DALLAS VENOM vs. CAROLINA CORE

FINAL

CS:S

FZA

FIFA

DOAF

DOAM

SCORE

Dallas Venom

10

4

3

5

2

24

Carolina Core

8

3

2

4

5

22

Dead or Alive 4 (MALE)

Opening up the day of matches, the undefeated Master faced last season’s DoA titan, Offbeat Ninja. Both players used their main characters, Hayabusa and Ein respectively, on Seaside Market. Offbeat Ninja went for three straight rounds before Master was able to get a round of his own. A moment later, Offbeat Ninja picked up another round, making the score 4-1 over Master, the worst situation Master has been in all season. Master was able to bring the score to 4-2 with a couple of launches and juggles, closed with an Izuna Drop to win the round. Offbeat Ninja then brought the axe down, executing Master's perfect season, with the score ending 5-2 for CAROLINA CORE.

FIFA 08

Second in line, Anomaly took on Barmoa for some Soccer action, with Anomaly playing as Brazil and Barmoa playing as France. The first half went scoreless, with both players taking turns charging into each other’s zones before passing it back to the center of the field. Finally, in the second half, Anomaly was able to sneak a striker in past three defenders, firing in the first goal of the game with about a minute left of regulation time. Barmoa managed to pull a favor in from the gods by scoring a goal right under Anomaly’s nose just before injury time. At the end of the regulation time, it was 1-1 heading into penalty kicks. After a close shoot out round, Barmoa edged Anomaly out 3-2.

Dead or Alive 4 (FEMALE)

For the female portion of the match, Phoenix battled Mystik on Gambler's Paradise, as Gen Fu and Hayate respectively. Phoenix picked up the first round, before Mystik took control and destroyed her for two straight rounds. For the fourth round, Phoenix pulled off a few key counters to move the game into a 2-2 tie match. After a close round featuring clock management and turtling, Phoenix was able to rush forward and close the round off, taking the lead 3-2. Mystik moved the match into another tie, before Phoenix was able to counter both a car and Mystik’s attacks, positioning herself for game point at 4-3. Mystik, determined to not fall apart against Phoenix the way she had against Belle, tied the game again, taking the fight to the last possible round. After some play across the center barrier, Phoenix was able to win the match, 5-4.

Counter-Strike Source

The close match moved into the Counter-Strike: Source portion of the match, between the potential first place Source squad, the VENOM, against last season’s determined underdogs, the CORE. The VENOM swept the first round as Counter-Terrorist on de_inferno convincingly, with Mustang retaking the A bomb site with two frags. Devour was able to carry the CORE team into a round win of their own, before the VENOM kicked it into high gear, winning seven straight rounds, closing the half off at 8-1 for DALLAS VENOM. Both Dominator and Mustang highlighted the round with ludicrous scores, weighing in heavily on the outcome of the first half.

CAROLINA CORE was able to make something work, when the VENOM blindly fell into the B site, allowing themselves to be completely surrounded. Still, the score was a brutal 8-2. The CORE picked up a third round, before the VENOM moved into the A site intelligently, planting and fragging the round out, making the score 9-3. The CORE picked up another two rounds before Dominator somehow won the most impossible 3v1 round with two frags and a grenade kill, making the score at the regulation win 10-5. The CORE were able to cut their losses, winning the remaining three rounds, with the final score 10-8 for DALLAS VENOM.

FORZA Motorsport 2

The final portion of the match, a deciding FORZA race, began with a few bangs, with CHA0S and Muffinman taking an early first and second lead before Phantom literally sent Muffinman spinning, taking second place. Finally, on the last lap, Phantom made a move on CHA0S, which looked to be in DALLAS VENOM’s favor until General E Live slammed into the downed CHA0S. For the remaining turns of the race, the match looked more like Destruction Derby than FORZA, with each racer taking turns at throwing themselves at each other. Somehow, through the fray, Muffinman snuck past the CORE racers, with General E Live taking second, Phantom taking third, and CHA0S finishing the race in fourth.

SAN FRANCISCO OPTX vs. CHICAGO CHIMERA

FINAL

CS:S

FZA

FIFA

DOAF

DOAM

SCORE

San Francisco OPTX

10

3

2

5

3

23

Chicago Chimera

8

4

1

1

5

19

Dead or Alive 4 (MALE)

CHICAGO CHIMERA began their final charge toward the playoffs with Black Mamba facing off against NinjaCW on Crash Club as their mains, Helena and Gen Fu respectively. Black Mamba had the CHICAGO CHIMERA bench cheering as he plowed through two straight rounds, before NinjaCW answered back with three rounds of his own, the first of which featured a Greatest. Black Mamba took a quick round, moving into a 3-3 tied position, before moving into game point position, 4-3. For the final round, Black Mamba took an early lead, until NinjaCW teased the fans briefly with a comeback, but Black Mamba proved was hungry for the win for his team, finishing it off with a quick grab, and a 5-3 win for CHICAGO CHIMERA.

FIFA 08

Next up, CHICAGO CHIMERA’s rookie of the year shoe-in, Eafra, took on the 2008 season’s surprise FIFA all-star, Stermy. Eafra, playing as Brazil, spent a good portion of the time in first half setting up in Stermy’s (France's) zone, looking to increase the CHIMERA’s lead. The half still went scoreless for both players. A potential goal by Eafra seemed to loom in over head for the first few minutes of the second half, as he repeatedly set up in Stermy’s zone, just waiting to execute. Still, by the end of the second half, the game was 0-0, and we found ourselves in the second shoot out of the day, and after setting the entire building on fire with cheers, Stermy took the match, 2-1.

