Today marked the start of the LTA North’s Fearless Best of 3 debut for the split, and competition was heated. Group A’s first match showed a rough early game from FlyQuest, but once they hit their stride, the momentum couldn’t be stopped. Group B’s matches flipped the script: Team Liquid opened with a clean win but had to fight through a brutal game two, with plenty of back-and-forth. Both of today’s matchups ended 2-0, but tomorrow could be much less straightforward.

Group A: 100 Thieves vs. FlyQuest

Game 1:

Both teams started the game cautiously, trading kills and trying to keep the gold difference at a minimum. Things were actually pretty even, until a fateful 3v3 topside handed two kills over to 100 Thieves, giving them the tempo along with the Feats of Strength.

FlyQuest clawed their way back, in part thanks to a deep-ward teleport from Gabriël "Bwipo" Rau in a crucial teamfight, minimizing 100T’s gold lead. FlyQuest started cutting through 100T’s frontline during a close Drake Pit skirmish and took their first objective of the game. The tables had finally turned.

Topside was full of small fights, even giving FlyQuest a chance to take Atakhan. Fahad "Massu" Abdulmalek’s damage allowed dives onto 100T’s backline into a quick run for Baron Nashor. Despite the early game being rough, the comeback almost felt surgical.

A speedy back-to-front fight in 100 Thieves’ base led to FlyQuest’s locking down game one.

Game 2:

After a technical delay, the game got started with a very impactful first blood for Massu, killing Rayan "Sniper" Shoura in a three-man-dive right after he just teleported back to lane. FlyQuest kept the pressure up, securing kills and staying ahead on objectives.

A 5v5 over the second drake, started by 100T, turned into a major lead for FlyQuest, claiming the objective and three kills along with it. The snowball continued topside, with FlyQuest claiming Rift Herald, more kills, and Atakhan just before shoving into 100T’s base.

As FlyQuest took Baron, the gold difference climbed to over 11k in FlyQuest’s favor. 100 Thieves got a kill, but the sheer difference in buying power proved to be too much.

FlyQuest rushed the enemy base and took 100T’s Nexus in a decisive victory, finishing 17 kills to two in just under 28 minutes.

Result: FlyQuest won 2-0.

Group B: Team Liquid vs. LYON

Game 1:

The early game was chaotic, with Eric "Licorice" Ritchie's Aatrox getting a solo kill on Jeong "Impact" Eon-young, following a late recall where he lost his flash. A smart gank from Eom "UmTi" Seong-hyeon evened the score. The teams traded objectives; Sebastián "Oddielan" Alonso Niño Zavaleta grabbed first Drake while UmTi secured two Void Grubs before getting jumped mid-camp.

LYON claimed the Feat of Warfare following a Nocturne ult dive from Oddielan, but Team Liquid secured the next set of Void Grubs and four kills botside. Kang "Saint" Seong-in got ambushed and caught out by Eain "APA" Stearns, UmTi, and Jo "CoreJJ" Yong-in topside and TL was able to grab the tier one turret just after.

A Renekton triple kill from Impact at the Drake Pit secured TL their first dragon and the momentum they needed. APA and UmTi kept the pressure up as TL pushed for Atakhan. Even though LYON grabbed TL’s mid turret, it barely slowed them down. A quick clash around bot led to Baron and a third Mountain Drake for TL. The extra resistances made them beefy.

Skirmishes broke across the map as Team Liquid looked to push their lead to finish the game. At LYON’s bot lane inhibitor, UmTi grabbed Licorice, and Sean "Yeon" Sung secured a kill, starting LYON’s last stand of the game. LYON’s carries fell to APA, and Team Liquid pushed to victory.

Game 2:

UmTi kicked things off aggressively, getting First Blood in an early invade thanks to some crazy Conqueror stacks. Team Liquid snowballed from there, claiming all the early Void Grubs and Cloud Drake after a successful 4v4 fight at pit.

The teams traded kills, but Team Liquid got the Feat of Warfare, and was well on their way to win the Feats of Strength just over 10 minutes in. LYON was able to steal one of the Void Grubs, preventing TL from winning the feats so early, but the momentum was already in TL’s favor. UmTi took TL’s second drake, and the Feats of Strength were won.

Team Liquid grabbed the Rift Herald just before the game was paused for a suspected bug. The referees ruled that it was a feature, not a bug, and the game was allowed to continue as normal.

LYON finally found an opening. During a 5v5 at Chemtech Drake, they wiped four members of Team Liquid and flipped the gold lead in their favor, pushing mid and top lanes and claiming two turrets. A 4v5-turned-5v5 in midlane also went their way, but APA’s teleport denied an immediate Baron rush.

Things stayed scrappy. Licorice picked off UmTi right before another Baron fight, but even down a jungler, Team Liquid managed to secure Baron and regain control. A massive fight at Chemtech Drake saw Oddielan fall early, and TL took the Dragon Soul. With Baron and Soul buffs, TL shoved down mid and bot, looking for the end.

APA flanked a teamfight topside, helping Team Liquid ace LYON. Pushing as a team down mid, TL claimed their victory after a long game full of back-and-forth.

Result: Team Liquid won 2-0.

Until Tomorrow

Both FlyQuest and TL started the split's group stage strong with clean series wins, but today wasn’t without its messes. If today was anything to go by, nobody’s making it through this weekend without a few close calls. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s LTAN Bo3s starting at 1 PM Pacific.