Team Liquid v Cloud 9
Game 1
This series features two undefeated squads. Heading into the match, both teams were guaranteed upper bracket placement in the playoffs.
The game featured multiple fights that were absolute brawls with Cloud 9 coming out on top. By 20 minutes, they were in the lead by 5.1k gold and were crushing Team Liquid in the kill count 9-3. Each member of C9 was fed.
They snowballed their gold lead to a whopping 17.8k and closed the game out in 31 minutes.
Game 2
Team Liquid chose blue side for this match. They had a challenging early game, but were able to slow Cloud 9’s momentum until they found some luck in a dragon fight. From the victory at the dragon pit, they slew the Baron and won multiple subsequent team fights against Cloud 9.
In TL’s effort to close out the game, they overstayed at the Nexus towers and lost four members, handing Cloud Soul to C9. With the healing of the Ocean Soul, Cloud 9 held a significant advantage as Team Liquid’s team composition relied heavily on poke damage. Their new buff really helped them in the next Baron fight. Team Liquid was able to slyly steal the Baron kill due to Blaber smiting early. Cloud 9 immediately engaged in a dragged-out team fight and killed four members of Team Liquid.
From there, Cloud 9 was able to rally and close out the game after defeating TL in a few more team fights. They claim the top spot in the Group A standings with a 3-0 record.
100 Thieves v Shopify Rebellion
Game 1
Both teams engaged in fights early and often with neither team really being able to pull too far ahead. This was a very tight, tense clash until the very end.
The game took a surprising turn in the favor of 100 Thieves after Shopify Rebellion’s Contractz stole the Baron from them. After the steal, Shopify was not able to disengage and they lost multiple team members, which set up 100 Thieves for their Soul point soon after. With the game on the line, 100 Thieves was able to bully Shopify away from the objective and utilizing the buff were able to finish the incredible game.
With that last Baron steal, Shopify Rebellion’s Contractz ties Xmithie’s record of most Baron steals in NA history with 18. Congratulations to Contractz for being such an outstanding jungler all these years!
Game 2
The two teams were chomping at the bit to get back onto the Rift. They did nothing but fight for 39 minutes.
Shopify held a slight lead throughout the game until a massive team fight at the bot-side Atakhan yielded 100 Thieves a 2-2 team fight and the objective steal. Minutes later they were able to bully Shopify off of the dragon, claim the objective and take control of the gold lead.
Shopify began playing smart. They got back-to-back picks on enemy jungler, River. This allowed them to put 100 Thieves in constant uneven team fights and gain an advantage they were eventually able to snowball.
Shopify showed some signs of being serious contenders however, they struggled to close out fights. Despite matching 100 Thieves in team fights, their inability to secure a decisive advantage led to repeated tactical retreats. The reason they were able to fight their way back into the game was because they were lucky enough to spot an overextending River twice.
Game 3
Both squads were going kill-for-kill, objective for objective the entire game. No team had an outright advantage until Shopify Rebellion claimed Ocean Soul at 36 minutes. They cracked the game open by picking off two Thieves and securing the Baron.
Shopify Rebellion’s final team fight to close the series is precisely why Soul-point is so important. The fight dragged on for a while and the sustained healing from the dragon not only heled them win the fight, but kept them healthy enough to be able to end the game.
Shopify Rebellion is still in the running to finish top-two in the Group B standings.
Game Day Digest 
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