. With no means for Immortals to initiate a game-changing teamfight, Phoenix1 took its time in a 42-minute win to complete the 2-0 series sweep.
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TSM vs. CLG
Team SoloMid took down Counter Logic Gaming 2-1 on Day 2 of Week 3 in the North American League of Legends Championship Series on Saturday in Los Angeles, maintaining its historical edge in the rivalry.
CLG got a dream start in Game 1, picking off TSM jungler Dennis "Svenskeren" Johnsen's Ivern with a three-man collapse four minutes in, and then taking out TSM top laner Kevin "Hauntzer" Yarnell's Gangplank less than a minute later. CLG had no luck pressing their advantage, however, as TSM found kill after kill in the mid game while Hauntzer made a full recovery. However, a poorly played teamfight from TSM gave CLG a clean ace, allowing them to take the Baron and end the game in 27 minutes with an extended siege.
TSM first-picked Camille for Hauntzer in Game 2, and it paid off in spades. Hauntzer quickly accrued a huge advantage over top laner Darshan "Darshan" Upadhyaya on Poppy, capitalizing on the latter's mistake to grab an early solo kill. Along with the advantages gained by Svenskeren's Lee Sin,TSM crushed skirmishes in the mid game; CLG never found a single kill or objective without TSM getting more out of the deal. After picking up a clean ace in CLG's base, TSM ended Game 2 in just under 26 minutes.
TSM and CLG traded kills back and forth throughout the early and mid stages of Game 3, but unfortunately for CLG, its kills never amounted to much, aside from a first tower. TSM, meanwhile, was able to grab multiple towers and Elemental Drakes, granting them a sizable gold advantage. Thanks to some fantastic initiations, CLG was still able to win two back-to-back teamfights, but only marginally. The only teamfight that really mattered was won by TSM 4-for-1 at Baron about 28 minutes in, granting them the buff which it used to take CLG's Nexus minutes later.
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Cloud9 vs. EnVyUs
First-place Cloud9 breezed its way to a 2-0 victory over last-place EnVyUs on Day 2 Week 3 of the North American League of Legends Championship Series on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Cloud9 had no trouble cleaning up EnVyUs in Game 1. Some early mayhem granted C9 a 3-for-1 skirmish victory less than four minutes in, putting it ahead from the start. Thanks to the efforts of Nicolaj "Jensen" Jensen's Ryze, who grabbed picks for Cloud9 across the map and maintained 100 percent kill participation until 24 minutes, the lead quickly snowballed out of control. In the end, Cloud9's gold lead was massive enough to guarantee it easy team fight victories, allowing the group to smash its way into EnVyUs' base to end the game in under 34 minutes.
Game 2 looked better for EnVy early on, as it grabbed first blood in a 3-vs-3 fight bottom lane under five minutes in. The two teams traded kills back and forth in the mid game, but EnVyUs generally maintained a gold lead all the way until 25 minutes, when a lost teamfight granted Cloud9 easy access to the Baron buff. From then on, Cloud9 dominated every fight, and though EnVy managed to drag out the game significantly, it was never again able to get a foothold. After taking several more fights and a second Baron, Cloud9 ended the game in just under 45 minutes.
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Echo Fox vs. Team Liquid
A surging Echo Fox squad took on a struggling Team Liquid on Saturday in Week 3, Day 2 of the North American League of Legends Championship Series. With both teams in the hot seat, Liquid left the Los Angeles, CA studios with a sloppy but hard earned 2-1 series win.
Game 1 began very well for rookie jungler Matthew "Akaadian" Higginbotham's Kha'Zix, picking up first blood a minute into the game with a cheesy level one five-man stack. Akaadian continued to pop off, picking up more kills throughout the early game while Echo Fox rotated circles around Liquid. With Liquid mindful of Akaadian's assassination potential, Echo Fox acted with relative impunity in the mid game, dictating the pace of the contest. While Echo Fox had the occasional mishap, Akaadian's strong lead and a 4-for-1 teamfight at 34 minutes gave Echo Fox the first win of the series.
