LOL won their first match, nV is now the top team in the league, and OpTic Gaming lost their second game this season after only losing just one over the summer.
Week three has already been an interesting one in the HCS, and we haven’t even seen day two yet.
Speaking of day two, let’s go to the matches:
Match 1: Team Liquid vs. Luminosity
Game 1: CTF – Fathom
Timothy “Rayne” Tinkler took the railgun to start this one, giving TL enough firepower to take the first and second cap within five minutes.
Luminosity was able to bring one back after a standoff, with Visal “eL TowN” Mohanan slaying more than his entire team combined at one point. He would finish the match with 17 kills.
But TL threw the dagger in right afterwards to take the first game.
Game Final: TL 3 – 1 LG
Match Score: TL 1 – 0 LG
Game 2: Slayer – The Rig
LG bounced back in the second game, gaining the early lead before fighting hard late to tie up the series.
Brett “Naded“ Leonard led the rebound effort with 17 kills, along with a sweet killing spree.
Game Final: TL 48 – 50 LG
Match Score: TL 1 – 1 LG
Game 3: Strongholds – The Rig
Team Liquid does not like to lose close games. They showed us that by outslaying LG 62-36, with Rayne having a 3.00 K/D through the entire match.
A lot of credit needs to be given to Luminosity though, as despite getting almost doubled up in kills, their objective play kept this game close with two total controls.
But while objective play is important, kills win games, and TL were able to slay to their heart’s content to get themselves one game away from winning the series.
Game Final: TL 100 – 65 LG
Match Score: TL 2 – 1 LG
Game 4: CTF – Coliseum
But LG answered right back with a shutout, and if you blinked, you missed it.
Kevin “Eco” Smith had a killing frenzy, and ended the match with an 11 kill and one death stat line.
Needless to say, this was a huge momentum game for Luminosity.
Game Final: TL 0 – 3 LG
Match Score: TL 2 – 2 LG
Game 5: Slayer – Plaza
Momentum was not enough though for LG to close out the series, as they went out to an early lead only to lose it at the 13 kill mark.
Zane “Penguin“ Hearon was the MVP of this one, slaying 15 with two killing sprees to keep LG at bay. Rayne also finished well with 14 kills, including the game ending no-scope that sealed the deal for TL.
Team Liquid came home with the series win, although I have a theory if this series were to go on for 100 games, it would still be tied between these two teams.
Game Final: TL 50 – 44 LG
Match Final: TL 3 – 2 LG
Match 2: Allegiance vs. OpTic Gaming
Game 1: CTF – Fathom
Bradley “Frosty” Bergstrom kicked things off with two flag caps for his team, while his team provided a group effort to pad his stat line.
Allegiance tried to get back into this one, and had some opportune moments with almost all of OG down at one point, but OpTic responded with a team sweep of their own, and Matthew “Royal2” Fiorante was able to get the game-ender.
Game Final: ALG 0 – 3 OG
Match Score: ALG 0 – 1 OG
Game 2: Slayer – Plaza
OpTic is still one of the best slaying teams in the league, and they showed that with a 10 kill win over ALG.
Leading the pack was Royal2, whose 15 kills on a 3.0 KDA dominated the competition.
Game Final: ALG 40 – 50 OG
Match Score: ALG 1 – 2 OG
Game 3: Strongholds – Empire
Welp, this wasn’t good for ALG.
After Frosty “ninjaed” a player for total control, OpTic was able to ride out this game and get the decisive victory. Frosty would end the match with a 15-5-4 line, and the #GreenWall was able to sweep out ALG.
Allegiance was sick of game fives, but they might not be too fond of the series sweep either.
Game Final: ALG 15 – 100 OG
Match Final: ALG 0 – 3 OG
Match 3: Enigma6 vs. Team EnVyUs
Game 1: CTF – Coliseum
Cuyler “Huke” Garland showed why he is the best young gun in the game, crushing E6 with a 12-2-4 stat line for an easy nV victory.
From opening spawns, it was the boys in blue’s game to lose, and they rolled over Enigma6 for the shutout victory.
Game Final: E6 0 – 3 nV
Match Score: E6 0 – 1 nV
Game 2: Slayer – Regret
Once again, nV jumped out to an early lead, and kept it steady, despite some clear opposition from E6.
This was until a late comeback from Enigma6, but it was Eric “Snip3down” Wrona who was the hero in this game, getting a double kill and setting up Huke for the game winner. Snip3down would end the game with 17 kills and nine assists.
Game Final: E6 47 – 50 nV
Match Score: E6 0 – 2 nV
Game 3: Strongholds – Eden
After deflating an Enigma6 comeback, nV was able to put E6 away with a commanding victory.
With four total controls and more fantastic play from Snip3down and Huke, it was just too difficult for Enigma6 to catch up and grab a point.
The second sweep of the night went by way of nV, who became the lone team on top of the leaderboard after three weeks of play.
Game Final: E6 10 – 100 nV
Match Final: E6 0 – 3 nV
Match 4: LOL vs. Evil Geniuses
Game 1: CTF – Coliseum
LOL started off with a strong 2-0 lead over the Geniuses, capitalizing on power weapons and slaying ability to down EG.
Tyler “Ninja“ Blevins showed some fight for his team though, stopping the game winner and going on to end the match with 13 kills.
But after a solid triple kill by Jonathan “Renegade JW” Willette, LOL was able to hit the game winner and avoid a scare.
Game Final: LOL 3 – 2 EG
Match Score: LOL 1 – 0 EG
Game 2: Slayer – Truth
With 16 kills by way of Renegade JW, LOL was able to bury EG by more than 15 kills and get a solid victory.
Hey Renegade JW, hope you are comfortable on LOL, because I have the feeling you are not leaving the Pro League for a long, long time.
Game Final: LOL 50 – 32 EG
Match Score: LOL 2 – 0 EG
Game 3: Strongholds – Eden
The Geniuses needed to bounce back quick if they wanted to avoid a complete week shutout, and they seemed to do that by gaining total control early.
But LOL, and Renegade JW, wanted to prove to the forums that they belonged in the Pro League, and they answered back with total control to regain the lead.
It then took another total control and the handiwork of Richie “Heinz“ Heinz, who ended the game with 18 kills, to give LOL their first shutout victory.
EG ended week three with a 0-6 game record, and LOL proved that they are not to be taken lightly in this lea…
WAIT, LOL JUST SWEPT EVIL GENIUSES? WASN’T THIS TEAM LEFT FOR DEAD? WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS LEAGUE?
Game Final: LOL 100 – 52 EG
Match Final: LOL 3 – 0 EG
And that will do it for the third week of the Halo Championship Series Fall Season.
Who had the most impressive sweep of Thursday night? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter, and for all your Halo and esports updates, make sure you are following us on Twitter, @GAMURScom.
James Mattone is a journalist for GAMURS and can be contacted by email at jamestmattone@gmail.com or on Twitter –@TheJamesMattone.
(Image Credit: Halo Waypoint)