Xenics Storm, Na'Vi, and StarTale fight to keep "The Champions" hopes alive eSports Central

Xenics Storm, Na'Vi, and StarTale fight to keep "The Champions" hopes alive

by July 20, 2012 @ 08:07am

The final day of Group C ended today with 2 teams advancing into the Round of 8 in the OnGameNet The Champions Summer 2012. After losing 2 games in day one and effectively knocking themselves out in their first bid in the tournament, CJ Entus looked to reclaim some honor while StarTale, Xenics Storm, and Na'Vi all fought to keep their tournament hopes alive by claiming one of the two qualification spots for the Round of 8.

Xenics Storm
SPACE
SPACE
SPACE
Nolja
Impact
SBS
May
ManyReason

SPACE

Bans/picks
Ban
Ban
Ban
Pick
Pick
Pick
Pick
Pick

SPACE

StarTale
SPACE
SPACE
SPACE
Mafa
Joker
Ryu
Loco
5cean

In a really strange move, StarTale puts and support mid against and bot against and . and goes top to dive 3v1 for first blood while Storm's bottom pushes and quickly takes the outer tower. StarTale comes back and takes the all 3 outer turrets within the first 8 minutes. Once StarTale has the outer towers down each lane pushed in, they move in and take an early dragon.

While contesting Storm's blue buff, StarTale's flash + ults in and gets 4 hits with the initial nuke and makes Storm spread out and scatter. With their team disorganized and apart from each other, StarTale picks them off one by one trading 4-1, killing everyone except for .

Having a commanding lead, Startale starts seiging Storm's inner middle turret. The second they get the tower down, pulls off one of the bravest moves I have seen by flashing over a wall from the jungle, uses onto and then kicks him into his team, blowing up and forcing the initiation. gets the entire team on the initial ult and StarTale cleans up again 4-1 with Startale's brave Lee Sin as the only casualty. StarTale pushes in again after picking up another 3 kills and winning in an EXTREMELY quick game, ending in less than 22 minutes.

StarTale
SPACE
SPACE
SPACE
Ryu
Mafa
Joker
5cean
Loco

SPACE

Bans/picks
Ban
Ban
Ban
Pick
Pick
Pick
Pick
Pick

SPACE

CJ Entus
SPACE
SPACE
SPACE
emboob
Pecko
kkinsh
Eryuk
Lonapanda

StarTale actually sets up to play standard with support + AD bottom, AP mid, and bruiser top, something fairly uncommon with StarTale. It is kind of funny, because CJ Entus decides to switch their AD + support to top and on bottom. StarTale's starts out by stealing Maokai's much needed first blue buff. comes up to gank StarTale's top 3v1, but StarTale spots it coming. StarTale's stalls near the tower, knowing is in the brush behind her tower while and come up to counter gank. StarTale's 3 engage onto the and CJ's and also engage. gets first blood onto , but StarTale cleans up everyone else, scoring 3 kills to CJ's 1.

Continued aggression in the 2v1 lanes for both sides seems to be favored way for the jungler and mid laner to go on the offensive. However, StarTale's and initiates 2v2 on top, but teleports top and makes it a clean 1-0 for CJ.

CJ takes the first dragon to give themselves a gold lead, despite being down 5-3.

The second dragon attempt, however, ends a little differently. CJ is attempting dragon, but once spotted they split off and engage StarTale. catches 4 people in her ult and turns it against CJ with StarTale winning the exchange, 3-1

StarTale grabs dragon while keeping two in the brush. CJ spots dragon being done, comes down to contest. StarTale ambushes and blows up. With most of CJ's damage down immediately, StarTale is able to pick up 4 kills for 0 plus a dragon.

A little later, StarTale takes Baron with no contention. Shortly after engages on . And since Singed is Singed, he keeps on running to his inhibitor tower with all of StarTale in hot pursuit. turns to do some damage under her tower, which cues to ult onto her, then uses her ultimate with her ball on and gets 4 CJ players, which was followed with StarTale melting all of them down. A moment later StarTale is in pursuit of the remaining CJ player, StarTale pulls back and lets Locodoco gets the pentakill and ace, which leads to the victory for StarTale.

Xenics Storm
SPACE
SPACE
SPACE
SBS
Impact
Noja
ManyReason
May

SPACE

Bans/picks
Ban
Ban
Ban
Pick
Pick
Pick
Pick
Pick

SPACE

Na'Vi
SPACE
SPACE
SPACE
nesrilas
SAND
Antogym
Kottenx
CitizenWayne

Since Xenics Storm and Na'Vi are both tied 1-1 in the group, this game decides who moves onto the next round and who goes home.

The lane set up starts as a double lane switch. Both AD and supports for each team are on top. Everything is pretty boring the first few levels, as the two junglers aren't very good gankers until they hit 6. 's first trip back resulted in a rushed , no s or anything. Something you don't see every day.

Xenics Storm ganks 4v2 top and scores first blood and an extra kill without losing anyone. In order to catch up, Na'vi motions for dragon, kills it and scores an extra kill, but loses 2 of their own in the aftermath.

At the 12 minute mark and going 2-0-2, buys a Mejai's Soulstealer. Extremely ballsy move.

Na'vi starts fighting the second dragon, Storm recognizes and engages, winning the exchange 3-2 but has to leave Dragon alive as they're all very low health. After they respawn, Na'vi tries dragon again, kills it, but then Storm scores 2 kills for 0 deaths. Seems like Na'Vi can't do anything without getting punished.

has 6 stacks on Soulstealer right now after those two engagements. buys a Quick Silver Sash, very questionable buy as Na'Vi is REALLY lacking damage at this point and needs to do fill that gap.

Na'vi engages Storm in their own jungle, and despite having a great positional advantage...Storm wins the engagement 2-1

Na'vi engages under their inner tower, but is just way too far behind right now. Storm wins the engagement 4-2.

has 11 stacks on Mejai's now - nearly 700 AP - I think it is safe to say that his Mejai's has paid off.

The final engagement Storm just rolls through Na'Vi, 4-0. After the battle and about 15 seconds until they're about to lose, someone from Na'Vi pauses the game. Feels like a BM pause, given the timing, but we never hear the reason why he paused. Storm goes on to win the game and qualify for the next round.

Group C Final Standings

Team
StarTale - Qualified
Xenics Storm - Qualified
Natus Vincere
CJ Entus

SPACE

Wins
3
2
1
0

SPACE

Losses
0
1
2
3

More eSports Headlines

Mousesports shows off their new lineup in the Elite of Europe

History of MOBA Part 4

Curse teams move to the finals of both NA and EU MLG Summer Arena qualifiers

Join eSports Central!

Do you enjoy watching and learning from the professional League of Legends teams? Do you enjoy writing? If yes, MOBAFire eSports Central is always looking for writers to help cover North American and European League of Legends Championship Series, Garena Premier League, Champions, and more competitions throughout the world. Contact us today to start your eSports journey.