Esports 9/30/2026 10:34:00 PM

No. 6 Blinn sweeps No. 22 Ball State in Collegiate Overwatch match

The Buccaneers defeated the Cardinals 3-0 the second round of Swiss Stage play

Esports 9/30/2026 10:34:00 PM

No. 6 Blinn sweeps No. 22 Ball State in Collegiate Overwatch match

The Buccaneers defeated the Cardinals 3-0 the second round of Swiss Stage play

The Blinn College esports team earned a 3-0 sweep over Ball State University in a best-of-five Collegiate Overwatch (COW) Swiss Stage match Tuesday.

The Buccaneers, ranked sixth in the nation by the Overwatch Collegiate Rankings Association, defeated the No. 22 Cardinals in their fall season debut.

Blinn improved to 2-0 in COW Swiss Stage play this season after being awarded a forfeit victory Sept. 24.

The COW Swiss Stage consists of eight rounds, with teams matched each week against opponents with identical win-loss records.

Competing for the Bucs were sophomore Donnivan Straight and freshmen Jose Soliz, Antony Luna, Dylan Wiley, and Salvador Castaneda.

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 Tuesday featured 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 selects the next map.
Escort: The attacking team moves a payload to its destination while defenders attempt to stop them. The payload advances when attackers are nearby, and the attackers must complete the route before time expires.
Hybrid: Teams capture a point and then escort a payload. Attackers must first secure the capture point before advancing 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 opponent wins, with the loser selecting the next map.
Flashpoint: Teams fight to control capture zones that rotate to new locations after each point is secured. The first team to capture three zones wins.

The series began on Samoa (Control), where Blinn dropped the opening point before rallying to win the map 2-1.

"We came out a little shaky," Blinn esports head coach and Overwatch manager Kyle Murto said. "We dropped the first point after playing far too reactively and never really took control of the game. Our team composition is built around setting the pace and forcing engagements, and we weren't doing that at all early on."

The Bucs responded with adjustments between rounds and won the next two points to take the map.

The second map, Aatlis (Flashpoint), again saw Blinn fall behind early before rallying to win 3-2 in overtime.

"Ball State came out in a composition that directly countered what we wanted to play, making it difficult for us to find our footing early," Murto said. "Credit to our players for adapting mid-map. After a few adjustments and some better coordination, we started to take control."

The Bucs secured the final point in overtime to take a 2-0 series lead.

Blinn closed out the sweep on Shambali Monastery (Escort), winning 2-1.

The Bucs began on defense and allowed Ball State to capture the first point before settling into a strong defensive hold. Blinn then built an early lead on offense before communication errors, and overly aggressive positioning slowed its progress.

"Just like the previous map, though, the team stepped up when it mattered most," Murto said. "We won a crucial overtime fight that ultimately secured the series win."

Murto said the victory was a strong start but acknowledged that the Bucs still have room to improve.

"Overall, I'm happy with the result, and a 3-0 win is always something to be proud of, but the series was much closer than it should have been," he said. "Ball State is a phenomenal team, and I fully expect them to climb the rankings as the season progresses."

Blinn entered the season ranked sixth nationally, the highest ranking in program history. Murto said the Bucs are still developing chemistry with several players adjusting to new roles.

"Tonight was a good start and a quality win, but more than anything it highlighted how much room we still have to improve," Murto said. "If we want to maintain our No. 6 national ranking, we'll need to clean up our communication, execute more consistently, and continue adapting every week."

Blinn continues its Overwatch season with an NJCAA Esports (NJCAAe) match against Onondaga Community College on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

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

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Players Mentioned

Dylan Wiley: Freshman; Overwatch

Donnivan Straight: Sophomore; Overwatch

Jose Soliz: Freshman; Overwatch

Salvador Castaneda: Freshman; Overwatch

Antony Luna: Freshman; Overwatch

Players Mentioned

Dylan Wiley
: Freshman; Overwatch

Donnivan Straight
: Sophomore; Overwatch

Jose Soliz
: Freshman; Overwatch

Salvador Castaneda
: Freshman; Overwatch

Antony Luna
: Freshman; Overwatch