Following an 0-2 the week prior, Team Liquid looked to rebound a bit with the reacquisition of Piglet back into the starting line-up. Week 8 of the NA LCS would pit TL against Cloud 9 on day 1 and Team Coast on day 2. A sloppy performance against Cloud 9 combined with a dominating performance against Coast would yield a 1-2 record for the weekend, keeping us at .500 with an 8-8.

Team Liquid vs Cloud 9

Day 1 pit Team Liquid against the formidable Cloud 9, who held a 9-5 record and even beat us during our previous encounter in week 2 of the LCS. Out for revenge, TL with their starting ADC Piglet entered the Rift with a team composition built around counter-engagement; a composition that had hopes of beating out Cloud 9’s ‘point-and-click engage’ composition in prolonged team fights. We never got those prolonged team fights…

Team Liquid: Dr. Mundo, Rek’Sai, Cassiopeia, Kalista, and Janna
Cloud 9: Maokai, Vi, Lissandra, Lucian, and Nautilus

The game would halt to a grind, both in and out of the game due to technical issues with FeniX’ computer… Ahem, in the Rift, this match-up created some chaotic moments most would consider uncharacteristic of Team Liquid. A successful gank by Meteos would force a flash out of Cassiopeia in the midlane. However, a counter gank by Dominate on Reksai would prevent a successful 3-man gank onto Quas’ Mundo, giving first blood to Team Liquid.

While things looked good (TL first blood is good, right?), a tower dive by the heavy frontline composition of Cloud 9 would force two kills on Kalista and Janna, nullifying our advantage. Two kills isn’t too bad, till more salt was poured all over our wounds. A fight in the botlane, that seemed to have little communication, would put Team Liquid in a hole; Janna and Mundo fall to Cloud 9, only to be followed up by Reksai and Cassiopeia respectively. TL literally went in one by one, creating a 1 kill to 6 deficit. It truly was the tale of the team seeking reckless revenge on the death of their ADC. Come on, that doesn’t even work in movies…

After the bloodbath, the game would halt to a standstill farm fest till the 20-minute mark. Then hell breaks loose: Team Liquid attempts to sneak in a baron but fails and over-commits. Cloud 9 may have went in with three players to four, but the Baron did immense damage and with TL tucked inside the pit itself, Hai on Lissandra did considerable AoE damage, dropping them to nothing. In that moment, TL gave up four kills (eventually five with Piglet going in to try and save) plus Baron, solidifying Cloud 9’s lead and victory.

Team Liquid vs Team Coast

After a rough loss against Cloud 9, Team Liquid would go into day 2 against Team Coast. With Coast at a 1 win to 13 losses record, the win was statistically in our favor. Despite that, we went out for blood. There was no mercy with our two-threat composition. With our world champion on Vayne and FeniX on Ahri followed-up by three supports in Nunu, Lulu, and Janna, Team Liquid held full control of the game. Victory was ours at the 30-minute mark behind Piglet’s dominating 9/1/7 performance. (His one death was an execute to tower by the way).

Team Liquid: Lulu, Nunu, Ahri, Janna, and Vayne
Team Coast: Lissandra, Gragas, Yasuo, Kog’maw, and Alistar

There’s not much to say about this game besides Piglet went in. He. Went. In. But who wouldn’t? Coast didn’t have an answer to a super-fed Vayne (much less Piglet’s Vayne) that had the power of two shields, movement speed, and Nunu Blood Boil. Then you have Ahri charm and if things get hairy, Janna ultimate. Piglet was fed to begin with but honestly, he was fed in the loading screen.

Week 9 of LCS, the final week before play-offs I might add, pits Team Liquid against Team Dignitas and Winterfox. Both games are must-win to ensure a secured spot in the play-offs, so don’t forget to cheer us on both Saturday and Sunday at 2pm PST (5pm EST)!