Image via Ubisoft
As quick as a flash, NAVI took the lead on Chalet.
Spacestation selected them, specifically, for a reason: but not necessarily a negative one. Their choices were between NAVI and two NA teams, and among those choices, they preferred the UK-majority squad. Matthew “Hotancold” Stevens and Dylan “Bosco” Bosco noted in a post-match press conference that they liked the way their map pools lined up as well.
Three rounds in, it was all NAVI on Chalet. “I was just hiding at Heaven … I knew in his mind he was thinking I wouldn’t push, so I pushed,” said Jack “Doki” Robertson, who nailed three heads in the span of eight seconds during round three to force a de facto tactical timeout by round timer from Spacestation. The American side rallied for three attacking rounds in a row to finish the half, but NAVI were just as surgical – four straight attacking rounds for them put the game away.
The Scot was surgical in the moment and throughout the map, and NAVI rolled to a 7-3 victory on Chalet. They followed that up with a commanding 6-3 lead on Bank, and were pixels, seconds, a stiff sneeze away from taking the series and advancing to play Team Empire.
It wasn’t to be. Spacestation rattled off five rounds in a row, three for the overtime push and two to take the extra round time. “We just know we’re never out,” said Hotancold. “We’ve been through many, many comebacks before.”
Hotancold also detailed a specific, random meeting between them and Soniqs in the bathroom before map three – both teams were down exactly 6-3 in round count at nearly the same time – and they swapped a quick comeback story. Soniqs would also go on to win their map three, albeit in less dramatic fashion.
Statistically, the day was won by Nathanial “Rampy” Duvall, who turned in a stellar 38 kills over the course of three maps. No one else in the server cracked over 30 total, the next closest was Doki with 25.
Spacestation went down 5-1 on their Clubhouse attacking half, but the defensive half was completely and totally theirs. They won all six rounds in the half to take map three in regulation. Hotancold says the side switch was good for Spacestation. “Comebacks are always on the table for us,” he said. “Everyone knows that in the back of their mind, we’re still playing to win.”
Spacestation advance to face Team Empire later today. NAVI fall to the lower bracket, where they’ll have a second crack at an NA team: DarkZero lies in wait for them.