Esports 4/2/2026 10:01:00 PM

Blinn Valorant falls to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in NJCAAe National Tournament semifinal round

Blinn will compete in a last-chance qualifier for the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup on April 18

Esports 4/2/2026 10:01:00 PM

Blinn Valorant falls to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in NJCAAe National Tournament semifinal round

Blinn will compete in a last-chance qualifier for the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup on April 18

Blinn Valorant falls in NJCAAe semifinals

The Blinn College esports Valorant team saw its postseason run come to a close Thursday in the NJCAA Esports (NJCAAe) Valorant National Tournament.

The Buccaneers dropped a 2-1 decision to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in a best-of-three semifinal match.

Ilies Dolliazal, Milad Khorsandi, Tyler Hartman, Samuel Long, and Brian Yang competed for Blinn.

Valorant is a tactical, team-based, first-person shooter set in a near-future world. Teams of five players choose unique agents with distinct abilities, combining shooting skills with strategic use of each agent's toolkit. Teams alternate between attacking and defending. Attackers aim to plant a spike at one of the designated sites, while defenders try to prevent this or defuse the spike if planted. The first team to win 13 rounds claims victory. If both teams reach a tie at 12-12, overtime is triggered, and the match continues until one team wins by two rounds, with teams alternating between attacking and defending in each overtime round.

Blinn opened the series strong on Bind, Northeastern's map pick, controlling the early tempo and executing efficiently to secure a 13-9 victory. Brian Yang delivered a standout performance, consistently creating openings and taking over rounds, while Dolliazal helped guide the team with steady mid-round calls. The Buccaneers maintained their composure throughout to close out the opening map.

Momentum shifted in the second map, Fracture, as Northeastern dictated the pace from the outset. Blinn struggled to find consistent footing on both attack and defense, and despite occasional early advantages, the Buccaneers were unable to convert them into round wins in a 13-6 loss.

The deciding map, Lotus, followed a similar trend. Blinn showed flashes early but was unable to sustain success as Northeastern carried its momentum into the finale. Strong individual efforts from Yang and Long kept rounds competitive, but the Buccaneers ultimately fell 13-5 to close the match.

"This was a tough series because of how strong we looked on Bind compared to the following maps," Blinn assistant coach and Valorant coach Patrick Daley said. "We had great communication and confidence early, but we weren't able to maintain that level across the entire match."

Despite the semifinal exit, Daley emphasized the team's growth and resilience throughout the season.

"We're incredibly proud of this group and how much they've improved," he added. "We'll look to build on this and continue competing at a high level as we move forward."

Blinn will have another opportunity to extend its season when it competes in a last-chance qualifier for the Collegiate Esports Commissioner's Cup (CECC) LAN event in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, April 18.

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