LCS Summer 2019: TSM vs Clutch Quarterfinal Recap

Game One

The first game of the day certainly delivered on the hype for the series, as Clutch Gaming (“CG”) brought down Team SoloMid (“TSM”). It all started off at six minutes with a team fight in the middle lane. Here, Huni got First Blood but traded his life for it. TSM did strike back in the bottom lane though, as Zven killed Vulcan in the 2v2. But CG's next play got them quite far ahead, as they sent multiple members top to get a kill, the Herald and the First Tower bonus.

Moving into the mid-game, the teams traded towers to open up the map more. This benefitted CG more and helped them to find a team fight win at 19 minutes. With two opponents on respawn timer, CG took this chance to take the first Baron. TSM managed to lessen its impact by killing two members shortly after, but it didn't bother CG as they forced down the bottom Inhibitor. At 26 minutes, CG caught out and killed Broken Blade and went to take their second Baron, but at the last second Spica stole it away! It only saved the game temporarily though, because when CG grouped in the bottom lane, they engaged onto TSM and killed four. This opening was exactly what they needed to claim the first Nexus of the series.

QUICK STATS:

• Time: 30:03
• Kills: 5-12
• Turrets: 2-9
• Gold: 48.3k-57.2k
• Dragons: 1-3
• Barons: 1-1

Game Two

CG brought TSM to a very early match point with a win in Game Two. The early game was slower than the previous match, but TSM accumulated a gold lead this time. They did this first by winning a team fight at seven minutes, then with Spica ganking and killing Vulcan. TSM lost steam quickly though, as CG ramped up the pace by taking the Rift Herald and securing the First Tower bonus. Then, CG began to team fight, which was where they truly shined.

There were a series of them practically back-to-back, and CG won them all. The second one at 19 minutes resulted in CG Ace'ing TSM and obtaining the Baron Nashor buff. They started chipping away at TSM's base, winning two team fights to give them the time to destroy multiple towers, an Inhibitor and a Nexus Tower. CG probably could've won at this point, but decided to play it safe and wait for another fight. This fight came soon, and CG perfectly utilized their Rumble and Qiyana ultimates to kill four from TSM. With this, TSM could only watch as their second Nexus of the series exploded.

QUICK STATS:

• Time: 28:10
• Kills: 18-5
• Turrets: 8-2
• Gold: 53.4k-43.1k
• Dragons: 3-1
• Barons: 1-0

Game Three

TSM finally looked alive in Game Three and clawed back a victory for themselves. Their bottom lane was huge in this victory and they started off on a strong note by killing Vulcan for First Blood. But CG evened out this lead when they used the Rift Herald to take the First Tower bonus mid. As the teams traded some towers and objectives, the game was quite close around the 20-minute mark. But at 22 minutes, CG caught out Spica and started up the Baron, and it appeared that CG was going to roll this game too.

Zven wouldn't let that happen on his watch. He was massive in the team fight TSM started when they contested CG at Baron. He sliced through champion after champion, until all the CG ones were dead and he got a Pentakill. With this, TSM easily took the Baron too. At this point, there was little CG could do to stop TSM, and TSM proved it by diving and killing their members twice. As more towers fell, CG tried to make one last fight work but was Ace'd by their opponent. It was here that TSM claimed their first Nexus of this series.

QUICK STATS:

• Time: 31:35
• Kills: 18-8
• Turrets: 10-4
• Gold: 61.1k-53.9k
• Dragons: 2-2
• Barons: 1-0

Game Four

CG crushed TSM's hopes of post-season redemption with a devastating win in Game Four. TSM had all the tools to win and even had a lead early, but CG outplayed them in the later stages of the game to take the victory. First Blood came out for TSM at 11 minutes, but the fight went three-for-three overall. TSM gained a lead through a team fight at 13 minutes and another at 15. But CG was never really out of it, as they once again secured the First Tower bonus.

CG regained control of the game at 18 minutes though, as they Ace'd TSM in a team fight, took a tower and a Cloud Dragon. The two subsequent fights were quite close, with victories going both ways. Surprisingly, at 28 minutes CG rushed the Baron in darkness and took it for free. Empowered by the buff, they quickly brought down multiple towers and the middle Inhibitor. TSM stalled CG's siege out by killing two of them in a bottom lane fight, but CG struck back at 34 minutes. They engaged a massive fight where Huni and Cody Sun eviscerated TSM. Four from TSM lie dead and CG punched their ticket to Detroit by blasting TSM's Nexus.

QUICK STATS:

• Time: 35:00
• Kills: 18-17
• Turrets: 9-3
• Gold: 68.9k-60.1k
• Dragons: 4-1
• Barons: 1-0

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