Esports 10/7/2024 1:53:00 PM

Blinn Overwatch pulls double duty over weekend with OWCC, DreamHack matches

The Buccaneers earned 3rd/4th place at the DreamHack Atlanta Collegiate Invitational in Atlanta

Esports 10/7/2024 1:53:00 PM

Blinn Overwatch pulls double duty over weekend with OWCC, DreamHack matches

The Buccaneers earned 3rd/4th place at the DreamHack Atlanta Collegiate Invitational in Atlanta

The Blinn College esports program had a busy weekend as its Overwatch team competed in six matches in three days.

The Buccaneers battled it out in the DreamHack Atlanta Collegiate Invitational in Atlanta, going 2-2 overall while reaching the semifinal round before settling for a third/fourth-place finish.

In the group stage of the competition, Blinn defeated Georgia Tech University and Savannah College of Arts & Design 2-0 in a pair of best-of-three series before falling to Winthrop University 2-0. That performance pushed the Bucs to the semifinal round, where they ultimately fell 2-3-1 to the University of Missouri.

"Although we didn't make it to the finals for a rematch against Winthrop (the tournament champion), I'm proud of our overall performance," Blinn assistant coach and Overwatch manager Kyle Murto said. "Competing against three top-20 teams and putting up such strong results shows our progress. We'll learn from this experience and be ready for the next challenge while remaining confident that with a few adjustments we can come out on top."

While Blinn was on site for DreamHack, the Bucs also found time Saturday to continue its run in the Overwatch Collegiate Championship (OWCC), earning a 2-0 best-of-three victory over Bowling Green University before falling to Bryant & Stratton College 2-0. Blinn is now 3-1 in the 10-round Swiss Stage of the OWCC.

"We kicked off the day with a commanding win against Bowling Green in what turned out to be a one-sided match, as expected," Murto said. "Our team came out strong, showing no signs of letting up. Though it was disappointing to lose to Bryant & Stratton in the second match, each map was fiercely contested, going into overtime and showcasing some of the best gameplay we've ever put on display. It was a near-perfect match from both teams, reflecting our longstanding rivalry with BSC. They've bolstered their lineup with solid new players, making them even stronger than before."

Competing for the Buccaneers over the weekend were Kyoung Lee, Haluk Tanriseven, Matthew Hutchings, Donnivan Straight, and Dhruv Pandrangi.

Blinn Overwatch returns to play with a National Association of Collegiate Esports tilt against Converse University at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 49 NJCAA national championships since 1987

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Players Mentioned

Donnivan Straight: Sophomore; Overwatch

Haluk Tanriseven: Sophomore; Overwatch

Dhruv Pandrangi: Sophomore; Overwatch

Matthew Hutchings: Sophomore; Overwatch

Players Mentioned

Donnivan Straight
: Sophomore; Overwatch

Haluk Tanriseven
: Sophomore; Overwatch

Dhruv Pandrangi
: Sophomore; Overwatch

Matthew Hutchings
: Sophomore; Overwatch