The Guard Bounces Back with a Win Against TSM
The Guard secured a crucial victory against TSM in NA VCT Stage Two group play, putting an end to their four-series losing streak. This win not only improved their record to 1-2 but also kept their playoff hopes alive. It was their first win since defeating OpTic in the NA final of Stage One.
Starting with TSM’s Haven pick, The Guard suffered another pistol round loss, which has been a recurring issue for them. However, Sayaplayer’s impressive performance on Jett, with 10 kills in the first four rounds, helped The Guard regain their footing. Despite TSM taking a 7-5 halftime lead, The Guard responded with a rare pistol round win on attack, kick-starting their second half. They managed to maintain a small lead by answering TSM’s successful defenses with overwhelming attack rounds. In the end, The Guard closed out the first map with a 13-10 victory.
With a 1-0 advantage heading into their map pick, The Guard dominated on their attacking side of Icebox, building a substantial lead. Sayaplayer, valyn, and JonahP each contributed with 10+ kills in the first half, leading to an 8-4 halftime score in favor of The Guard. They further solidified their position with a third consecutive pistol round win, making TSM’s comeback almost impossible. TSM’s mistakes in the post-plant scenarios handed The Guard a convincing 13-7 victory on Icebox, closing out the series.
After a disappointing performance at Masters Reykjavík, The Guard struggled in the early stages of Stage Two, losing their first two series to 100 Thieves and Ghost. However, in this match against TSM, they showcased their former dominance by winning pistol rounds, executing perfect retakes, and hitting their shots.
Both teams now hold a 1-2 record but still have a chance to secure a spot in the NA Stage Two playoffs. The Guard will face XSET and NRG in weeks four and five, while TSM will compete against Ghost and XSET.
The Guard, TSM, NA VCT Stage Two, playoffs, victory, Jett, Icebox, pistol round, retakes, Masters Reykjavík, 100 Thieves, Ghost, XSET, NRG.