Despite controlling the early game in Game 2, Liquid never tried to force any big plays, instead dictating the pace of the game. Liquid finally jumped ahead after winning a 4-for-0 teamfight at 23 minutes that gave it a Baron kill, but could not fully capitalize on the buff despite the massive poke damage coming out of mid-laner Greyson "Goldenglue" Gilmer's Corki. Liquid almost completely lost their lead to Echo Fox late in the game, but managed to stay on top thanks to its objective control. Securing three Baron kills, Team Liquid managed to outlast Echo Fox in an arduous 58 minute game.
Emotions were high heading into a series-deciding Game 3, especially after Matt "Matt" Elento's support Lulu got killed by Austin "Gate" Yu's support Malzahar in a straight-up 2-vs-2 for first blood. Akaadian earned another strong start as well on Graves, picking up several early kills as Echo Fox held a commanding lead, but disaster struck for EF at 21 minutes. Risking an early Baron play, Echo Fox secured the Baron kill but lost the ensuing fight 3-for-0. After that, Liquid began taking regular teamfight wins, gaining momentum despite being down by as much as 5,000 gold at 15 minutes. Methodically starving Echo Fox of resources in the late game, Liquid took a 4-for-0 teamfight to complete the 2-1 series win in just under 40 minutes.
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Echo Fox vs. Cloud9
Cloud9 continued their strong start in the North American League of Legends Championship Series Spring Split with a sweep of Echo Fox during Sunday's Week 3, Day 3 contest in Los Angeles.
Thanks to early lane pressure, Cloud9's jungler, Juan "Contractz" Garcia on Kha'Zix, was able to counter-jungle very effectively. As a result Echo Fox found themselves in a 2,000 gold deficit, losing three turrets before they knocked down their first. Cloud9 top laner Jung "Impact" Eon-yeong's Rumble kept bouncing between pressuring a side lane and helping his teammates control the middle lane as they slowly grew their gold and neutral objective advantages. Echo Fox controlled vision around Baron and waited for picks but Cloud9 didn't fall for their bush camps. Eventually Echo Fox got a pick on Contractz and went for Baron. While it managed to grab the buff, it ended up being a bad call as four members fell in the ensuing teamfight leaving only jungler Matthew "Akaadian" Higginbotham's Nidalee with the buff. Cloud9's four stack Elder Dragon buff around the 42 minute mark was all it would need to put an end to Echo Fox in Game 1.
Echo Fox played more aggressive in Game 2 and took a small gold lead around the 15 minute mark. Akaadian was a huge reason why Echo Fox had the early lead as he participated in four of their first five kills. However Contractz started to relieve pressure on Cloud9's lanes with constant counter jungling on Ivern that drew Echo Fox's attention. Both teams fought for vision control over Baron as they skirmished around middle lane until about 26 minutes in. Cloud9 turned around Echo Fox's engage, killing two and losing none, which opened up an easy Baron buff. With Baron empowered minions, Cloud9 pushed Echo Fox off its turrets en route to finishing the series.
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TSM vs. Phoenix1
Week 3, Day 3 of the North American League of Legends Championship Series began with a clash of teams looking to stay near the top of the standings as Team SoloMid took on Phoenix1 on Sunday. With both teams entering the Los Angeles studios tied for second place, TSM picked up a crucial 2-1 series win.
Phoenix1 had a rocky start to Game 1 as mid laner Ryu "Ryu" Sang-wook's Corki gave first blood over to TSM, but jungler Rami "Inori" Charagh's Kha'Zix was able to find a couple of kills around 15 minutes to keep P1 in the game. Phoenix1 made good use of rotations to keep within striking distance of TSM, leading to a long period of passive, objective-based play from both squads in the mid game. Inori broke the stalemate with a series of kills in mid and bottom lane around 28 minutes, giving P1 control of the map. Securing a Baron kill at 29:30, Phoenix1 took the ensuing teamfight with a clean 5-for-0 ace and pushed for a Game 1 win on the back of Inori's flawless 7/0/6 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) for 100 percent kill participation.
Although Ryu's Corki picked up first blood at three minutes, TSM took control of Game 2 through early picks and objective control. Soren "Bjergsen" Bjerg's mid lane Ekko put tremendous pressure on P1's backline while top laner Kevin "Hauntzer" Yarnell's Shen and jungler Dennis "Svenskeren" Johnsen's Rengar tore them apart. With Bjergsen and Hauntzer split pushing well, TSM took control in the late game despite some defensive heroics from Phoenix1 in their base. Hauntzer continued the domination in teamfights using his Stand United en route to a 6/1/10 KDA for 89 percent kill participation as TSM eventually closed out Game 2 in just over 45 minutes.
