Na`Vi brough the aggression in two quick games against Team Empire, forcing fights all over the map and being agents of chaos as they dismantled the young Russian squad on stage at Kiev's CyberArena. Empire will exit the competition in third place and take home $3,000 for their efforts during the StarLadder Star Series Season VII, while Na`Vi keep their hope of renewing their championship title alive.
The Grand Finals will be played tomorrow, Sunday the 13th of October at 18:30 CEST, with the reigning champions Alliance defending their claim against former champions Na`Vi as they duke it out for the first prize of $12,000.
Match report
Game one
Na`Vi got off to a good start as the Viper was overextended as Chen came in for a gank on the middle lane, and while he was unable to get the Centaur Stomp to connect, the Chen and Outworld Devourer were able to chase the Viper down for the first blood at 2 minutes in.
As mid was lost for Empire, Puppey changed his focus to the top lane, coming in for another gank with his Chen and helping give Funn1k's Windrunner the advantage on the top lane as well, leaving only Silent's Troll Warlord as a concern for Na`Vi, as he had been demolishing the bottom lane along with Empire's offensive trilane, leading the game in terms of net worth while the Lifestealer had been getting next to nothing.
At seven minutes both teams converged at mid lane, as Na`Vi ganked the Viper once more causing Empire to rotate their whole team in, finding a kill on the Rubick before having to back off, with Na`Vi still ahead 3-1 in terms of kills.
Both teams kept on clashing but the strong defensive abilities of Chen and Abaddon each kept the kill count low, which caused issues for Empire who were clearly trying harder to find kills, while Na`Vi were content putting pressure on towers and splitting up the map, allowing XBOCT on the Lifestealer to get back into the game with his Hand of Midas.
At 16 minutes Na`Vi pushed the Tier 2 Tower at the bottom lane, leading into a huge clash which after an initial trade of supports turned sour for Empire, with Na`Vi dealing perhaps the most crucial blow of the game as they took the fight 5-1 and went up 10-3 in kills, taking command of the pace of the game.
Over the next few minutes Na`Vi went full out in terms of aggression, with all three Radiant cores throwing themselves into the opposing line, finding kills all over the map while Empire scrambled to gather enough firepower in one place in order to get a few counter kills. Finally at 22 minutes Na`Vi were happy to let up long enough to pick up an Aegis for Dendi, before returning to killing off the Nature's Prophet at mid lane and then going high ground at the bottom lane, diving into the base for kills.
As Na`Vi backed off and gathered up at mid lane, they finally took the first set of Barracks of the game 23 minutes in before taking over Empire's base, in the end farming the fountain for further kills before Empire called the 'GG', down 30-8 at just shy of 25 minutes of play.
Game two
Empire got off to a rough start as the Dark Seer was forced into skilling a level one Surge, causing him to have to dodge the top lane and take some experience out of the pull before being able to head into his own jungle. This also meant that the Empire supports had more time to keep the Timbersaw out of experience range early on, allowing both carries to get unimpeded farm.
Puppey playing the Enchantress was rotating through the Radiant jungle as he happened upon the Radiant Courier at 4 minutes in, killing it before joining his teammates in pushing down the top Tier 1 Tower. With Dendi on Troll Warlord and Kuroky on the Io diving in to get the first blood on the Batrider moments later as well, Na`Vi looked good to take control of the game again.
While Empire opened up their kills with a Mystic Snake taking the life of the Timbersaw at 7 minutes in, Na`Vi dove the mid lane claiming two kills with XBOCT on the Gyrocopter rotating in as well, proceeding to push down the mid Tier 1 Tower.
Na`Vi went into the Radiant jungle at 10 minutes in with force, diving behind the still alive Tier 1 Tower and picking up further kills, making it 7-2 before backing off as Medusa returned to the fight, heading into the Roshan pit instead and picking up the Aegis for Gyrocopter.
At 14 minutes in the two teams lined up to clash at the top lane with Na`Vi getting the first kill of the fight and looking to take a dominant win, only to overstay their welcome slightly as the Medusa showed up to turn things around, force them back and pick up a retaliatory kill on the fleeing Enchantress, with Na`Vi still taking the fight 4-2.
At 16 minutes Na`Vi took another engagement at mid lane, again diving in deep and staying in the fight long enough for Empire to deal the damage and claiming the retaliatory kills, making it 3-3 with the Timbersaw only barely getting out alive.
Starting to feel the pressure, Na`Vi backed off a bit, as we saw only small pick-off's from either side for the next few minutes. While Medusa was farming up a Demon's Edge, looking towards a Divine Rapier, Na`Vi got another Aegis for XBOCT at 23 minutes in.
Scandal on the Batrider found the opening to grab the Io with the Flaming Lasso, dragging him into the Empire base at 27 minutes in with the rest of Na`Vi sieging up outside. But it was not enough, as Na`Vi dove in and picked off kill after kill, taking the bottom Barracks before rotating out and over to the mid lane, where another clash happened as Empire had just respawned, going 4-0 again Na`Vi's way as they rushed in, ending the game shortly after with 28-16 for the 31 minute game.
