Esports 9/11/2025 10:31:00 PM

Blinn's Super Smash Bros team drops fall NACE opener to Dallas Baptist

The Buccaneers' SSBU squad continues its season against Southern Mississippi on Sept. 18

Esports 9/11/2025 10:31:00 PM

Blinn's Super Smash Bros team drops fall NACE opener to Dallas Baptist

The Buccaneers' SSBU squad continues its season against Southern Mississippi on Sept. 18

The Blinn College esports Super Smash Bros Ultimate team made its fall season debut Thursday and fell to Dallas Baptist University 2-1 in a best-of-three National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) matchup.

Gage Cole, Kiara Molina, James Rinehart, Braeyelyn Mitchell, and Corban Chilton competed for the Buccaneers, who dropped to 0-1 in the NACE Varsity Premier East 2 Conference.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a crossover fighting game where players, either in one-on-one or four-on-four matches, aim to knock each other off a combat stage. The objective is for players to inflict damage to increase their opponents' likelihood of being knocked off the platform. In singles play, each player has a set number of lives or "stocks," and the match is won by reducing the opponent's stocks to zero. In crew battles, teams take turns battling, with stock carryover. The team that eliminates all opposing players' stocks first wins. Series are often best-of-three or best-of-five.

"Though we lost, the match gave us valuable experience, and we showed clear promise for the season ahead," Blinn head coach and Super Smash Bros manager Kyle Murto said.

The Bucs made a comeback in the first round to earn a 12-8, with Cole going on an eight-stock run to secure a 1-0 series lead.

DBU bounced back from there, however, earning 12-6 and 12-8 wins in rounds two and three to take the series.

"While mistakes, misinputs, and nerves played a role, this was not a poor showing," Murto added. "For many of our players, this was their first time competing in crew battles, and the experience will only make them stronger. Historically, DBU has been a tough opponent for us, so taking a round off them marks meaningful progress. The team is already preparing to review film and correct mistakes as we set our sights on next week's matchup."

Blinn's Super Smash Bros squad returns to action for a NACE tilt against the University of Southern Mississippi at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.

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Players Mentioned

Braeyelyn Mitchell: Freshman; Overwatch/Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Corban Chilton: Sophomore; Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Gage Cole: Sophomore; Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Kiara Molina: Sophomore; Super Smash Bros Ultimate

James Rinehart: Freshman; Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Players Mentioned

Braeyelyn Mitchell
: Freshman; Overwatch/Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Corban Chilton
: Sophomore; Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Gage Cole
: Sophomore; Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Kiara Molina
: Sophomore; Super Smash Bros Ultimate

James Rinehart
: Freshman; Super Smash Bros Ultimate