Esports 11/13/2024 7:29:00 PM

Blinn Overwatch advances past Minnesota State-Mankato and into the quarterfinals of NACE playoffs

The 13th-ranked Buccaneers face No. 10 St. Clair College at 1 p.m. on Saturday

Esports 11/13/2024 7:29:00 PM

Blinn Overwatch advances past Minnesota State-Mankato and into the quarterfinals of NACE playoffs

The 13th-ranked Buccaneers face No. 10 St. Clair College at 1 p.m. on Saturday

The Blinn College esports Overwatch team opened the National Association of College Esports Varsity Premier Playoffs with a convincing win over Minnesota State University-Mankato on Tuesday.

The Buccaneers took down the Mavericks 3-0 in a best-of-five series to advance to the quarterfinal round.

Blinn's team of Kyoung Lee, Haluk Tanriseven, Matthew Hutchings, Donnivan Straight, and Dhruv Pandrangi picked up the victory.

Overwatch is a team-based, first-person-shooter in which players select heroes with unique abilities and work together to complete objectives across multiple map modes. Each team can strategically choose its maps based on team strengths and opponent weaknesses.

Each of the three rounds Tuesday included different win conditions based on the following modes:

Control: Teams fight to capture and hold a single point. The first team to reach 100% control wins two rounds in a best-of-three format, where the loser of each round picks the next map.
Escort: The attacking team moves a payload to its destination while defenders try to stop them. The payload moves when attackers are near it, and the attackers aim to complete the route before time runs out.
Hybrid: Teams capture a point and then escort a payload. The match is typically one round for attackers, who must secure the point first before moving the payload.
Push: Teams battle to control a robot and push it toward the opponent's side. The first team to push it farther than their opponents wins, with the loser picking the next map.
Clash: Teams capture consecutive points, with the first team to a set number of points winning.

"We delivered a decisive victory, starting with Lijiang Tower in the control round, where we swept through with a clean 2-0 win and displayed our coordination and composure right from the start," said
Blinn assistant coach and Overwatch manager Kyle Murto. "The team's preparation and synergy really shone through in this match, with standout play across all three maps."

Blinn, ranked 13th by the Overwatch Collegiate Rankings Association, will now take on 10th-ranked St. Clair College at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

"That is a huge matchup for us, as it's a must-win that could pave our way to the grand finals," Murto explained. "A victory over St. Clair would likely line us up to face top-ranked Illinois State University. This presents a unique opportunity for us to capitalize and make an impactful run toward the title. The team is ready, motivated, and aiming to keep the momentum going strong."

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