TOPSports’ good run continues with a sweep of last place team LGD and Team WE defeats longtime rivals EDward Gaming for its first win of the 2019 LPL spring split
The second day of the 2019 LPL spring split’s third week saw TOPSports carry over its good form with another victory, this time over the still winless LGD Gaming. TOP has won three straight series following a loss to Invictus Gaming at the season opener. The second match of the day featured LPL mainstays Team WE and EDward Gaming. WE won a dragged-out first game, the longest one of the split so far, and followed that with a dominant game 2 performance to sweep EDG. This marked WE’s first win of the split as well as a maiden victory for Gao “WeiXiao” Xue-Cheng as the team’s head coach.
TOP vs LGD
Game 1
Jungler Xiong “Xx” Yu-Long (Xin Zhao) had an aggressive early game to make use of his pick. His first gank wasn’t even necessary, however, as Lee “LokeN” Dong-wook (Lucian) and Nam “Ben” Dong-hyun (Gragas) won a trade as the AD carry secured the first kill on Liang “RD” Teng-Li (Fiddlesticks). The bottom lane duo also secured the first turret as LGD willingly traded it for the Rift Herald.
TOP relied on its composition’s early power spike to force fights, winning the trades and turning them into objectives, quickly opening a solid lead of five turrets to one. Less than 25 minutes in, TOPSports had already opened an inhibitor. As LGD put up a solid defense, TOP opened the mid lane inhibitor and went the safe route by securing the Baron buff. With an ace inside LGD’s base, TOPSports went for the Nexus to end the first game.
Game 2
In a repeat of the first game, Xx (Kayn) made the bottom lane his first target. LGD tried to spring a surprise with a support Veigar pick, but the lack of a reliable disengage left Ha “Kramer” Jong-hun (Kai’Sa) by himself as Xx secured the first kill. LGD managed to rush the first turret.
TOP dominated the game with plenty of kills but took a risky decision with a Baron attempt 30 minutes in with its members low on health. LGD showed up to contest the call and forced TOPSports to back off as Xiang “Condi” Ren-Jie (Sejuani) stole the objective.
It didn’t do much in the end. TOP simply pushed LGD back and scored an ace just as the buff expired. With LGD’s base completely exposed, TOPSports ended the game to close out the series.
EDG vs WE
Game 1
WE got off to a great start with a top lane gank Zhou “Magic” Jun-Xuan (Gragas). EDG lost the timing for the counter-gank and as a result Kim “Poss” Min-cheol (Irelia) secured a double kill. At the 11 minute mark, the team won a big teamfight around the top side of the map to score a clean ace, taking down the turret as well.
More importantly, WE’s resources were funneled to AD carry Jin “Mystic” Seong-jun (Vayne). As another big teamfight happened at the 30 minute mark, Mystic continued to hit from the backline as he and Poss scored an ace for WE. Despite being the only ones still alive, the two carries had enough damage to secure the Baron buff.
The first powerplay wasn’t particularly effective as all WE managed to do was set the waves in its favor. WE sneaked into the pit to secure the second buff as an unsuspecting EDG realizes it too late to contest. Things went a bit better for WE this time, but a key pickoff on Poss in the bottom lane halted the team’s progress.
EDG Important Push
With both the Elder dragon and the Baron spawning at the same time, WE and EDg decided to trade objectives. EDward Gaming secured the drake while WE went for the Baron buff. EDG did a better job with the three lanes pushing in and set up the siege on WE’s base, taking down the mid lane inhibitor.
Even as EDG had the Elder dragon true damage buff, WE went for another fight. A brilliant play by Mystic, free-hitting from the flank with some amazing positioning skills soon turned the fight heavily in his team’s favor. As EDward Gaming simply could not stand the power of a late game hypercarry, WE scored the decisive ace with a quadra kill from Mystic and went straight towards EDG’s base, ending the longest game of the split in 49 minutes.
Game 2
EDG’s bottom lane pushed WE back and support Tian “Meiko” Ye (Fiddlesticks) roamed to the mid lane to help Lee “Scout” Ye-chan (Aatrox) win a trade against Su “xiye” Han-Wei (Jayce). Meiko walked away with the kill. WE however did a better job during the fights while also managing the minion waves better than in game 1.
At the 22 minute mark, WE used it to their favor and sneaked in a Baron execution. EDG never made it in time to contest. As WE pushed in, the team won a teamfight off an EDG engage and secured four kills, with Ben (Thresh) and Poss being the only losses for Team WE. Meiko still tried to defend his base before getting bursted down almost instantaneously, completing the ace. With no players left on EDward Gaming’s side, WE ended the game to complete the sweep and scored the team’s first win of the 2019 LPL spring split.
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