Huskies Esports VALORANT team on a quest for NACE playoff domination
The Keyano Huskies Esports VALORANT team are set to take on the University of Wisconsin - Stout Blue Devils next Wednesday in the NACE Starleague Grand Finals. This is the first time in program history that the Huskies VALORANT team have been Championship contenders, and only the second time that a Huskies Esports roster has progressed to a Grand Finals match.
“It’s a huge deal,” says Ty Savostianik, team captain and main duelist for the Huskies VALORANT team. “We’re only a second year program. Winning a championship for Keyano will help put us and Fort McMurray on the map.”
There is a lot at stake during the Huskies’ rematch against the Blue Devils. Both teams faced off at the end of the regular season, each sporting a flawless 5-0 record. The Huskies fell short to the Blue Devils during their first encounter, receiving their first loss of the NACE Starleague season. A chance to rematch the Blue Devils isn’t just about a season championship – it’s about pride.
“We’re not nervous, we’re excited,” asserts Savostianik. “We know they’re a good team, but we’re confident.”
Savostianik returns to the Huskies as one of the program’s only veteran players. He says that playing with the team this year has been a totally new experience. “We’re starting to get respect from others. [Last season], we felt like we had something to prove. Now, people recognize us and remember who we are.”
The Huskies move on to Wednesday’s match against the Blue Devils after an exhilarating Best-of-3 series against the University of Alaska - Fairbanks Nanooks this past week. After a tight loss on the first map, Lotus (10-13), the Huskies delivered swift defeats to their opponents on Pearl (13-3) and Haven (13-7).
“It’s been great watching the team grow and evolve this year,” says Head Coach, Shadi Hanna. The Huskies VALORANT team trains regularly in a variety of drills, exercises and scrimmage scenarios to prepare themselves for their league matches. Practice sessions are intense, and often span several hours as the teams participate in strategic planning sessions, custom drills, gameplay review and more. “They’ve put in a ton of work and are starting to reap the rewards of their efforts.”
The Huskies plan to approach their Grand Finals match with a clear conscience. “Whenever we play our game, there aren’t too many teams that are going to be able to beat us, or even compete with us,” says Savostianik. “We’re just super pumped. Hopefully, we’ll be able to bring home Keyano’s first esports championship!”
VALORANT is a 5v5 tactical shooter where teams of specialized agents take turns attacking and defending a site on a variety of different map types. The goal of each round is for the attackers to successfully plant and defend a Spike from their opponents, while their opponents aim to protect their site from the aggressors. A round ends once one team has either completely eliminated the opposing team, or time runs out. The first team to successfully claim 13 round victories wins.
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