yay: "I think sometimes we underestimate people, maybe we get a bit sloppy"
After compLexity secured qualification to the MSI MGA Grand Finals at ESL One New York, Joe "tolkienfanatic" Cardali had a quick chat with Jaccob "yay" Whiteaker about his team's journey to that point.
You guys just finished two marathon maps at MSI MGA here in New York, how are you doing? Are you tired?
Yeah, a little bit tired. It's just some best-of-ones that went pretty far, luckily we stayed composed especially like, we almost threw one of the games and the other game we came back and nearly threw that as well. It's a little bit exhausting but, hey, we're starting to finally feel form now after a rough little start.
How did you guys approach the Movistar Riders game? Obviously, they're not a domestic team so you haven't seen much of them.
It was hard to get a lot of information on them, but with the game we kind of just went into like "if we play, y'know, how we usually do" which is heavily team-based, proper CS, then we should go in there and win it. We did that for the T-side, and then out CT-side started to crumble a little bit as we didn't adjust until much later. We were trying to figure out their different strats and tactics. But once we got into OT, we had a pretty good idea on how they played, so we adjusted pretty well.
Were you guys going into that match cold? As there were a few questionable decisions made by some people in the late round and clutches?
Yeah we were definitely a bit cold. It was more of the fact we've not really had a break for a while. A lot of us have been moving apartments, dealing with real-life stuff after playing matches, so we haven't had a lot of time off. It's our first match in the past two or three days where we haven't played at all. Once we get over that, we'll be doing better.
Speaking of Inferno, it was also a problem for you guys recently against Bravado in the ECS Challenger Cup. Seeing as it was so dominant for you guys in London, what's happening here?
Like I said, I think it's a lack of matches going in. I think sometimes we underestimate people, maybe we get a bit sloppy. After that Bravado game, and after the Movistar game, we're like: "we can't do that anymore." I think we should be good in the future, you know.
In the eUnited match, you guys found yourselves on the opposite side of the coin, where you were down and had to come back. What was the mindset of the team going into that second half?
We kinda knew that if we won the pistol and the first few rounds, everyone would be confident incoming back. We usually beat eUnited. It was just a matter of building that confidence and shaking their's as well. As soon as we started building a lead, building a lead, building a lead, we just won more and more rounds and it tumbled in favor of us.
Last one for you here, you're through to the Grand Final tomorrow, which will be played on stage. Who are you expecting to be your opponent there?
Who am I expecting? I'd say eUnited or AVANGAR, but having to choose one - eUnited.
Unfortunately for yay, compLexity prepare to take on AVANGAR in the grand finals of the MSI MGA Finals, which will take place in Barclays Center tomorrow at 11:00 AM EDT. The two teams will duke it out in front of the American crowd, before the grand finals of ESL One New York, with the winner taking home $30,000.
