Team Liquid continues to impress in the last few weeks of the season, securing a 2-0 sweep of Phoenix1 on Saturday during Week 7, Day 2 of the North American League of Legends Championship Series in Los Angeles.
Team Liquid (4-10, 10-23 match record) came out in Game 1 with a high-damage composition, which is used to lay waste to Phoenix1 (3-11, 13-24 match record) from start to finish. It all started with a three-man dive for first blood just a few minutes into the game, giving mid laner Greyson "Goldenglue" Gilmer's Orianna double buffs. As the game progressed, Liquid could do whatever it wanted across the map, capitalizing on its strong early leads. Liquid, the perennial laughing stock of the NA LCS, had a 3,000-gold lead by 11 minutes, which it pushed to 5,000 by 18 minutes. It may have taken two Barons, due to Phoenix1 playing decently well later in defending its base from the Liquid onslaught, but, behind Goldenglue's 5/0/5 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) and Liquid's 13-0 kill advantage, Liquid eventually locked up the 33-minute win.
Phoenix1 tried to go with the popular "protect the Kog'Maw" strategy in Game 2, but it backfired incredibly. Liquid came out the gate with another teamfighting composition and again took an early lead over Phoenix1. Liquid capitalized on Phoenix1's decision early on to leave AD carry No "Arrow" Dong-hyeon's Kog'Maw all by his lonesome to get picked off. As the early game progressed, Liquid jungler Kim "Reignover" Ui-jin dominated the early game as Elise, giving Liquid a lead with four kills in just 15 minutes. To its credit, Phoenix1 turned things around a bit with a 4-for-2 teamfight win at 21 minutes that allowed it to actually take a lead in the midgame. The ever so slight gold lead went straight to its head, however, as a Baron attempt went completely awry for for Phoenix1. Liquid marched right into the pit, picking up four kills and the Baron to break the game open. In the next two minutes, Liquid secured nine more kills to end with a 21-8 kill advantage in the 28-minute win.
Phoenix1 next takes on Echo Fox next Friday at 6 p.m. ET, while Liquid will look to continue this late season resurgence against Immortals the same day at 9 p.m. ET.