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I May emerged from a battle of the bottom of the League of Legends Pro League barrel Friday with a 2-0 win over Suning Gaming, taking its second series win of the split to kick off Week 6, Day 2 in Shanghai.
Suning Gaming (3-5, 10-13 match record) showed a lack of respect for the sieging potential of Caitlyn that cost it dearly as I May (2-7, 6-15) AD carry Xie "Jinjiao" Jin-Shan got the champion in both games of the series. Suning's Game 1 draft seemingly had the tools necessary to dive I May's backline and disrupt Jinjiao, but I May support Yun "Road" Han Gil had a standout performance as Tahm Kench, saving his carries with clutch uses of Devour in important teamfights.
Both teams were content to farm until major neutral objectives came up, and I May shined in those moments. After taking the first Baron and Elder Dragon kills in the late game, I May used the buffs to break into Suning's base and set up the game-ending play later on. When the second Baron came around, I May scored a clean ace and pushed into Suning's base to end Game 1 in 43 minutes and go up 1-0.
In Game 2, Suning opted to bring in two subs with the hope of applying more pressure to during early and mid game, which worked to some extent. The switches helped SNG take first blood and the first two turrets of the game, and Suning put AD carry Lee "Fury" Jin-yong's Jhin far ahead by funneling resources into him. Fury looked phenomenal on Jhin during teamfights and led the game with eight kills at one point, but, I May remained patient.
The team played passively despite Fury's surge, and I May focused on farming and scaling into the late game while once again saving the majority of its engagement tools for teamfights. As the game neared 50 minutes, both teams committed to a glacially slow Baron dance when disaster struck for Suning.
Suning found the opening it was looking for to start a potentially game-winning teamfight, but its lack of tank-busting champions made it impossible to break the I May front line. Suning was mowed down in the closing moments of Game 2 as I May closed out a surprising 2-0 series sweep.
I May will try to put its first two-game win streak of the split together with Royal Never Give Up on the schedule for 7 a.m. ET Sunday, while Suning Gaming is tasked with a match against Group A-leading EDward Gaming at 4 a.m. ET on Sunday.