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LPL Week 9 kicks off with iG and WE climbing the ranks

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If you're simply interested in spoiler-free VODs:

iG vs. RC Game 1
iG vs. RC Game 2
LGD vs. WE Game 1
LGD vs. WE Game 2



MVPs, Scores, Builds, & CS


MVP Score / Kills / Assists / Deaths / KDA / Gold / CS



Coverage

 VS 

As most fans of LPL have come to expect, early grouping occurred to mow down the top and bottom lane turrets on opposite sides of the map.  In a slight change of pace, however, Invictus Gaming didn't get the first tier turret very quickly, and every member of iG except kid was sent to the bottom lane to stall out Royal Club while he caught up.

Even though Royal Club did manage to grab the second tier bottom lane turret to get the advantage, their team lingered too long, and iG's use of brush and vision and kid's item advantage allowed them to win a 3v4 while Zzitai returned to the mid lane to farm.  IG then turned the tides, grabbing their own first tier bottom turret and a dragon.


Though RC gets two towers for one, kid has time to back and buy a Sheen, which gets him a triple kill, and his team more objectives.

In typical iG early advantage fashion, they pressured their lead with confidence.  Both teams riddled RC's jungle with wards, allowing top laners to teleport in at a moment's notice, but iG continuously won fights, even when losing a team member early.  Tight corridors allowed iG to properly use Ziggs AoE and decimate teams.

It did not take long before Royal had had enough.  In the final fight, Kitties missed his Solar Flare and died in an ill-advised dive, paving the way for kmi to initiate with Absolute Zero.  Though RC played the fight well, both kid and Zzitai were too ahead of their opposites, forcing RC to surrender before iG could take the first inhibitor.

VOD (Click for Full-Screen)


 

Somewhat unexpectedly, this game began with "standard" lanes, as both teams sent their duo bottom.  Uzi and Bao bullied kid and Kitties overzealously, diving under the turret without vision while Zzitai and illuSion circled around to catch out members of Royal for two post-four minute kills.  RC found revenge five minutes later by turning a prolonged gank from iG and getting the first dragon.

Royal Club found slight control and began attempting to replicate iG's strategy by pushing into the purple side jungle.  Uzi charging through dark brush was enough to send any member of iG back to base in terror, but every lane except bottom lane for iG found leads in towers and farm as they bided their time for the third dragon fight.


A coordinated catch on Uzi makes him a non-issue in the third dragon fight.

The game turned in iG's favor at the third dragon.  Uzi flashed Zzitai's Shockwave, but he could not avoid Kitties' expecting Death Sentence, followed by burst from the rest of the team.  Without Uzi, RC's scattered focus allowed iG to clean up with ease and take dragon after an ace.

Not wanting to jeopardize a delicate lead, iG cleared out Baron pit vision and instead looked to out-rotate RC and siege turrets.  Though RC eventually took a desperate Baron, iG flanked to nearly ace them and took an inhibitor from RC.  One more ace by iG in the top lane saw RC vanquished as iG acquired their third 2-0 victory in a row.

VOD (Click for Full-Screen)


 

 VS 

World Elite attempted to catch Star twice in a row by camping the top lane river brush, but while he gave first blood, he didn't fall for it a second time.  Teams then split into their lane-swaping push positions, but instead of chopping down two tiers of turrets, they switched lanes after the first turret to eliminate Tier One turrets in both top and bottom for WE and LGD.  This put a lot of focus on mid lane where WE grouped to bully Rena and Quan.

After a quick dragon pickup, WE found fights and picks across the map, sometimes diving deep into LGD's jungle for kills.  LGD could only find counter kills when members of WE stood on wards and Rena was in position to snipe with a spear.  Easy picks netted WE a gold lead of 10k and a kill score of 13 to 4 at 18 minutes.


LGD on the run through their own jungle.

The breaking point came when mid lane catches sent World Elite on a turret-taking rampage, scooping up all remaing turrets outside LGD's base.  A beefy, Dominus-popping Renekton gave WE some pause, but when they backed off, LGD merely surrendered in response for the second twenty minute game of the night.

VOD (Click for Full-Screen)


 

This game debuted LPL's first Vel'Koz support.  After both teams pushed down second tier turrets, CaoMei's Ryze happily free-farmed while WeiXiao and Conan built a strong lead over Styz and Pyl in the bottom lane.  LGD's inexperience with the Vel'Koz pick made them play more cautiously while Conan poked them down.  Despite winning the individual 2v2, however, Star's teleport turns kept many lanes even.

As larger fights began, WE took the upper hand, mostly due to fast plays by sukiM's Leblanc and Ruo's Grand Skyfalls creating space for CaoMei and WeiXiao to do damage.  Not to say, of course, that the rest of the game was smooth-sailing.  Around mid game, LGD's Rena's shockwaves began to lock up multiple targets, allowing LGD to pick up kills and towers to even out the score.

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The aftermath of one of Rena's immaculate shockwaves, followed up by a Solar Flare from Pyl.

LGD's hope was short-lived, as the game turned once again in a top lane fight where an over-extension by Pyl caused a near ace by WE against LGD.  WE continued to win fights, employing Baron-baiting tactics and using wards to catch out key members of LGD's team, especially Rena and Quan.  After they amassed a 10k gold lead, they felt confident enough to take a free Baron.

The game ended after a Baron-buffed WE caught Rena circling just outside his base.  They pushed into the top lane, melting LGD with their remaining structures, for their second victory.  WE's takedown set iG and LGD tied for third place in LPL at the end of Week 9, Day 1.

VOD (Click for Full-Screen)



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