Everything was on the line this weekend for both OpTic Gaming and Team Liquid at the North American Halo Championship Series: Pro League Relegation tournament. Both teams finished the regular season at the bottom of the standings and were placed in a bracket against Denial eSports and eLevate, two amaetur teams filled with promise. The top two teams from the Relegation tournament would earn their right to play in the upcoming Fall Season, and both HCS Pro League teams defended their spots.
TEAM LIQUID
The end of the summer season marked a high note for Team Liquid. They carried their late-season momentum into the Relegation tournament, and with their spot in the HCS Pro League up for grabs, they never lost composure. Team Liquid tore through the bracket by first sweeping Team eLevate 4-0.
Team Liquid then faced Denial eSports in the winners bracket finals, proving to the world that they belong in the HCS Pro League after sweeping the best Open Circuit team 4-0.
They're not going anywhere! @TeamLiquidPro sweeps to keep their place in the #HCS Pro League! #kcon16LA pic.twitter.com/TDed1eqUGJ
— ESL Halo (@ESLHalo) July 31, 2016
OPTIC GAMING
OpTic Gaming continue to prove themselves as one of the best teams, but not until the last possible moment. They qualified for the HCS Pro League through the Last Chance Qualifier, and things were looking grim for them at the beginning of the HCS Pro League Summer Finals weekend. OpTic Gaming made an early trip to the losers bracket of the Relegation tournament after falling to the dangerous Denial eSports squad.
They then played eLevate who were fresh off a loss to Team Liquid. OpTic managed to advance with a clean 4-0 sweep, which set the stage for one final series, a rematch between OpTic and Denial. In true OpTic Gaming fashion, they won the most important series of their season 4-2 to keep their spot in the HCS Pro League.
They will be back! @OpticGaming wins the series 4-2! #HCS #kcon16LA pic.twitter.com/OrqURnk8yk
— ESL Halo (@ESLHalo) July 31, 2016
The NA HCS Pro League Summer Season 2016 has come to a close and Fall Season is right around the corner! Keep a close eye on the ESL Halo Twitter and Facebook for upcoming #HCS details.