They stepped up to the plate.
Following their victory over TSM in the lower bracket of the NA VCT Stage Three: Challengers Playoffs, Rise still has a chance to attend the next international LAN. With today’s victory, they secured that they would collect enough VCT points to qualify for the Champions’ Last Chance Qualifier for North America.
TSM won the first four rounds, with Rise attempting to win through gunfights. They began to use their utility well as the half continued, but TSM won the majority of team fights when Rise chose to push positions such as mid and A main. Rise responded with some momentum, drawing the match at 8-8, before TSM went on a four-round winning streak of their own. Rise flirted with a late comeback until TSM shut down a last B site push, winning Split on the strength of an outstanding all-around performance from the whole team.
Rise rose to the moment with their own selection of Haven, while TSM had no answer for opposing A push. Shanks was back on Jett and putting on a spectacular show, and after a 6-6 tie at halftime, Neptune joined him at the top of the scoreboard with a great performance on Phoenix. Rise completely shut off TSM’s attack side in the second half, defeating Haven 13-6.
With a huge first-half defensive against Breeze, Neptune demonstrated why Skye is regarded as a duelist. But it wasn’t only his utility usage that got him 15 kills in the first nine rounds; TSM continually failed to watch their flanks, particularly post-plant, and Neptune punished them repeatedly. TSM ultimately began employing utility to completely clear up sites near the conclusion of the first half, cutting the Rise lead to 7-5 before halftime. Rise extended their lead thanks to a successful pistol round and another Neptune multi-kill, then destroyed TSM’s economy in the bonus round that followed.
Rise’s victory ensures that they will finish the Challengers Playoffs with at least 50 points, securing a Last Chance Qualifier spot. In the following round of the lower bracket, they will face XSET. TSM finishes with 40 VCT points and must now rely on the best of North America to advance to the Last Chance Qualifier; if a NA team wins Masters Three and moves directly to Champions, TSM will slip into the Last Chance Qualifier.