Cloud9 conquers Version1 in NA VCT Challengers 1 elimination series, advances toward potential Masters Reykjavík spot

Cloud9 defeated Version1 in the battle of the undefeated in today’s NA VCT Challengers One lower bracket match. With the win, C9 eliminates V1 from Masters Reykjavík contention, but they still need to win two more series to make it themselves.

Breeze was an interesting tale of both teams trading lengthy streaks of rounds. It was an interesting map choice by C9 too, given their last two times on it ended in loss to Knights and Evil Geniuses. V1 started on attack and put six straight rounds on the board before C9 called a timeout and answered with nine straight. V1 responded on defense with stellar retakes and consistent opening duel wins to retake the lead, and a tremendous 3K hold by wippie off the corner of B punctuated a V1 13-10 win on C9’s pick of Breeze.

C9 started out in control of Ascent on their defensive side, with their biggest weapons vanity’s Judge and Xeta’s shock arrows. But V1 rallied on attack after a timeout, winning early duels in B main to take back rounds before half-time, going into the defensive side of their pick only trailing 7-5. A back-and-forth half saw V1 unable to completely close the distance, and a Xeta clutch with his Sova ult secured a 13-10 win on Ascent for C9.

The series turned to Fracture, a popular choice for C9 that V1 rarely play. C9 capitalized on their expertise with a 7-5 attack half, despite some heroic playmaking from Zander and Zellsis. C9 took their pistol round after switching to defense, and didn’t look back as they crushed V1’s attack en route to a 13-7 win to clinch the series.

The C9 vs. V1 matchup was a highly anticipated one after both teams went 5-0 in group play, however many expected the two teams to meet in tomorrow’s winner’s final. But, after LG’s surprising upset win over V1 in round one and OpTic’s narrow victory against C9, the two intertwined teams ended up here in the second round of the lower bracket. Zellsis told Dot Esports after their win against Sentinels that pistol rounds had been a problem for them, and it bit them again today against C9. They only won one of six.

C9 advances to the next round and will face XSET tomorrow, March 25.