KEENE, N.H. – Keene State Esports' five teams all qualified for national-level postseason play within the Playfly College Esports Spring 2025 season. With some first-round games having concluded and more to follow, two teams remain in their respective playoff races as of Tuesday, April 1st.
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.
Rocket League Varsity
Season record: 2-4
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)
Series Stats
Ryan "Dreamz" Morrison
1 Goals/0 Assists/ 9 Saves
Alex "normal" Nimiroski
6 Goals/3 Assists/ 8 Saves
Andrew "Aurorxs" Sorcinelli
3 Goals/ 3 Assists/ 14 Saves
The series, streamed on Playfly's official Twitch page, opened up with a close game that had both teams tied at one goal apiece for most of its duration. Ferris took a late lead with a goal at the 32 second mark to bring the first game to a 2-1 score, which would be the final score.
The second game was marked by increased scoring on both sides, but only in the final three minutes. After nearly two minutes of a stalemate, Andrew "Aurorxs" Sorcinelli drew first blood with a goal from an assist by Alex "normal" Nimiroski. The Owls and Bulldogs clawed back and forth, and in just a minute and a half from the first scored goal, the game was now 3-2 with one minute, 49 seconds remaining. Ferris tied the game off of a goal by "Sky" with 44 seconds left, and this 3-3 score would stay for the end of regulation, triggering sudden death overtime. After 26 seconds, Ferris's player CMPUlse8 scored the game-winning goal.
In game three, the pace slowed, and the Owls managed to take the contest, leading 2-0 with 2 minutes, 56 seconds remaining after goals by Ryan "Dreamz" Morrison and Normal. Ferris were only able to score one goal for the remainder of the game, and the Owls won 2-1, bringing the series to 2-1.
Games four and five were intensely close as well, both being decided by one goal. Game four saw Ferris won 3-2, and the Owls took game give 2-1, bringing the series to a game six, with Ferris in match point territory, commanding a 3-2 series lead. In game six, Ferris turned up their aggression and piled on points, winning the game 5-0, and winning the series 4-2, ending KSC Varsity Rocket League's season in the process.
What's next: With their season wrapped up, KSC Varsity Rocket League eyes the Fall 2025 season, slated to begin in August.
Rocket League Academy
Season record: 1-5
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 Quarterfinals (3/31) vs. Lethbridge Polytechnic
Series Stats
Eric "EricKamii" Carlo
2 Goal/2 Assists/ 9 Saves
Aidan "Maudlu" Law
1 Goals/1 Assists/ 9 Saves
Jack "Jackattack16000" Manning
5 Goals/2 Assists/ 14 Saves
The first game of the series was a battle of attrition, as both teams were unable to get the advantage early. Eric "EricKamii" Carlo broke the stalemate with a goal at the 2 minute, 31 mark off of an assist by Jack "Jackattack16000" Manning. Both teams wrestled for control afterwards, with the Kodiaks tying the game at one all off of a goal by GunnerCat82. The match ended regulation tied, and as such a sudden death overtime was needed. After nearly a full game's length of four minutes, 49 seconds, RedSoloPup from Lethbridge scored the game-winning goal giving Lethbridge the victory 2-1 in the first game and the 1-0 advantage of the best of seven series.
Game two was more of the same, as few goals were accomplished by both teams. Lethbridge opened with an early goal just 18 seconds into the game, and the 1-0 score held for the majority of game time, before scoring a second time with 36 seconds left in regulation. The 2-0 score would end up staying, giving the Kodiaks a 2-0 series lead.
Not to go down easily, the Owls fought back in game three, with Jackattack16000 scoring off of an assist from EricKamii just five seconds into the game. Lethbridge responded with a game-tyer at the 3:02 marker, and the Owls took the lead once again just 20 seconds later from another Jackattack16000 goal. Lethbridge would tie the game 2-2 with just 15 seconds left in regulation, leading to the second sudden-death overtime period of the series. This time, the Owls prevailed and Aidan "Maudlu" Law took the game with a goal after 39 seconds of overtime.
The series slowed down yet again in game four, with the only goal coming from Kodiaks player GunnerCat82 at the 3:14 mark. Lethbridge would take the fourth game 1-0 and entered match point territory with a 3-1 series lead.
