KEENE, N.H. – Keene State Esports' VALORANT and Overwatch 2 teams competed in their respective Playfly College Esports divisional semifinals last week, with VALORANT falling in a close series, and Overwatch 2 advancing to their second championship game in a row, dating back to their undefeated season in Fall 2024.
 
Keene State Esports is a Varsity member of Playfly College Esports, one of the largest governing bodies of collegiate esports competition in the world. Playfly sanctions competitions from colleges and universities across the country, awarding scholarship money and hardware to successful teams each season (Fall and Spring). KSC Esports teams compete in a regular season schedule and a playoff bracket, if teams qualify. 

All KSC Esports games are streamed on Twitch, at twitch.tv/KeeneStateEsports and twitch.tv/KeeneStateEsports2, as well as KSC Athletics' official YouTube page youtube.com/@keenestateowls1909.
 
 
VALORANT
Regular Season Record: 6-2 / Playoff Record: 1-1
Game 1: vs. Coffeyville Community College (2-0 victory)
Game 2: vs. Iona University (2-0 victory)
Game 3: vs. Neumont College of Computer Science (2-1 Victory)
Game 4: vs. DePaul Academy Black (2-0 loss)
Game 5: vs. RIT Academy Red (2-1 victory)
Game 6: vs. RIT Academy Yellow (2-0 victory, RIT forfeit)
Game 7: vs. DePaul Academy White (2-0 loss)
Game 8: vs. North Central University (2-0) victory
 
Playoff Quarterfinal vs. Iona University (4/1) 2-0 victory
Playoff Semifinal vs. DePaul Academy Black (4/8) 2-1 loss
 
How it happened:
 
Map 1: Split (15-13 victory)
 
In one of the most hotly contested maps of their entire season KSC Valorant opened up their quarterfinal matchup vs. DePaul Academy Black on Split. The Owls took very early momentum, with a 9-3 lead in the first 12 rounds on attack. However, when DPU took the attack in the second half, they showed equally dominant control of the map. The Owls were only able to take 3 rounds out of the following 12 rounds, bringing the map to a 12-12 overtime period. In overtime, the Owls took the first round and the Demons answered right back to move to a 13-13 score. With the winner needing to win by 2 rounds, the Owls took rounds 27 and 28 to win the over one hour long game and take a 1-0 series lead in the best of three series.
 
 
Map 1 Stats
Thomas "Chumbladorfian" Czwakiel as Raze
20 KIlls/23 Deaths/6 Assists
Hailey "HMeesh" Michaud as Omen
21 Kills/23 Deaths/11 Assists
Jeremy "yerrei" Giguere as Fade
38 Kills/20 Deaths/9 Assists
Ysaiah "YsaHolmes" Arezzo as Cypher
10 Kills/20 Deaths/8 Assists
Nathan "ShotgunUser" Ruangturakid as Breach 
11 Kills/22 Deaths/15 Assists
 
Map 2: Icebox (13-5 loss)
The second map, Icebox, would be the most lopsided of the series. The Demons took early control of this map, with an 8-4 round lead after the first half. In the second half, the Owls only won one round, and subsequently lost the map 13-5, to send the matchup into a tiebreaking third map to decide the series.
 
Map 2 Stats
Thomas "Chumbladorfian" Czwakiel as Reyna
10 KIlls/16 Deaths/1 Assist
Hailey "HMeesh" Michaud as Viper
11 Kills/16 Deaths/1 Assist
Jeremy "yerrei" Giguere as Chamber
12 Kills/16 Deaths/3 Assists
Sheldom "redblast" Vasquez as Sage
5 Kills/16 Deaths/5 Assists
Nathan "ShotgunUser" Ruangturakid as Sova
7 Kills/19 Deaths/5 Assists
 

Map 3: Pearl (13-10 loss)
Pearl, like the first map Split, was hotly contested with both teams trading momentum. In the first half, the Demons had a close 7-5 lead. In the second half, the Owls took 5 out of 7 rounds between rounds 15 and 21, but it would not be enough as the Demons won the four out of the final 5 rounds to send the Owls home in their playoff run with a 2-1 series lead.
 
