Liquid eliminate 3DMAX, qualify for playoffs at EPL S21
Liquid qualified for playoffs by defeating 3DMAX in three maps, which will give Liquid valuable VRS points they have missed out on previously. The series went the distance, with two of the three maps being very one-sided in favor of either team.
3DMAX selected Inferno, where it was a back-and-forth affair until Liquid pulled ahead into a 7-5 lead at the interval. Liquid then took a 10-5 advantage before 3DMAX won six of the following seven rounds to even the map at 11-11. Roland "ultimate" Tomkowiak and Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken combined for 20 and 22 frags apiece to propel Liquid to steal 3DMAX's pick.
3DMAX bounced right back in the second map, Liquid's pick of Ancient. 3DMAX sprinted out to a 9-3 lead in the first half powered by Pierre "Ex3rcice" Bullinge's 17-7 scoreline to begin the game. Ex3rcice finished the game 25-11 and 3DMAX cruised to the 13-6 win as both teams lost their map pick.
Liquid could have tilted at that point and spiraled into a series loss and eventual elimination, but they did exactly the opposite. They started on the more favorable T side on Anubis, taking a 6-2 lead early on, which led into an 8-4 advantage going into their CT side. ultimate found joy in the first half, he went 10-5 and was the only player to reach double-digit frags in the first period.
He and Liquid continued their momentum into the second half, the Polish AWPer finished the map 17-6 and the team didn't surrender a single round to win the map 13-4 and secure their spot in playoffs.
Liquid3DMAX| Liquid |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Roland 'ultimate' Tomkowiak |
47 - 33 | +14 | 87.3 | 76.7% | 1.35 |
 Russel 'Twistzz' Van Dulken |
43 - 33 | +10 | 72.4 | 76.7% | 1.16 |
 Guy 'NertZ' Iluz |
43 - 36 | +7 | 81.1 | 66.7% | 1.10 |
| Keith 'NAF' Markovic |
30 - 35 | -5 | 63.9 | 76.7% | 0.98 |
 Justin 'jks' Savage |
31 - 37 | -6 | 54.4 | 75.0% | 0.92 |
| 3DMAX |
K - D | +/- | ADR | KAST | Rating 2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pierre 'Ex3rcice' Bulinge |
47 - 43 | +4 | 85.3 | 63.3% | 1.06 |
| Filip 'Graviti' Brankovic |
36 - 34 | +2 | 64.6 | 68.3% | 0.94 |
| Alexandre 'bodyy' Pianaro |
35 - 41 | -6 | 69.9 | 63.3% | 0.86 |
| Bryan 'Maka' Canda |
32 - 38 | -6 | 59.0 | 68.3% | 0.85 |
| Lucas 'Lucky' Chastang |
23 - 38 | -15 | 54.6 | 65.0% | 0.73 |
Liquid will return to the server on either Thursday or Friday in the quarterfinal at ESL Pro League S21.
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