Tuesday saw MVP defeat an over aggressive Afreeca Freecs side to proceed into the first round of the 2017 LCK Spring split playoffs. A young roster, for many members of the MVP lineup playoffs are uncharted territories. MVP have performed far above anyone’s expectations and will look to cement themselves amongst the world’s finest. Awaiting MVP at the quarterfinals stands the Kt Rolsters. The opposite of MVP, Kt came into the split as the much hyped roster capable of challenging the dominant force that is SKT. However, despite a strong start to their split, back to back defeats in the telecom wars look to have shaken this Kt roster, suffering defeats to KongDoo Monster, Samsung Galaxy and of course, to MVP. Kt will be drawing on their squad of seasoned veterans to guide through to the semifinals.
Game 1
Winner: Kt Rolsters
MVP
Champion
Score
Position
Score
Champion
KTR
8-11-16
11-8-30
ADD
Nautilus
0-3-4
TOP
1-2-7
Rumble
Smeb
Beyond
Elise
2-2-3
JNG
1-2-8
Lee Sin
Score
Ian
Le Blanc
1-2-4
MID
5-2-3
Corki
PawN
MaHa
Ashe
4-3-2
ADC
3-1-5
Deft
Deft
Max
Lulu
1-1-3
SUP
1-1-7
Mata
Mata
We enter the rift for the beginning of the Spring 2017 gauntlet with a largely standard team composition on both sides, the exceptions being in the mid lane as PawN returns to Corki, a pick that had not seen much play since his nerfs a few months ago. Conversely, Le Blanc’s recent nerfs have dropped her from the perma-ban status as Ian picks her up. MVP would start the game on the right foot as Beyond’s early visit top picked them up first blood. It would only take Kt a further 3 minutes to commit to an over aggressive play as Score, PawN and Mata would all fall as they attempted to catch Beyond at his red. Although they did pick up the kill, MVP’s subsequent collapse gave the trade advantage to MVP.
MVP would use their advantage well, creating picks and dives deep into Kt’s territory as the veterans struggled to react as MVP pulled further and further ahead. However, Mata would be the instrument of Kt’s comeback as Malabar generated back to back picks, narrowing the gold gap and allowing Kt to halt their slide out of the game. MVP would try to strike back onto Smeb as Kt were once again too deep into MVP’s jungle. However, Kt’s superior team fight comp would annihilate MVP’s pick comp as Kt give up no one to pick up two of MVP’s lineup. Picking up their spoils in Baron, Kt began the siege of MVP’s base. MVP would attempt to fight back however, Kt would come out ahead in three out of three inhibitor fights as they claim the first nexus of the evening.
Game 2
Winner: Kt Rolster
KTR
Champion
Score
Position
Score
Champion
MVP
16-15-41
15-16-35
Smeb
Kennen
5-3-2
TOP
1-3-5
Sion
ADD
Score
Graves
3-3-11
JNG
3-5-10
Lee Sin
Beyond
PawN
Ryze
5-1-5
MID
2-2-6
Le Blanc
Ian
Deft
Deft
3-5-11
ADC
5-3-7
Ashe
MaHa
Mata
Zyra
0-3-12
SUP
4-3-7
Blitzcrank
Max
Game 2 would send shock waves all around the world as Max locked in the Blitzcrank. In his post game interview after defeating the Afreeca Freecs Max had previously joked that he would have picked Blitz over Thresh had he not had a dream on the bus that he would carry on Thresh. Little did we know, he wasn’t joking. The game would begin poorly for MVP as split focus and Score’s timely bot lane counter gank would give first blood to the Kt Rolsters. However, an early TP from Ian would punish Kt for over extending and bring the fight level. Blitzcrank would soon come to shine as Max and Maha turned around Deft and Mata’s attempt at picking off Ashe, hooking Deft out of auto range as MVP turn the gank around 1-0.
However, it would be a fight for the second infernal drake of the game that would put Kt back into the game as Score’s 4 man Kennen ult picked them up two kills as well as their second infernal of the day. MVP would bounce back with mid game pick and skirmish wins but Smeb responded in kind as he wins the split push war and solo kills Ian off at the bot lane. However, it was MVP who made the first error as they pulled the trigger too early on to Score. Not only were Kt quicker to collapse onto the fight, but MVP insisted on pressing the issue, losing three members as Score lived to secure the Baron.
Kt would soon find themselves pressuring the bottom inhibitor of the MVP base as Score spluit pushed the top inhibitor down. However an explosive fight for the mid inhibitor turret saw Max land clutch pull after clutch pull as the teams trade 3 for 3 and MVP live to fight another day. However, with 2 inhibitors down, Kt would make a second concerted effort for the mid inhibitor. Max falls early in the engagement and as MVP attempted to withdraw and regroup, Kt charged right in and increase their Nexus count to two.