Map 3 Stats
 
Thomas "Chumbladorfian" Czwakiel as Jett
23 KIlls/18 Deaths/4 Assists
Hailey "HMeesh" Michaud as Astra
17 Kills/15 Deaths/10 Assists
Jeremy "yerrei" Giguere as Sova
20 Kills/14 Deaths/11 Assists
Sheldom "redblast" Vasquez as Sage
11 Kills/19 Deaths/7 Assists
Nathan "ShotgunUser" Ruangturakid as Breach
8 Kills/17 Deaths/19 Assists
 
What's next: KSC VALORANT competes in a match versus RIT Academy Red on Tuesday, April 22nd at 8:30 PM EST - this match will decide third and fourth place finishes for the season.
 
Overwatch 2
Regular Season Record: 6-1 / Playoff Record: 1-0
 
Game 1: vs. RIT White (3-0 loss)
Game 2: vs. California State Dominguez Hills (3-0 victory, CSUDH forfeit)
Game 3: vs. DePaul JV Blue (3-1 victory)
Game 4: vs. St. John's University (3-2 victory)
Game 5: vs. Ferris State Gold (3-0 victory)
Game 6: vs. Colorado College (3-2 victory)
Game 7: vs. Lewis University (3-0 victory)
 
Playoff Quarterfinal - BYE 
Playoff Semifinal vs. Colorado College (4/9) 3-0 victory
How it happened:
 
Map 1: Ilios (2-0 victory)
Being the higher seed in this playoff matchup, the Owls were given the opportunity to select the first map of the series, opting for team favorite Ilios. The Owls made quick work of CC, winning the first point 100%-0%. CC fought back on the second point however, securing it first and taking an early 32%-0% lead. The Owls would wrest control back and not give it up again, winning point two 100%-32% and winning the Ilios 2-0, taking a 1-0 series lead. 

Play of the game went to KSC Tank Shea "Hotpocket" Castriotta as Roadhog.
 
Map 1 Stats
Shea "Hotpocket" Castriotta as Roadhog
27 Eliminations/6 Assists/0 Deaths
Connor "HoodNut" Malone as Venture
26 Eliminations/8 Assists/2 Deaths
Eli "Goofymcgoob" Volpini as Tracer
29 Eliminations/0 Assists/1 Death
Korben "ShadowStorm" Robinson as Kiriko
18 Eliminations/21 Assists/0 Deaths
Jackson "Crimgo" Holderby as Lucio
13 Eliminations/19 Assists/2 Deaths
 
Map 2: Kings Row (2-1 victory)
Having lost Map 1, the Tigers were able to select the second map, Kings Row.
 
Starting on defense, the Owls were tasked with fending off repeated attempts by CC to capture the initial control point on Kings Row. The Owls succeeded in nearly full-holding CC, until a final scrappy team fight allowed the Tigers to win out and capture in an overtime period, thus beginning the process of escorting a payload across the map. The Owls maintained a strong defense and stopped CC's payload escort 87.47 meters past the first point; meaning that KSC needed to capture the initial control point and move the payload 87.48 meters before time expired.

On attack, the Owls only needed two teamfights to capture the control point, doing so with 2 minutes, 25 seconds remaining. Thus, the Owls had nearly five minutes of time to move the payload enough to win the map. After 2 minutes and 27 seconds, the Owls achieved the 87.48 meters of payload progress needed to win the map, taking a 2-0 series lead.
 
Map 2 Stats
Matthew "Midas" Bonner as Mauga
27 Eliminations/12 Assists/5 Deaths
Connor "HoodNut" Malone as Venture
32 Eliminations/1 Assist/3 Deaths
Catch "TuT" Foss as Sojourn
40 Eliminations/0 Assists/2 Deaths
Korben "ShadowStorm" Robinson as Ana
13 Eliminations/15 Assists/5 Deaths
Jackson "Crimgo" Holderby as Kiriko
22 Eliminations/27 Assists/3 Deaths
 
Play of the game went to Matthew "Midas" Bonner as Mauga.
 
