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I May grabs playoff spot off victory over RNG in the LPL

Fans cheer for China's Royal Never Give Up at the 2016 League of Legends World Championship. Provided by Riot Games

For complete League of Legends recaps, standings and stats, click here.

I May needed a win on Saturday to secure a playoff seed, and a dramatic 2-1 series win over Royal Never Give Up gave it just that during Week 10, Day 3 of the League of Legends Pro League in Shanghai.

I May (8-8, 18-21 match record) fought to keep its playoff hopes alive with aplomb in Game 1, despite giving up first blood around nine minutes. With the pace reduced to a slow crawl in the mid game, I May held a 2-1 kill lead at 22 minutes, which did little to build a substantial gold lead as RNG AD carry Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao held as much as an 80 CS (creep score) lead as Ashe over his IM counterpart at 27 minutes. Undeterred, I May finally took control with an incredible 37-minute Baron steal by top laner Shek "AmazingJ" Wai Ho's Gangplank, who dealt a game-high 27,500 damage in addition to picking up this game-swinging Baron steal. Securing an Elder Dragon shortly afterwards, I May took Game 1 on the back of mid laner Kang "Athena" Ha-woon's Orianna, who finished with a 5/0/1 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) for 86 percent kill participation in the 41-minute win.

Seemingly unshaken by its previous loss, Royal Never Give Up (12-4, 26-13 match record) came roaring back in Game 2 as Jungler Liu "Mlxg" Shi-Yu picked up first blood at just over a minute into the game as Rengar in the top lane. RNG returned to the top lane often, picking up three kills and first tower gold by 11 minutes. A 3-for-0 fight in the bottom lane gave Uzi's Kog'Maw all the resources he needed to become a hyper-carry nightmare, as his double kill in a 3-for-0 fight at 27 minutes gave RNG a free Baron kill. Using the buff to push into I May's base and take a 5-for-0 ace. It wasn't a perfect game, as IM picked up an early Infernal Drake, but that was all IM could achieve as top laner Yan "Letme" Jun-Ze's Kled picked up a 6/0/8 KDA for 88 percent kill participation in a dominating Game 2 win.

Playoff hopes on the line, I May came back with a vengeance in Game 3, with IM picking on RNG's bot lane in the early game. Athena's Twisted Fate pick was crucial to I May's success, as he used his Destiny/Gate to keep Uzi's Lucian down through repeated ganks. After a lull in the mid game, I May seized its fate and the game with a 2-for-0 fight and Baron kill. I May's potent pick composition was led by support Yun "Road" Han-gil's Thresh, who landed Death Sentence after Death Sentence en route to a 1/0/10 KDA for 79 percent kill participation. With a few picks around RNG's base, I May forced a final teamfight, winning it 4-for-0 and punching its ticket to playoffs with a 2-1 series win.

With the series win, I May earns its spot in the League of Legends Pro League playoffs at the #4 seed from Group A, while RNG holds onto its #1 seed despite the loss.