In heartbreaking fashion for P1, Inori's Ivern got caught trying to steal TSM's blue buff by Svenskeren's Kha'Zix for an early first blood to kickstart Game 3. Svenskeren continued to assassinate P1's tank-less team comp throughout the early-mid game, punishing P1's poor positioning. While Ryu's mid lane Jayce was able to deal decent damage in a losing effort, the rest of P1 struggled to carry their weight against a TSM side with crisp macro play along with formidable gold and objective leads. While Phoenix1 stalled the game out, TSM's five Elemental Drakes, two Baron kills, and a devastatingly powerful Elder Dragon buff gave them the edge they needed to close out the series in a hard-fought 44-minute win.
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CLG vs. Dignitas
Counter Logic Gaming brought themselves back from the brink of defeat in Game 1 on Sunday before rolling over Team Dignitas in Game 2 to earn a sweep on Day 3, Week 3 of the North American League Championship Series Spring Split 2017 in Los Angeles.
Counter Logic Gaming built a substantial gold to start Game 1 thanks to a 6-2 tower advantage, but a tactical mistake near the 20-minute mark allowed Team Dignitas to climb back into the game. Continuing to claw its way back, Dignitas' top laner Kim "Ssumday" Chan-ho's Fiora took advantage of the multitude of resources given to him by his team to create a split push threat. It started to pay off 30 minutes in as Ssumday interrupted CLG's Baron attempt and picked up a triple kill during Team Dignitas' ace. Team Dignitas eventually gained a two inhibitor advantage but Counter Logic Gaming continued to stall. Ssumday's split push ultimately wasn't enough as he got caught overextending two times late, giving Counter Logic Gaming control en route to a Game 1 victory.
Ssumday was targeted in the banning phases of Game 2 which forced him onto Swain. As a result, he wasn't able to become the split-pushing monster that he was in Game 1 and CLG's better rotations kept Dignitas on defense. Counter Logic Gaming's mid laner Choi "Huhi" Jae-hyun's Syndra and jungler Jake "Xmithie" Puchero's Kha'Zix were effective in the mid game, cleaning up sloppy engagements from the opposition. As a result, CLG was able to take a late game Baron and Elder Dragon with relative ease near the 40-minute mark, securing the series win shortly thereafter.
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FlyQuest vs. Immortals
Immortals and FlyQuest looked to close out Week 3, Day 3 of the North American League of Legends Championship Series with a win as the teams clashed on Sunday in Los Angeles. Dominant from the very start, FlyQuest soared to a 2-0 series win, making short work of its opposition.
Galen "Moon" Holgate from FlyQuest had a strong performance in Game 1 on his pocket Evelynn, picking up first blood and a double kill at five minutes. FlyQuest played well around Moon and AD carry Johnny "Altec" Ru's Jhin, grouping mid and finding picks with Altec's Curtain Call several times throughout the mid game. FlyQuest were in complete control of the game, thwarting Immortals with clever shot-calling and a massive gold lead. Moon played exceptionally well, finishing with a flawless 4/0/11 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) for 79 percent kill participation. Despite Immortals' jungler Joshua "Dardoch" Hartnett picking up a triple kill as Graves in a desperate teamfight, FlyQuest secured the Baron kill and the 5-for-3 ace as Moon was free to push through Immortals' exposed base with the Baron buff to take Game 1 in 34 minutes.
While it was Hai "Hai" Lam's shot-calling from the mid lane that gave FlyQuest Game 1, it was his Zed that dominated Game 2, turning an early gank from Dardoch's Lee Sin around for first blood onto the IMT jungler. After picking up a double kill in a 3-for-1 fight at 10 minutes, the Hai snowball was officially out of control. Running rampant around the map, Hai created immense pressure to give FlyQuest room to secure free towers while a visibly tilted Immortals did little more than watch and pick up minor trade kills. FlyQuest made an example of Immortals, decimating them on the back of Hai's 11/2/4 KDA for 88 percent kill participation in just under 30 minutes for the clean 2-0 series sweep.
