For the first time is program history, the Cottey esports team is heading to the Finals of NACE competition. The Valorant team has posted a perfect record throughout the regular season, and just secured their spot in the Finals with a dominating 2-0 victory over LSU-Shreveport.
Valorant has many similarities in structure to other more well known games out there, but the best way to put it, is to imagine it is part basketball, part capture the flag, and partly shooting. Teams of five attempt to either attack and plant the "spike" (or flag if you will), while the other team defends. There are many unique characters with varying abilities, but like positions on a basketball team, they each play a unique role. The match is a best 2 out of 3 games setup, with each game being a first to 13 (win by 2) goal. There are varying maps with different setups, so knowing every piece of the game is important. Each team will play the first 12 rounds on either offense or defense, and then switch, so determining whether to attack or defend first is a crucial decision before the game begins.
The Comets came out firing on all cylinders in Game 1, choosing the map Ascent and getting on Attack first. It was all Cottey from the first seconds, as they cruised to a 13-0 victory. Junior Lucy Liu led the way with 21 kills, while Freshman Gibsun Harkins had 8 assists. Freshman Ella Carlin was crucial in getting 9 plants of the spike down in the attacking half. Everything went almost perfectly according to plan, and the 13-0 sweep put the Comets ahead 1-0 in the Match.
Game 2 was on the map Split, picked by LSU-Shreveport. The Comets once again started on the Attacking side. While it was a little closer score, the Comets were still in firm control the entire game and pulled out a 13-3 victory. Gibsun Harkins led the way with 23 kills, while Sophomore Amya Corulla was just behind with 19 kills of her own. Junior Ella Sapinoso was the leader in assists in game 2, putting up 10 assists. Ella Carlin once again led the count in plants of the spike, putting it down 7 times. Sophmore Kuiper Naefe was a valuable utility player in both games, putting up 14 assists between the two games to go along with 17 total kills.
The Comets will meet a familar foe in the Championship of the NACE East 10 Conference in the Simpson College Storm. Cottey had the upper hand early in the semester, winning 2-0 (13-11, 13-6). But the gap closed when Cottey traveled north to Iowa in Simpson's home arena, with the Storm winning a game before the Comets pulled out the 2-1 victory (13-2, 10-13, 13-4). The Finals are set to be a great matchup between the two teams.
Fans can tune into the Finals on Wednesday, December 6th at 6pm on twitch.tv/cotteyesports