Game 3
Winner: Kt Rolster
KTR
Champion
Score
Position
Score
Champion
MVP
11-11-26
11-11-22
Smeb
Camille
3-4-5
TOP
0-4-6
Poppy
ADD
Score
Elise
1-2-8
JNG
4-1-5
Graves
Beyond
PawN
Viktor
2-3-4
MID
3-2-4
Orianna
Ian
Deft
Ashe
4-1-2
ADC
2-0-3
Jhin
MaHa
Mata
Miss Fortune
1-1-7
SUP
2-4-4
Malzahar
Max
Once again MVP would mix things up with another blast from the past. Jhin had been out of favor since he received hefty nerfs and Blade of the Ruined King received incredible buffs. As Jhin does not include a BotRK in his traditional build path, this indirect nerf was more than enough to push him out of the tier one ADCs. Game 3 opened quietly, apparently, too quietly for Kt as Smeb would roam down to mid at level 5 to dive Ian’s Orianna. However, Kt overstepped, allowing Beyond time to reinforce Ian and pick up first blood.
A tightly fought contest, Kt would strike back with a successful bot lane dive onto Max before both teams traded 1 for 1 at the Infernal Drake. However, it would be MVP who would walk away with objective. As the game transitioned to the mid game, MVP would find their second infernal drake whilst Kt would have orchestrated a couple of picks onto the MVP side. The value of the Jhin pick would soon manifest as his incredible range would be instrumental in getting MVP the picks they needed to begin crawling the gold lead back. As MVP found a pick onto score at the 23 minute mark, they rapidly moved to take the Baron and find themselves, for what feels like the first time this series, as the siegers.
However, MVP managed little more with the buff than to create more picks onto Kt. That being said, they pulled the gold lead back in their favour. Kt would be the one to seize the initiative as they Spawn camp the baron and claim it for themselves. MVP arrive late to challenge for the big purple worm, but not too late to be caught by one of Kt’s vast arsenal of pick tools as MVP lose 3. A scene we have seen time and time again, a Baron enhanced Kt come knocking on MVP’s bottom lane. A pick onto Ian would ensure that MVP are unable to defend their mid and bot inhibitors. As such, both teams would rotate top to decide the fate of this game, and MVP held. Three inhibitors down, MVP retained their nexus and their semifinal hopes as they turn on to the elder dragon while Kt opts to pick up Baron. Once again Kt begin their push and an elder dragon enhanced MVP look for a final stand at their double nexus turrets. But it is 40 minutes in and a Baron enhanced Kt shred objectives. Kt annihilated the remainng towers and completed their 3-0 sweep of MVP.
MVP
My MVP for this series is Smeb. A commandeering presence in all three games, Smeb was a constant threat, whether that is in the split push or in a team fight. Always having the advantage on ADD, Smeb drew pressure and resources MVP could scarcely afford. This is exemplified in his best game of the night, game 2. MVP were forced to send Le Blanc down to deal with him on a side lane. It made little difference as she became another one of his victims. The fact that MVP were losing all across the rest of the map made Smeb’s game 2 contributions all that much more significant. Smeb also found a number of team fight winning ults on the Kennen, one of which won the game. Other significant contributions across the series included out dueling the MVP lineup on Camille and huge Rumble ults, often splitting the opposition and deleting their health bars.
After thoughts
So thus ends MVP’s first stint in the gauntlet. Credit to them, despite the 3-0 loss today, the series was a lot closer than the score would lead one to believe. MVP played a solid early game, capitalizing on Kt’s mistakes and were proactive in their movements, always seeking an advantage over their opponents. MVP can hold their heads up high as they prepare for the trials of the Summer and a drive for a ticket towards the world Championships.
As for Kt, despite being the better team today, there are perhaps not as many positives to draw for them. In part, this is due to the significantly higher expectations placed upon the Kt squad. They have fallen far from the clean, calculated and aggressive Kt that debuted early this split, this new look Kt seem to have a new Modus Operandi. Over aggressing to fall behind early, wait for a mistake and punish it with a quick and decisive Baron play. That being said, Kt know how to utilize the buff, often ending games ruthlessly and efficiently after obtaining the purple worm. Kt also possess some of the most mechanically gifted players in the world, and as such, if they can improve their macro game before their encounter with Samsung on Saturday, then we might very well see a repeat of the Telecom wars in the Grand Finals.
Remaining Schedule
Semifinals B05: Saturday 15th of April
Samsung Galaxy vs. Kt Rolsters
Grand Finals BO5: Saturday, 22nd of April
SK Telecom T1 vs. Winner of Semifinals
