KEENE, N.H. – Still looking for their first win in program history, the Keene State College Overwatch 2 esports team took on the University of Missouri Kansas City on Tuesday night. The Kangaroos bested the Owls and won the series 3-1, but KSC showed promise for the future, as they had won a game for the second consecutive week, after not winning any in their first two contests.
Records
- Keene State: 0-4
- UMKC: 4-0
How it Happened
Game one was Control on Nepal and UMKC easily took the first point in the best of three round, as they tallied 15 eliminations on their way to holding off a last second push from the Owls, to secure the opening objective. The Kangaroos also secured the second point first, but the Owls stopped them at 29% and secured the point, thanks to four eliminations from Midas. UMKC regained the objective shortly after as KSC only reached 20% of the objective. The Kangaroos held on to the objective for the rest of the requirement, due to a handful of eliminations, including a team kill on KSC, giving UMKC the game one win, 2-0, and the series lead, 1-0.
UMKC started off game two, Hybrid on King's Row, on fire, as they prevented the Owls from capturing the first point when the Owls started off on the attack; the Kangaroos only allowed KSC to secure two-thirds of the opening objective and kept the Owls attacking side extremely limited. On the Kangaroos' turn on the attack, all they needed to do to pick up the round win would be secure the initial objective, since KSC was unable to do so, and they easily did so in 1:39, giving UMKC the 2-0 series lead.
Game three was Flashpoint on New Junk City, as the teams raced to be the first to capture three of the five objectives for the round win. KSC secured the opening point, as they tried to beat UMKC to 100% on the objective, but the Kangaroos tallied four eliminations to halt the Owls at 51% of securing the objective. UMKC tallied five more eliminations on their way to securing the opening objective in the best of five game mode, as they held off a late push from KSC. UMKC hopped on the second objective first and reached 29% before KSC was able to start to secure the point, themself. The Kangaroos tallied three eliminations as they stopped KSC at 52% of securing the point, as they regained control of it. UMKC reached 99% but the Owls were able to stop them, as Hoodnut and Midas each picked up a pair of elimination, and Sweptfive logged the other as the Owls came back and 100% secured the second objective; Hoodnut recorded three eliminations and Shadowstorm tallied a pair as the Owls held off the Kangaroos to tie the round up at one apiece. UMKC started to secure the third point, but only reached 58% until KSC swooped in to begin to secure the objective, as Shadowstorm eliminated three members of UMKC and Hoodnut used their ultimate ability on another, as the Owls started to secure the objective. KSC ended up capturing the third objective as Midas used their ultimate for two eliminations and Hoodnut and Tut each tallied a pair of eliminations, as well, bringing the round score to 2-1 for the Owls. UMKC tried to force a fifth objective by securing the fourth objective before the Owls could, but they only reached 61%, as Hoodnut eliminated a pair from the objective, along with one elimination from Shadowstorm. The Owls reached 99% on the fourth objective, but they were unable to hold the Kangaroos off, as UMKC eliminated the Owls that were holding the point, and secured it by holding off the Owls' attack, resulting in the round going to two apiece, as whoever would capture the next objective to 100%, would take game three. UMKC looked to secure the series sweep by controlling the fifth objective first, but Sweptfive eliminated two defenders, while Tut got another, to halt the Kangaroos at 36% of the final objective. The Owls were able to hold off two attacks from the Kangaroos and secure the point, thanks to a pair of ultimate ability eliminations from Hoodnut, and one from Tut, a pair of eliminations from each Midas and Shadowstorm, and three crucial eliminations at the very end of the round to prevent UMKC attackers by Tut, gave KSC the 3-2 round win, making the series 2-1 for UMKC.
Game four was a Push map on Esperança, as both teams tried to "push", or guide the objective as far as possible into their zone. UMKC nearly reached the end of the objective, by reaching 139.91m before the Owls halted their push with Tut recording two eliminations, along with two ultimate eliminations from Hoodnut and one non-ultimate elimination, and another elimination from each Sweptfive to stop the objective on the doorsteps of the Kangaroos earning the win. KSC was able to get the objective back to the middle of the map, but UMKC regained control and guided the objective all the way back to the end point and gave the Kangaroos the game four win and 3-1 series win over the Owls.
Up Next
Keene State's next contest for Overwatch 2 will come against William Peace University on Tuesday, March 5, at 8:15 PM
The next esports contest for the Owls will come against Stony Brook University as the KSC Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team is still looking for the first win in program history, on Thursday, February 29, at 7:00 PM
