Team Liquid vs FlyQuest

For our first match of the day we have an absolute banger: Team Liquid vs. FlyQuest! Now, this would've been a fairly anticlimactic affair just mere months ago, which goes to show just how much FlyQuest improved in a very short amount of time. In many ways, they deserve a ton of credit. To go from the playoffs (in Spring) to the bottom of the standings (in Summer) is a crushing trajectory, one from which many teams wouldn't recover.

But FlyQuest have shown spectacular resilience and are truly making proactive moves to get back to being a top-tier challenger. That's, at the very least, commendable. Many teams struggle to identify their flaws and weaknesses let alone fix them. FlyQuest, on the other hand, have consistently been improving and while they certainly hit a couple of bumps along the road, their work ethic and dedication never wavered.

With PowerOfEvil and IgNar within their ranks, they managed to make the region take notice. And they did so in record time, too. Their wins were both clean and fairly dominant, highlighted by great drafts and even better team play. There's really not much that you can fault them for, although they're still far from a top-tier behemoth. They didn't, however, have the hardest of schedules so far, as wins over a struggling Counter Logic Gaming and an underwhelming (and underpowered) Immortals don't really scream "hype." Because of this, one simply has to remain a bit reserved when it comes to any overly dramatic statements or predictions. FlyQuest is a fantastic team right now, they're playing to their strengths and have shown admirable synergy on the Summoner's Rift this early into the split, but they're still not a bona fide titan by any stretch of the imagination.

In any case, it's fair to say that everyone's eagerly awaiting their next outing.

Opposite them, we have none other than the defending champions Team Liquid. Now this, frankly, is their first big test, and they'll get to face a much less powerful Liquid seeing how they're still playing without Broxah. Shernfire is okay overall, but his play leaves a lot to be desired and he's far from a top-tier performer, all things considered. Liquid is coming into this match after losing to Team Dignitas yesterday. A loss is a loss, there's no way around it, but given that they played with a substitute, it's hard not to be impressed by their performance overall. To say that Liquid went blow for blow with a game Dignitas squad would truly be an understatement.

While they were certainly overwhelmed in the early game by Dig's aggression and bravado, TL was able to take control in the mid game and eke out a solid advantage across the map. Their rotations and verall map play were mesmerizing, much like you'd expect from a stellar team that was able to win the LCS four times in a row. This game was not only the most entertaining one of the split so far but also a clash between two exceptionally talented teams who were unafraid of stepping forward and doing what was necessary to get the win. For a brief moment it looked like TL had this one in the bag as well, but Dignitas never gave up and were making all the right moves across the map.

A stellar showing from both teams, that's for sure. So in the end, even though Team Liquid lost, it's impossible not to give them the benefit of the doubt seeing how they nearly got the job done with a sub. They're insanely strong and are getting better and better with Shernfire as time goes on. Heck, the difference in play between now and week one is monumental.

We're siding with Liquid on this one, there's no reason not to, and you can expect the defending champions to start the game off swinging in order to finish the week with a neutral 2W-2L record. That said, FlyQuest are far from a pushover (especially with Santorin's current level of play) and will surely give Liquid a run for their money.