THE LOYOLA Gaming (LG) Esports (1-3) split its two matches against the New Era University (NEU) Paradigm (0-3) and the Philippine Normal University (PNU) Sulo (2-1), 2-0, 0-2, in the Esports AcadArena (EAA) University Alliance Cup (UAC) Season 2: Wild Rift last May 22 and 23.
Team Captain Paolo Riosa led the charge for LG ESports with three kills and nine assists in the first game and two kills and 13 assists in the second game against NEU Paradigm. However, day four was a different affair for LG Esports. Despite good showings from Riosa in the first game with three kills and two assists and Tony Kim in the second match with two kills and three assists, LG Esports failed to secure the win.
A taste of victory
In the first game against NEU, LG Esports employed a balanced attack in a lengthy 25-minute game while utilizing a highly mobile draft lineup of Rengar, Camille, Akali, Corki, and Seraphine to secure the first match victory, 1-0. Spearheading a 17-8 edge in kills for LG Esports, Riosa’s usage of Camille resulted in a dominant three-kill and nine-assist game.
Carrying their momentum into the second game, LG Esports showcased a different lineup, choosing a more defensive approach with Garen, Lee Sin, Akali, Corki, and Janna as its five champions. Dueling it out for 22 minutes, LG Esports and NEU engaged in a hard-fought battle which eventually resulted in a 17-10 kill differential and the victory for LG Esports, 2-0. Following-up his strong performance in the previous game, Riosa had two kills and 13 assists to lead LG Esports to its first victory in the tournament.
Falling short
Despite LG Esports’ dominant showing against NEU, they were unable to replicate their performance against PNU. Showcasing a lineup of Gragas, Lee Sin, Akali, Tristana, and Janna, LG Esports struggled defending the Dragon side all throughout the first game, suffering a 0-9 kill deficit in the first nine minutes of the match. Despite garnering four kills in the latter moments of the game, LG Esports ultimately dropped the first match in 15 minutes of play which included a 5-18 kill differential.
In a bid to settle for a 1-1 tie, LG Esports approached game two with a Malphite, Lee Sin, Akali, Corki, and Seraphine champion lineup. However, LG Esports continued to struggle on the offensive end as the Blue and White was limited to only five kills against PNU’s 27. With the kills disparity, LG Esports eventually dropped the second game and the match, 0-2.
Despite splitting the two matches, Riosa remained positive as he saw the team continue to improve match after match. “The results [of both matches] show how much progress we have made as a team but also shows how much more we need to improve to be able to compete with the very best in the collegiate space,” he stated.
After the split against NEU and PNU, LG Esports currently sits at fifth in the Group B standings with a 1-3-0 win-loss-tie record. LG Esports will next face the top-ranked Holy Angel University (HAU) Valiant Winks in a must-win game on Sunday, May 30, 7:00PM. Fans can stream the match on https://www.twitch.tv/acadarenaph.
LG Esports Lineup:
Paolo “Altershot” Riosa
Tony “TK” Kim
Kyle “Koane” Ussher
Victor “Atryxiom” Daet
Ren “Paradox” Manalo
