It is the first David vs Goliath match-up of the season. Coming from a high momentum brought by their win in yesterday’s game, the young squad of ONIC-PH looks to continue their winning streak as they go up against the lauded super team of last season’s MPL-PH. Will ECHO loud continue being ECHO proud or will the rookie-laden team of ONIC-PH show everyone that players from the amateur team can confidently compete against professional players?

It was a bold draft coming from ECHO—prioritizing the Julian pick over the open Valentina and Faramis, both were taken by Der and SUPER FRINCE of the opposing team. This ensured that the early game went in their favor, armed with Sensui’s Thamuz farming in the jungle, they took control of the game before the 8-minute mark. However, the vision given by Yawi’s Natalia, coupled with KarlTzy’s perfect casting of the retribution in Julian and Sanford’s precise casting of the Falling Star Moon in Esmeralda. All of these, topped with the humongous damage coming from Sanji’s Xavier and Bennyqt’s Claude in the backline, ECHO showed that they have a plan in mind. 

The super team shows just why they are deemed as such as they take Game #1 over ONIC-PH.

TOTAL MENTAL RESET. ONIC-PH was left unfazed despite their Game #1 loss. Looking to avenge and prove themselves, this game was a measure of each team’s patience and precise casting of skills. The debut of KarlTzy’s XBorg was rendered useless as Nets’ Claude easily tears down its firaga armor. Meanwhile, SUPER FRINCE’s Valentina’s perfect timing in casting the copied Cult Altar of Sanji’s Faramis has been proven to be effective for their team. Because of this, endless skirmishes and team fights were aggressively initiated by the newcomers. In fact, 16 minutes into the match, there was an 11.5k gold lead in favor of their team. 

ONIC-PH proves that they will not back down without a fight as they extend the series, 1-1.

COMPOSURE. ONIC-PH was in total control of the match from the early to mid-game. With Sensui’s Akai masterfully outretributioning KarlTzy’s Benedetta, they were sure to assert their dominance against the super team. It is only after the 12th-minute mark that ECHO was able to regain their control of the game—all because of Bennyqt’s Wanwan’s triple kill against the rookie team. Taking advantage of the newfound lead, the rest of the ECHO squad brandished a regained sense of confidence, tearing anything that stands against its path. In the final lord clash, it was the exquisite casting of the Real World Manipulation from Sanji’s Yve that ensured his team acquired the lord. From here, it was as if ECHO has secured their win as the lord marches against the young guns of ONIC-PH, leaving them helpless as the veterans break their turrets down, one by one.

It is experience and composure that triumphs as Goliath stands over David in ECHO’s siege against ONIC-PH. ECHO breaks the tie, 2-1, and the series.

GAME 1 (18:41) - ECHO 13 (W); ONIC 8 (L)

GAME 2 (18:16) - ECHO 5 (L); ONIC 13 (W)

GAME 3 (18:16) - ECHO 17 (W); ONIC 12 (L)

GAME MVPs: