Sangamon Sun

The Illinois College Esports team has advanced to the championship weekend of the Midwest Esports Conference (MEC) after a series of matches that saw them move through the consolation bracket. Initially, the team faced a setback with a loss to Grand View University but rebounded by defeating Drury University and Briarcliff College.

In their first game against Grand View University, Illinois College struggled as "Prankuru" from Grand View disrupted their strategy early on. The game ended before 25 minutes with a significant lead for Grand View. In the second game, despite a closer contest and a strong performance in an early team fight, Illinois College was unable to secure victory as "Mark Gonzales" from Grand View achieved a pentakill.

The match against Drury University was intense, with Illinois College having mixed results during the season against this opponent. In the first game, Kevin "Sagewabe" Tran and Tristan "Loneforce" Fissette led Illinois College to victory with significant plays. However, Drury adapted in the second game and managed to win using a strategic approach. The decisive third game saw Illinois College make aggressive plays leading to their win after 48 minutes.

Facing Briarcliff College in the next round was another challenge for Illinois College as they had lost previous encounters during the season. In this crucial match, Illinois College overcame Briarcliff's initial advantage with strategic draft adjustments and key performances from players like Peter "255" Foreman and Carlos "Usopp" Cortes. A pivotal Baron fight shifted momentum in favor of Illinois College in Game 3, allowing them to secure their spot in the final four of the conference.

Illinois College will now face off against the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in hopes of continuing their pursuit of the MEC title.