Rise Nation overcame Red Reserve in convincing fashion in the first round of the CWL Pro League Stage 2 Playoffs.
A rematch of the CWL Anaheim grand finals was set to be the most explosive match of day one, but early on Rise Nation showed weren’t interested in putting on a spectacle, preferring to demonstrate that their victory in that grand final was no fluke.
Valkyrie Hardpoint kicked off the series, with the two teams trading blows early, but it was Rise Nation that took control down the stretch to draw first blood with a 250-190 win. London Docks Search and Destroy was even more convincing, a 6-3 win for Rise leaving Red Reserve looking for a reverse sweep.
Red Reserve finally got off to a strong start on Ardennes Forest CTF, taking a 2-0 lead, but Rise Nation were able to strike back with two of their own. A last-second flag race almost sealed the deal for Rise, but Red were able to clutch up and force overtime.
Here, Red’s Joseph ‘Joee’ Pinnington came through with a massive play, flanking to pull the flag early and winning a crucial fight to escape, running it home for an incredible fast capture time that Red defended in the final round to take the game 3-2.
Unfortunately for Red, that was the only ground that Rise would concede in this match, coming back with a vengeance on Gibraltar Hardpoint, a crushing 250-98 to close the series out 3-1.
.@Joee_COD with the quick hit flag cap in overtime, @RedReserve get a map in the series vs @TheRiseNation!
Rise lead at 2-1: https://t.co/NKHQSgV6Gh #CWLPS4 pic.twitter.com/rWP7iK54Ej
— Call of Duty esports (@CODWorldLeague) July 28, 2018
Unfortunately for Red, that was the only ground that Rise would concede in this match, coming back with a vengeance on Gibraltar Hardpoint, a crushing 250-98 to close the series out 3-1.
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With that win, Rise Nation books a spot in the winner bracket semi-finals against eUnited, while Red Reserve is headed to the lower bracket where they will face Echo Fox to stay alive.
Rise Nation 3-1 Red Reserve
HP Valkyrie 250-190
SND London Docks 6-3
CTF Ardennes Forest 3-2
HP Gibraltar 250-98