DK guaranteed at least second place finish, defeats EG 2-0

DK is now the only undefeated team in the tournament as they won over previously unbeaten EG with the score of 2-0 in the winner's bracket finals of Starladder Starseries Season IX. They are now guaranteed at least a second-place finish in the tournament.

Aside from a guaranteed runner-up finish, DK have also earned a one-game advantage in the best-of-five finals. The final day of Starladder will start tomorrow at 11:00 CEST with the lower bracket semifinals match of Empire and Invictus Gaming.

Tomorrow's Schedule :

11:00 CEST/05:00 EDT/17:00 SGT: Russia Empire vs China Invictus Gaming (BO3)
15:00 CEST/09:00 EDT/21:00 SGT: United States Evil Geniuses vs Other TBD [Winner of Empire vs iG] (BO3)
19:00 CEST/13:00 EDT/01:00 SGT: China DK (+1) vs Other TBD (BO5)

Starladder StarSeries Season IX Final Standings
1st: $75,000~
2nd: $35,500~
3rd: $24,000~
4th: $13,800~
5th/6th: Sweden Alliance - $6,900~
5th/6th: Ukraine Natus Vincere - $6,900~
7th/8th: Russia RoX.KiS - $3,400~
7th/8th: Korea MVP.Phoenix - $3,400~

DK vs Ev il Geniuses

Game 1

DK opted to go for the Tiny-Wisp duo, as well as a Kunkka to try farming up in the middle lane. Meanwhile, EG had few their favorites, among of which are a middle-lane Outworld Devourer and a split-pushing carry in Lycan. The western team narrowly missed the first blood, as Kunkka reacted quickly after the clustered heroes of the enemy got revealed. It was Kunkka's team who got first blood instead, with a ganking Enchantress teaming up with Wisp and Tiny to kill the Clockwerk.

After another kill on the Clockwerk, DK added two more deaths across EG's name as they converted a misclick by the enemy into further advantage. They almost ended up surviving the ordeal, but Lycan's wolf was forunately able to seal the kill. The first two relocated of Wisp were put to good use, as his team was able to get four kills as opposed to one death on that stretch. Lycan was able to pull off a very risky Roshan kill, at least reducing the big lead that their opponent has.

Tiny was able to complete his Aghanims scepter before thh 18th minute, and with Drums and Phase boots, melted the enemy's towers. He claimed his fourth tower of this game less than a minute after, claiming two in quick succession. EG had a good pick-off against Tiny two minutes later, but then they got complacent and overstayed at the lane. That mistake cost them their Lycan, and then their middle tier-one tower.

EG tried a smoke gank, on which they successfully killed Kunkka. That turned out to be their last success though, as an immediate buyback had them losing three heroes across two separate lanes. The American team was not able to recevor after that, failing to defend Roshan and not being able to do anything as DK easily sieged the middle lane. They called GG not long after, as Tiny hacked their heroes inside their base.

Game 2

The game started with DK going with a Wisp, this time pairing him up in the middle lane with a Morphling. They also had a cheesy, strong-pushing dual lane of Keeper of the Light and Lycan in the top lane, and a solo Puck in the bottom. EG started with dual lanes themselves - a Dazzle and an Ember in the middle lane, a Lone Druid and a temporary Enigma in the bottom lane, and a solo Nature's Prophet in the top lane. EG took the first blood just one minute into the game as their middle-lane heroes dived for the squishy Dazzle.

Puck, buffed by Lycan's howl, had a big solo kill agianst Lone Druid. EG timed their engagement perfectly in the middle lane after, killing Wisp and also denying their middle-lane tower. Seeing how fragile Io is, EG continues their advances on that hero and killed that hero for the third time this game in just under eight minutes. Again, Puck was able to kill Lone Druid. However, Ember and Nature's Prophet retaliated this time, killing him and the Wisp again.

