(GotFrag) - After an explosive week on cp_granary, the 7 active ESEA-I TF2 squads - whose performance thus far was recently commented on by Sam "oPlaiD" Lingle - turn their collective strategic minds to the ever fluid, ever mulchy cp_gravelpit.

While Week 5:1 offers up no show-stopping, book-off-your-week matchups, there's still more than a little buzz in store, particularly in tonight's match - which is, in my opinion, the Match of the Round (I love how that last word always changes depending on the situation... I've used "Round", "Night" and "Week" to finish off "Mot" - but I digress).

UPDATE: Well, looks like EG-[vg] are also going tomorrow night, so adjust my terminology accordingly.


Evil Geniuses (8-1) vs Vicious Gaming (6-3)
rk: If [vg] wants to make any sort of statement this season, this is the match to do it in. It's a key mid-season match on a legit map against a team coming off a huge night that vaulted them back to the top of the ladder - nothing could be more substantiating for [vg] than a big, fat, green W. But is it going to happen? Well...

destro has really come into his own this season, especially in the absence of yaug who usually carried the brunt of the fragging (although some of the new additions have kinda helped there, too), and this map is built to be controlled by a demo. The soldiers will do what they do, the scouts/utilities will snap a pick or two, but no class can clear out B or lock down the multiple entrances to C like a demo on top of his game. No pressure.

So, while there's no lack of potential for [vg] to really take a step forward tonight, in the end EG's fragging prowess (and hell, I didn't even mention the other known quantities - Reptile (if he plays), sycknesS, CyZeR, etc.) will be too much of an obstacle to overcome.

EG [ 2 : 0 ] [vg]

20ID (8-1) vs Hostile Faction (5-4)
rk: If HF wants to make any sort of statement thi--- kidding, kidding. Seriously though, I can't help but be a little disappointed in HF's performance thus far - or, to be more specific, I'm kinda disappointed in how unlucky they've been. A key stretch in the season (ie. two matches against their main rivals, [vg]) comes along just as an equally key set of players is away... bah well, that's the way things go sometimes. I do hope HF can stick together through till next season, because they've got a core group there that really could be something after a little time together - but as far as this match goes, I don't think 20ID will have much trouble.

20ID [ 2 : 0 ] HF

point and click (2-6) vs Strickland Propane (3-6)
rk: Battle of the bottom dwellers! But actually, this'll probably be one of the more exciting matches this week - you can't beat a bout between to relatively even competitors. Their previous matchup on cp_freight ended in a 5-2 win for Strickland, but I'm hoping pac. can muster up some of the magic they showed early on this season. But, as a fan, I don't really have a vested interest in either one of these teams and am probably just gonna back my fellow canucks out of loyalty to the red-and-white. Hopefully sequal can stay in this one, losing him midway through the 20ID match took a little of the punch out of pac's attack.

pac [ 1 : 2 ] Strickland

ESEA-I S4 Week 5:1

Final Score	1H	2H	OT	F
Loaded	1	-	-	1
LIGHTNINGBOLT!	-	-	-	-
Map: cp_gravelpit
FF, lbolt folded

Final Score	1H	2H	OT	F
MoB Gaming	1	1	-	2
point and click	-	-	-	-
Map: cp_gravelpit

Final Score	1H	2H	OT	F
Evil Geniuses	1	-	1	2
Vicious-Gaming TF2	-	1	-	1
Map: cp_gravelpit

Final Score	1H	2H	OT	F
20ID	1	-	-	1
Hostile Faction	-	-	-	-
Map: cp_gravelpit
FF