Esports 9/30/2025 9:28:00 AM

Blinn Overwatch shows improvements in loss to Lindenwood

The Buccaneer Overwatch team faces Columbia Basin on Wednesday

Esports 9/30/2025 9:28:00 AM

Blinn Overwatch shows improvements in loss to Lindenwood

The Buccaneer Overwatch team faces Columbia Basin on Wednesday

The Blinn College esports program fell to Lindenwood University 3-0 in a National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Overwatch matchup Monday.

The Buccaneers dropped to 0-3 in the NACE West Central Conference.

Joseph Mares, Donnivan Straight, Donovan Hernandez, Trey Vaughan, and Jose Rios competed for Blinn.

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 round Monday included a different win condition 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 reach a set number of points winning.

Monday's match was contested in the Control, Hybrid, and Escort.

Lindenwood grabbed a 2-0 win on the Lijiang Tower map (Control) and narrowly evaded the Bucs 3-2 on the King's Row map (Hybrid). The Lions closed out the series with a 3-0 victory on the Junkertown map (Escort).

"The first two maps were competitive and showed the improvements we're making," Blinn head coach and Overwatch coach Kyle Murto said. "Lindenwood has yet to lose a match this season, and compared to our earlier games, we put up a much stronger fight. There are clear signs of growth and we've identified new areas to focus on, and with more discipline and communication, we believe we can turn close fights into wins as the season continues."

The Bucs continue their Overwatch season with an NJCAA Esports matchup against Columbia Basin College at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

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

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Players Mentioned

Donovan Hernandez: Freshman; Overwatch

Joseph Mares: Sophomore; Overwatch

Jose Rios: Sophomore; Overwatch

Donnivan Straight: Sophomore; Overwatch

Players Mentioned

Donovan Hernandez
: Freshman; Overwatch

Joseph Mares
: Sophomore; Overwatch

Jose Rios
: Sophomore; Overwatch

Donnivan Straight
: Sophomore; Overwatch