With their backs against the wall, the Owls had a hard fought fifth game that started slow and picked up aggressively. Lethbridge led 1-0 for most of the game, before Jackattack16000 tied it up 1-1 with an unassisted goal with one minute, 23 seconds left. Manning was not done, as he scored once again just 10 seconds later off of a setup from EricKamii. With 11 seconds left, Jackattack16000 scored his third goal of the game, giving KSC a 3-1 lead. Lethbridge would score seconds later to bring the game within one goal, but it was too late as the Owls won 3-2, bringing the series itself to a 3-2 score.
The sixth game of the series would prove to be a challenge for Owls Academy Rocket, as the Kodiaks piled on several goals in the first half, leading 5-1 with one minute, 53 seconds left. This would prove to be the final score, with KSC's lone goal coming from EricKamii early on.
Lethbridge would take the series 4-2, knocking the Owls out of the playoff bracket.
What's next: KSC Rocket League Academy will return for the Fall 2025 season, slated to begin in August 2025.
VALORANT
Season record: 6-2
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
What's next: KSC VALORANT takes on Iona University in their playoff quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday, April 1st. The Owls and the Gaels last squared off in Week 2; a match that KSC won 2-0.
Overwatch 2
Season record: 6-1
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)
What's next: Finishing the regular season and with six victories in a row, KSC Overwatch enjoys a first round BYE and will await the winner of first round matchup Colorado College and Ferris State. KSC will play their semifinal matchup on Wednesday, April 9th.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Season record: 3-5
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)
Set 1 (7-0 loss)
KSC opened the night with Matthew "squidman" Silvestri as Mario, versus Tiffin's first player, who was Young Link. Both players kept up strong with one another, both taking away stocks. Young Link was able to secure the early match advantage by taking squidman's three stocks and only losing one themselves. Coming in next for the Owls was Tyler "Tadpole" Adkins as Chrom. Young Link made quick work of Tadpole, retaining their two stocks and fully eliminating Tadpole. With an 11-6 deficit, the Owls' next player was team captain Aidan "Sour" Zimmer as King K. Rool. Sour successfully took out Young Link, only losing one stock in the process. In response, TU sent out their next player as Incineroar. The two traded stocks, but Incineroar prevailed, keeping two of their stocks. Anchoring the first set for KSC was Brody "pytt" Freehling as Min Min. Pytt took down Incinceroar's second stock but lost all three of theirs, resulting in a set loss for KSC, by a score of 7-0.
Set 2 (6-0 loss)
For the second full set of the game, Keene State began with Tadpole as Chrom against TU's first player as King Dedede. TU's leadoff player kept a comfortable lead on Tadpole throughout the first game, three-stocking Tadpole and securing a 12-9 lead for TU. In response, Keene State's next player, pytt, entered as Min Min. With a three stock deficit, pytt attempted to offset the initial advantage TU built. Both players utilized their range and were at a bit of a standstill until pytt took away Dedede's first stock after almost three minutes of game time. The war of attrition continued, and the next stock lost occurred with three minutes, 27 seconds remaining as Dedede took pytt's first stock. Tied 2-2 but with a significant health advantage for pytt, they took Dedede's second stock a minute later. With 131% damage taken, pytt managed to take Dedede's third stock away while retaining two of theirs, bringing the series score to 9-8 lead for TU.
Tiffin brought in Incineroar as their second player again, against pytt's Min Min. Pytt worked Incineroar up to 130%, but was spiked off the stage, leaving them with one stock left. Incineroar kept up the pace, and quickly took pytt's third and final stock, winning the match and giving TU a 9-6 stock lead going into KSC's third player, squidman. Squidman, as Mario, took away one of Incineroar's stocks and got them up to as high as 190% damage, but Incineroar held on and finished up all of squidman's stocks, giving Tiffin a 8-3 lead giving KSC captain Sour the reigns to try to complete a comeback as King K. Rool.
Both heavyweight characters traded big blows, and Incineroar came out on top to begin, taking Sour's stock about one and a half minutes into the match. Sour responded in kind, however, and took Incinceroar's second stock a minute later, and Incineroar answered 15 seconds later by taking Sour's second stock. With just over five minutes left to go, and tied one stock each, Incineroar finished Sour's final stock and took the win for Tiffin, ending KSC Smash Bros' season.
What's next: KSC Smash Bros' Spring season has concluded, and will resume competition in August 2025.
Follow KSC_Esports on social media for more updates!
