Esports 2/6/2024 1:38:00 PM

Blinn Valorant wins NECC opener while Call of Duty drops CCL match to Ole Miss

The Buccaneer Esports team continues play with a Super Smash Bros tilt Feb. 6

The Blinn College esports team competed in a pair of matches Monday and came away with a split.

The Buccaneer Valorant team began play in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) with a 2-0 victory over Conestoga College (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada), while Blinn's Call of Duty squad was defeated by the University of Mississippi 3-1 in Call of Duty Collegiate League (CCL) Division II Southeast action.

Blinn's highly touted Valorant team got off on the right foot behind a stellar group effort from Adam Lammoumi, Anthony Nguyen, Michael Rieger, Connor Corley, and Ludovi Lefebvre-Lavigne.

"We executed what we needed to in order to be successful, especially with a dominant 13-0 win in map one," Blinn head coach and Valorant manager Aaron Kapiko said. "I am happy with our play tonight and hope we can keep it up for the rest of the season."

Valorant returns to action with an NECC bout against St. Clair College at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12.

The Buccaneer Call of Duty squad of Logan Rivera, Michael Allen, Isaias Niesto, and Raylon Jenkins fell to Mississippi despite an inspiring performance in the match's third round.

"This series could've easily gone either way," Blinn assistant coach and Call of Duty manager Ryan Lucich said. "Maps one and four were neck-and-neck, in which Ole Miss was just able to win a few key fights in the end. They were able to handedly beat us in map two while we dominated map three. I know this loss stings for my guys given how close and how winnable each map was. Even then, we saw improvements and there's a feeling of more confidence. We are eager to get back to action Wednesday in our second CCL match."

Blinn Call of Duty continues play in the CCL against the University of Texas-Dallas at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

The Buccaneers will compete in Super Smash Bros action against Dawson Community College, Bismark State College, Dallas College-Richland, and Barton Community College at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.

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Players Mentioned

Michael Allen: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Logan Rivera: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Raylon Jenkins: Freshman; Call of Duty

Anthony Nguyen: Freshman; Valorant

Michael Rieger: Freshman; Valorant

Players Mentioned

Michael Allen
: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Logan Rivera
: Sophomore; Call of Duty

Raylon Jenkins
: Freshman; Call of Duty

Anthony Nguyen
: Freshman; Valorant

Michael Rieger
: Freshman; Valorant