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With both teams looking to separate themselves from the middle of the pack, Phoenix1 (7-5, 18-11 match record) triumphed 2-1 over Team Dignitas (4-7, 12-16 match record) during Week 6, Day 2 of the North American League of Legends Championship Series in Los Angeles, California.
Phoenix1 looked strong in the early stage of Game 1, which started out with top laner Derek "zig" Shao's Kled grabbing first blood while being dived under his turret for an overall 2-for-1 trade in favor of P1. Dignitas got right back into the game at 24 minutes, however, finding two free kills and a Baron buff. Phoenix1 was unshaken, however, and went on to win the subsequent mid-lane fight at 30 minutes. Afterwards, an uncontested Baron allowed P1 to waltz up to Dignitas' base and ace them after a failed Teleport flank from DIG top laner Kim "Ssumday" Chan-ho's Poppy, ending the game in under 35 minutes.
Game 2 was considerably slower, as although Dignitas jungler Lee "Chaser" Sang-hyun's Lee Sin was able to narrowly outduel P1 jungler William "Meteos" Hartman's Rengar to take first blood in under three minutes; this was one of only three kills to occur before the 20-minute mark. At 21 minutes, however, Dignitas ignited their small lead by finding a 4-for-0 extended fight and the Baron buff. Dignitas stormed into P1's base to take Game 2 in 26 minutes, just seconds after said buff expired.
Phoenix1 mid laner "Ryu" made a statement on LeBlanc in Game 3, solo killing P1 mid laner Keane's Zed for first blood just four minutes in. The game got fairly quiet after that, with just one other kill coming before the 20-minute mark as P1 slowly pressed its advantage. At 22 minutes, however, P1 blew the game wide open with a 3-for-0 top-lane dive. Another tower dive minutes later earned them an inhibitor, and from then on Phoenix1 faced no resistance as they ended the game in 29 minutes to take the series.
Phoenix1 will enter into a tie for third place if they beat FlyQuest on Friday, March 10 at 9 PM EST. Meanwhile, the members of Team Dignitas will do their best to put this series behind them, going up against Team SoloMid on Sunday at 3 PM EST.