By Gio Gaxiola — Reporter
It was a great weekend for the San Jose State Valorant Esports team, as they captured the North American Collegiate League grand finals victory, 2-1 over Oregon State University.
The Spartans sent two teams (blue and yellow) into the 64–team frey. Both teams excelled in their first and second round match-ups. SJSU blue beat the UC Irvine Anteaters who were a heavy favorite to win the tournament.
“It felt amazing to beat UCI,” team blue captain Kevin Choi said. “I feel a rivalry is starting to develop and only grow stronger if we keep playing in the same torment.”
After the Spartans advanced to the final four, they had to face their own team/classmates in SJSU yellow. Meaning no matter what, SJSU had a ticket to the grand finals.
When the dust settled it was team blue who came out on top and had a date with OSU in the grand finals.
“Beating the other team was fun and felt great.” Choi said. “It is good to see both squads go this far. It only helps the program get stronger.”
It was a back-and-forth affair between both teams. Choiboi (Kevin Choi) led the charge for the Spartans by winning some rounds on his own. One of his best efforts came when he had four kills in a single round, making it look all too easy as they were able to win the first game 13-9.
The second game came down to the wire. With the Beavers looking defeat in the face, they were able to secure game two 13-11, – forcing a final game three.
The Spartans put their foot on the gas and never looked back. At one point in the match, they were up 7-1 and eventually won 13-3. A fitting end to a brilliant tournament from both SJSU squads.
With both teams placing in the top three, they were able to reel in a satisfying $800 of the $1,000 combined prize pool for the program.
This was a huge win for the budding SJSU Esports program. With COVID-19 interrupting fall sports, Spartan Esports has been able to thrive under social distancing guidelines. Most if not all the players are either remotely playing from home or a dorm. The ability to play a match from the comfort of your own home is a luxury Esports has that other sports do not. This win may encourage more students to start supporting the program as a whole.
This was the first major tournament of the school year and the Spartans were able to send two teams to the final four, showing just how much talent this program has.
Follow Gio on Twitter @GaxiolaGio
