#2 NoX [6-0] vs. #4 Grassroots [6-0]
NoX :	Gr1ftre, Ryo, vespillo, konsept, refLection
Gr :	ColdMeat, SoulA, pook, machina, Zier

With the playoffs only two weeks away CAL has begun scheduling the real matches of the season as the teams with top records face off. This week we have Wat¿ vs. GameWyze and NoX vs. Grassroots to satiate our demand for high level matchups. NoX has been ridiculed for having a weak schedule this season, but with the recent returns of the Gale brothers from Korea they are ready to go when they get their first big matchup this week, and on what could be their best map, the aim intensive Blood Gulch. Grassroots will need to have solid teamwork to have a hope of stopping the NoX pistols from running roughshod on their territory and pushing in a few caps. Whatever happens, though, its sure to be a good fight and with the recent introduction of IRC scorebots to the Halo world this could prove to be the most exciting week of matches in Halo PC history since the CPL!

NoX

NoX finished 2nd last CAL season losing a nailbiter to [xeno] in the finals on Timberland, and since they have been quiet, taking their wins in an easy CAL schedule while some of their team has been out of town and inactive. This week, however, must be their coming out party for season 2 as they play another undefeated team and the #4 ranked team on GotFra?, Grassroots, on Blood Gulch. NoX's greatest strength has always been their strong aim, and the map draw plays right into their hands. NoX will utilize a fairly simple strategy and concentrate on keeping their opponents on the respawn while their flagger, konsept, will look for an opening to score. The combination of the Gale brothers, Ryo and Gr1ftre, with refLection's strong aim and vespillo's skill and smarts gives NoX perhaps the most intimidating front four on Blood Gulch in the game. With a strong presence on the big hill even with only four usually playing the field NoX should be able to get the jump on Grassroots and dominate the map for most of the match. Whether they will be able to score, however, is another story, as their coordination on offense and pushing leaves something to be desired. During last season's playoffs, Vespillo was the clutch fragger and strongest player every match for NoX, and if that trend continues I think NoX might be able to take this match fairly decisively because he will be able to coordinate an effective offense with konsept. Even if NoX controls the map it will not gaurantee them victory as they have been prone to letting some rush caps by and have had troubles scoring against some teams, so they will need some of their players to step up in this matchup.

Interview with Jared "vespillo" Sagers

Grassroots

Many are eager to write Grassroots off in this match; they have had one of the toughest schedules in the season thus far, barely edging out Indigos on Indigo's strongest map and taking out some other tough teams in their division, but this time they face the biggest guns in Halo on the most pistol oriented map in the game. Aim has never been Gr's strong suit, as their coordination on pushes has been the key to their success in the season thus far. That may actually play into Gr's hands this match, as even with stronger aim they may not be able to outgun NoX in a head on matchup, but with tactical pushes they might be able to find the holes in NoX's shaky defense. Grassroots will need to play to their strengths if they hope to have a chance in this matchup, but even then they will still need strong play from their top fraggers. I think Gr's chances on Blood Gulch might be better if they had a stronger pistoler like Mik3stro, even with less match experience, play for someone like pook, but they are dedicated to their CPL lineup and that means their biggest fraggers will have to carry their load. Machina was Prodigious' biggest star before last CPL, and he will have to be in that form and put up 20+ frags to give his team a fighting chance. The additions from Vindication, him and Zier, replace the fragging power that players like mmptr and Cr4sh and BEAST brought to the team in the past, and this match will be a true test for them. If Gr can get some clutch play from them, the combination of pook, Coldmeant, and SoulA should be able to coordinate some attacks that will give Grassroots a chance to put one or two in against NoX. Grassroots will have to be very oppurtunistic tonight and take what chances they get, and history shows they have done that in the past.

Interview with Steven "Coldmeat" Kolodziej

Keys to the Match

The key to this matchup will be NoX's coordination as a team. There is no question they will be able to outshoot Grassroots in a man-to-man shootout, barring some weird server or ping imbalance issue, but their ability to work as a team to push in caps or to defend both halves of the map together are in question. Grassroots will be sure to take advantage of any positional errors NoX makes and if they can snipe or get by konsept at the base NoX could be weak to concerted pushes on one half of the map. If NoX, however, can keep their team together and cover the map with strong crossfire, Grassroots will have little oppurtunity to push past their base, much less push a cap, and NoX will be able to score some offensives of their own.

Prediction

NoX may have weaker teamwork than they should after an extended leave of absence from the Gale brothers, but on Blood Gulch that hurts them less than if they were playing Danger Canyon, Ice Fields, or Sidewinder tonight. I'd expect the brothers to churn up a real storm and give Grassroots real trouble while vespillo and refLection hold down the rest of the map. I'd expect vespillo to put up another top fragging performance as NoX rolls to a close but comfortable victory over the weaker aiming Grassroots on Halo's most aim-based map.

NoX > Grassroots [3-1]