DK wisely started to split up and push multiple lanes at once. This resulted to a nice three-hero kill in the 13th minute, although EG had a kill of their own after using a Black Hole on a Lycan. The Chinese team was able to move better again winning a 3-2 trade, something which may not be possible if not for Puck being able to silence Ember before the latter was able to use any skill.

Things were really looking bad for EG, but they were able to catch a huge break in the 18-minute mark. They were able to pick-off three heroes, kill the mid tier-one tower, snipe a courier and claim Roshan in one fell swoop. DK's advantage took a hit, with the gold dropping from 10,000 to 5,000 and exeperience from 5,000 to almost zero. As EG took the bottom tier-2 tower three mintues later, they were caught by surprise as DK decided to defend and the former lost a 2-4 exchange.

A brief period of farming ensured, but it all came to end as EG engaged on an unsuspecting KotL. However, two quick buybacks for DK reversed their fortune and actually put that fight into DK's advantage. As the Chinese team was trying to push the next minuite, Puck was able to make a large dive and was able to successfully trade himself with the Ember. Because of that, DK took the bottom barracks easily.

Another pick-off happened at the 30-minute mark as DK killed Nature's Prophet. The Chinese team took Roshan, and then dominantly barraged through the opposition. The game ended as Morphling completed a 'Rampage' feat. The win extended DK's undefeated streak in this competition as they head into the finals tomorrow

0:00 - Again, DK went with a Wisp, this time laning it mid with Morphling while placing Puck alone at the bottom lane. They also have a curious Lycan-Keeper of the Light dual lane at top. EG had a dual lane themselves: an Ember and a Dazzle in the middle lane. The Lone Druid was bottom with a little help from Enigma to disrupt the equlibrium, and then Nature's Prophet headed top.
1:25 - EG narrowly took first blood after a dive by Ember and Dazzle. The Wisp did a nicely done dodge, but he died to Dazzle's poison anyway. DK got a return kill a second later.
4:54 - Puck made a big solo kill against Lone Druid. EG bounced back by killing Wisp in the middle lane, and then denying their tier-one tower on that lane.
8:00 - EG is taking advantage of Wisp being fragile, earning their third kill against that hero. Puck shortly was able to kill Lone Druid again at the bottom lane, but the rotating Ember and Nature's Prophet was able to get two kills for their team. Morphling evened up the score by killing Nature's Prophet after.
10:40 - EG continued to show their strong killing potential, picking off the Keeper of the Light and then taking out DK's top tier-one tower.

11:34 - DK took down the bottom tier-one tower and dive through the tier-2 to kill Dazzle, tying up the kill score to six apiece. At this point, DK is ahead by 2,000 gold but EG is ahead by 200 experience
13:49 - a good engagement by DK was converted into a kill to Ember and Dazzle. They also took down Nature's Prophet at top. EG got a revenge kill by taking down Lycan with a Black Hole.
15:19 - another win by the Chinese team, as they got in the upper hand of a 3-2 trade. Crucial play was a silence by Puck against Ember before the latter can use any skills.
18:10 - EG was able to get a big break, killing three heroes, a courier and the middle tier-one tower. DK's gold advantage dropped from 10,000 to 5,000 and experience from 5,000 to almost 0.
19:30 - DK picked off Ember Spirit at the bottom lane

21:26 - EG was able to kill Lycan and then take down two bottom lane towers. DK ended it on a 4-2 hero trade advantage.
26:10 - DK won a trade 4-3 after a seemingly losing team fight. Keeper of the Light died before the skirmish happened, and then the Black Hole was timed as the relocating heroes arrived. However, two quick buybacks placed it into DK's advantage.
27:25 - Puck had a big dive, initiating and leading a kill on Ember in exchange for her life. DK was able to take the bottom barracks because of it.
30:05 - DK was able to pick off the Nature's Prophet on the bottom lane, and then the Roshan after.
31:14 - Despite a decent Black Hole by Engima, Morphling just ripped through the enemy. The game ended as DK was sieging the middle lane and Morphling claiming a Rampage.

Photos from: SLTV's Facebook page

Author

Gosu "GosuGamers" Gamers