FORZA Motorsport 2

The race between the OPTX and the CHIMERA started off with a bang, or rather a smash, as the CHIMERA racers bullied the OPTX racers into the back of the pack. Still, Sackamonjaro battled his way into second place, chasing behind JasonX. Miximup, in fourth, was locked into a heated race with ch0mpr, slowly gaining on him with each second, before Sackamonjaro fell back into their battle. The two SAN FRANCISCO OPTX racers teamed up on ch0mpr, pinning him against the wall allowing Miximup to move ahead. The race ended with JasonX in first, Miximup in second, Sackamonjaro in third, and ch0mpr beaten back into fourth.

Dead or Alive 4 (FEMALE)

Next in line was the Dead or Alive Female match, with Kasumi Chan, as Kasumi, taking on Vanessa, as Hitomi, on Temple on the Mountain. Despite a close battle, Vanessa used a grab to take the first round, pummeling Kasumi Chan into submission. Kasumi Chan, looking to live up to the hype of being one of the most technically sound females in the game, quickly dispatched of Vanessa for the second round, nearly taking the third round when Vanessa stole the win from her at the bottom of the stairway. Vanessa won a third round for herself in similar fashion, taking the long ride down the stairs, snagging the win at the bottom. Vanessa won two more well fought rounds, ending the game 5-1 for the OPTX.

Counter-Strike Source

The boys moved onto de_season, with the OPTX taking Counter-Terrorist to defend for the first half. The OPTX struggled for the first three rounds, being overwhelmed by CHICAGO CHIMERA’s AWP’s and the clutch power of hahN. The OPTX battled back for two rounds of their own, before Stevenson led his team for two solid rounds. OPTX finished off the last two rounds, ending the half 5-4 for CHICAGO CHIMERA.

After switching sides, the OPTX picked up the first two rounds, before CHICAGO CHIMERA squeezed off a round of their own. SAN FRANCISCO OPTX, taking all of their rounds in twos, picked up another pair of rounds. A vast majority of these rounds have come down to bomb down, clutch situations, with different players stepping it up all over the place. The OPTX picked up a third round, breaking their rhythm, but moving them into game point position at 9-6. The CHIMERA stayed alive during a save round with desert eagles, the round ending with Lari firing two bullets for two headshot kills. CHICAGO CHIMERA moved into tying position, with the score at 9-8, but the overall match had already gone into the OPTX’s favor. The OPTX closed the match off without an overtime incident, sending CHICAGO CHIMERA home, and out of the playoffs.

3D.NY vs. LOS ANGELES COMPLEXITY

FINAL

CS:S

FZA

FIFA

DOAF

DOAM

SCORE

3D.NY

6

6

2

5

2

21

Los Angeles Complexity

12

1

3

1

5

22

Dead or Alive 4 (FEMALE)

Starting off the match between NY.3D and LA COMPLEXITY, was the Dead or Alive Female battle between Belle as Kokoro and Coolsvilla as Christie, on Kyoto in Bloom. Coolsvilla won the first, close round, before Belle dominated her with surprising quickness for a point of her own. Despite some well placed counters and long strings from Belle, Coolsvilla was able to win four straight rounds to finish the game, 5-1 for NY.3D.

Dead or Alive 4 (MALE)

Flipping the Dead or Alive coin, we moved into the Male competition, with Cheppelle looking to join the club of players who have found wins over Perfect Legend. Cheppelle looked to be on task, winning the first round with blinding quickness, before Perfect Legend went on a three round winning streak. Cheppelle pulled out the classic Ayane ‘spin like a top’ to pick up a second round. Perfect Legend then decided to play like a second overall draft pick, winning two quick rounds to bring the match to a final 5-2 for LA COMPLEXITY.

FIFA 08

Moving into the Soccer portion of the match, KreeganBG, as Italy, took on WiZaKoR, as France. KreeeganBG almost found success at the bottom of the first half, taking a shot past the keeper after he rushed towards the outside of the zone, but the shot was off target. The half ended in the recently popular fashion of 0-0, moving scoreless into the second half. Yet another scoreless half leads us into yet another shoot-out situation, with KreeganBG gaining the win after WiZaKoR overpowered a shot over the open side of the goal. LA COMPLEXITY won 3-2.

FORZA Motorsport 2

The final race of the night featuring 2008’s up and comers ComeBackDan and Dark Storm taking on the redrafted Chavisan and GTO. The racers took turns falling prey to the sticky sand of the course, with a few polite passes along the way. ComeBackDan moved his way into first, with GTO trailing a few seconds behind. Dark Storm worked his way past GTO forcefully just before the final turn, giving 3D.NY a 6-1 final score on the board.

Counter-Strike Source

Closing the night off for the matches, 3D.NY took defense as Counter-Terrorist on de_tuscan, looking to pick up a last win for a chance to play against DALLAS VENOM towards the Individual World Final. 3D.NY moved through the first round swiftly, with the second run running into the hiccup of a possible 2vs1 clutch from Rambo, but Volcano was able to out frag the king of clutch to put 3D.NY up 2-0. COMPLEXITY fought back with some hefty AWP work from fRoD, tying the match 2-2, before 3D.NY picked up three quick rounds with impressive play from Juan. COMPLEXITY took the last two rounds of the half in the A site, ending the half with a big grenade frag at the bottom of the middle stairs. The half ends 5-4 in NY.3D’s favor.

3D.NY began their Terrorist half quickly, charging into the A bomb site, and nearly taking the round. Two 3D.NY members planted in the site, but COMPLEXITY was able to retake and defuse, tying the match 5-5. 3D.NY took it back towards B, where COMPLEXITY completely shut them down, taking the 6-5 lead. COMPLEXITY continued to smash through 3D.NY’s offense, winning eight straight rounds to take the match 12-6, and the overall match as well. Amazing play from the entire roster enabled the first showing this year of the COMPLEXITY that fans know and love.