Map 3: New Junk City (3-1 victory)
 
The Tigers were allowed to select the third map for the Flashpoint game mode, and chose New Junk City. 
 
On point one, both teams traded control of the Flashpoint back and forth, but the Owls were able to capture 100% of the point first, taking it 100%-71%. Point two had the Owls taking an initial 71%-25% lead before losing control to the Tigers. A few fights ensued that the Tigers came out on top of, leading to them capturing the second point and tying the map 1-1.

Point three was similar to the first; both teams engaged in a tug of war for control with Colorado College stalling KSC's capture for over 20 seconds. CC captured the point first and squeezed control all the way to 94%-0%, despite the Owls having a numbers advantage for most of the point. Once the Owls took over the point, they would generate 79% of progress before CC retook the point in the middle of a teamfight. KSC would clean up CC on this point, retake control and took point three 100%-99%. 
 
On point four, the Owls took control first, getting to 57% progress before the Tigers took it for themselves and generated 51% progress. At that point, KSC retook control and held it until the end of the game, securing 100% of the fourth point and winning the map 3-1 and the series 3-0.
 
Play of the game was awarded to KSC's Connor "HoodNut" Malone.
 
Map 3 Stats
Matthew "Midas" Bonner as Zarya
36 Eliminations/10 Assists/8 Deaths
Connor "HoodNut" Malone as Venture
40 Eliminations/7 Assists/6 Deaths
Catch "TuT" Foss as Sojourn
36 Eliminations/7 Assists/7 Deaths
Korben "ShadowStorm" Robinson as Moira
36 Eliminations/32 Assists/6 Deaths
Jackson "Crimgo" Holderby as Lucio
31 Eliminations/29 Assists/3 Deaths
 
What's next: KSC Overwatch (#2) will take on RIT White (#1) in the Playfly College Esports Varsity Plus 2 Championship game on Wednesday, April 23rd (time TBD).
 
 
Rocket League Varsity 
Regular Season record: 2-4 / Playoff Record: 0-1
Game 1: vs. Rowan University (3-1 victory)
Game 2: vs. Robert Morris University (3-2 loss)
Week 3: vs. Clarke University (3-0 victory)
Game 4: vs. Stony Brook University (3-2 loss)
Game 5: vs. Fisher College (3-1 loss)
Game 6: vs. RIT Orange (3-1 loss)
 
Playoff Quarterfinals (3/24) vs. Ferris State Crimson (4-2 loss)
 
Rocket League Academy
Regular Season record: 1-5 / Playoff Record: 0-1
Game 1: vs. RIT Black (3-0 loss)
Game 2: vs. RIT Gray (3-1 loss)
Game 3: vs. Neumont College of Computer Science (3-1 victory)
Game 4: vs. DePaul JV Red (3-0 loss)
Game 5: vs. UNC Pembroke (3-0 loss)
Game 6: vs. Lethbridge Polytechnic (3-2 loss)
 
Playoff Quarterfinal (3/31) vs. Lethbridge Polytechnic (4-2 loss)
 
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Regular Season Record: 3-5 / Playoff Record: 0-1
Game 1: vs. St. John's University (2-0 victory, SJU forfeit)
Game 2: vs. Iona University (2-0 loss)
Game 3: vs. Stony Brook University (2-0 loss)
Game 4: vs. SUNY Farmingdale State College (2-0 victory, FSC forfeit)
Game 5: vs. Stony Brook University (2-0 loss)
Game 6: vs. St. John's University (1-2 loss)
Game 7: vs. Iona University (2-0 victory, Iona forfeit)
Game 8: vs. SUNY Farmingdale State College (2-0 loss)
 
Playoff Quarterfinals (3/31) vs. Tiffin University (2-0 loss)
 
Follow KSC_Esports on social media for more updates!