Wolf Pack Smash Bros. challenges Keiser Thursday

NEW ORLEANS – The Wolf Pack Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Plus team competed in the round of four of the NACE Starleague playoff bracket on Thursday. With a 5-2 record in the regular season, Loyola earned a first-round bye, advancing to the second round of the playoffs. The Wolf Pack faced Keiser University, a team that also gathered a 5-2 record in the regular season. Thursday's matchup was the second meeting for both teams as Loyola battled Keiser in the season opener. In that match, Keiser came away with a 2-0 win. On Thursday, Keiser beat Loyola in a three-set match, taking the win, 2-1.
 

To start the match, Loyola sent Cylese Winding in to fight Keiser's Ness. Ness took the first win over Winding's Isabelle. Then, Evan Sakryd took down Ness with Mii Gunner. Keiser's Villager proved to be a tough opponent for Sakryd and Leyton Gould, taking both of them down. Then, Daven-Angelo Montalbano defeated Keiser's Villager and Kazuya to even the score. With Yoshi, Keiser managed to eliminate Montalbano's Toon Link, winning the first set.
 

Gould's Sonic began the second set with two wins over Keiser, taking victories of 3-0 and 3-2. In the next two fights, Keiser's Bowser Jr. defeated Gould and Sakryd to reach Loyola's third fighter. Winding's Isabelle ended Bowser Jr.'s run, taking a 1-1 win. Then, Hero took down Winding to force Montalbano into the fight. In the second set's final fight, Montalbano came away with a 2-2 win to force a tie-breaking third set.
 

In the match's final set, Gould started off with a 3-2 win over Keiser's Hero. Just as in the first set, Villager was a tough opponent to beat in the third crew battle. The Keiser fighter took down each of Loyola's fighters to secure the win, taking the final set of the match.
 

Results

First Crew Battle:

Ness (Keiser) def. Isabelle (Cylese Winding), 3-2
Mii Gunner (Evan Sakryd) def. Ness (Keiser), 1-1
Villager (Keiser) def. Mii Gunner (Evan Sakryd), 2-0
Villager (Keiser) def. Sonic (Leyton Gould), 3-2
Toon Link (Daven-Angelo Montalbano) def. Villager (Keiser), 1-1
Toon Link (Daven-Angelo Montalbano) def. Kazuya (Keiser), 3-1
Yoshi (Keiser) def. Toon Link (Daven-Angelo Montalbano), 1-0
Keiser leads match, 1-0
 

Second Crew Battle:

Sonic (Leyton Gould) def. Ness (Keiser), 3-0
Sonic (Leyton Gould) def. Yoshi (Keiser), 3-2
Bowser Jr. (Keiser) def. Sonic (Leyton Gould), 1-0
Bowser Jr. (Keiser) def. Mii Gunner (Evan Sakryd), 3-2
Isabelle (Cylese Winding) def. Bowser Jr. (Keiser), 1-1
Hero (Keiser) def. Isabelle (Cylese Winding), 2-1
Toon Link (Daven-Angelo Montalbano) def. Hero (Keiser), 2-2
Loyola ties match, 1-1
 

Third Crew Battle:

Sonic (Leyton Gould) def. Hero (Keiser), 3-2
Villager (Keiser) def. Sonic (Leyton Gould), 1-0
Villager (Keiser) def. Isabelle (Cylese Winding), 3-0
Villager (Keiser) def. Mii Gunner (Evan Sakryd), 3-1
Villager (Keiser) def. Toon Link (Daven-Angelo Montalbano), 3-1
Keiser wins match, 2-1