FlyQuest complete an improbable reverse sweep of Counter Logic Gaming in the last quarterfinal series of the 2017 NA LCS Spring Split Playoffs. With this win, FlyQuest advance to face Team SoloMid on Sunday, April 16 in the semifinals.

The first two games for FlyQuest were about the same, with them getting crushed in every facet of the game. These wins were largely led by CLG midlaner Huhi’s fantastic play on Aurelion Sol in the first game and Ahri in the second.

However, in game three FlyQuest banned both champions as well as picking away Rengar from CLG’s Xmithie. Moon used the Rengar to assassinate Huhi’s Syndra repeatedly in the early game. During the mid and late game, FlyQuest struggled to pick the correct team fights and barely managed to pull the game out despite a huge gold lead.

Game four was all FlyQuest as they took all the elements that went well in game three — specifically the Syndra vs Rengar matchup — and used it to great effect to quickly come out on top. In an uncharacteristic move, FlyQuest took their time with their lead and played the game carefully, taking only the objectives they were sure they could secure.

The final game was, more or less, chaos for 30 minutes with both teams trading kills back and forth constantly. Both teams selected comfort champions and decided to play the game with a shocking amount of aggression considering the stakes. After CLG managed to get a solid lead, an ill-advised Darshan engage in the FlyQuest jungle led to FlyQuest evening up the 5k gold deficit and ultimately winning the match and series.

7:49 pm ET — If you stopped watching the series after the first two games, you may find this surprising but: FlyQuest won.

7:44 pm ET — Counter Logic Gaming throw their 5k gold lead with by over-engaging a fight in the FlyQuest red jungle. It leads them to lose 4 players and the Baron. With gold now even FlyQuest starts their Baron empowered pushes.

7:29 pm ET — The two teams continue to trade kills in very strange team fights. In a brief respite from these weird fights we have been given a pause. (Technically it’s due to an issue with Altec’s game.)

7:18 pm ET — A couple skirmishes so far but no full on fights as both teams continue laning. At 13 minutes CLG have a 200 gold lead and are up 3-2 in kills with no towers down so far.

7:05 pm ET — Pick and Ban Game 5

It’s game 5 and both teams know it, so picks got a little weird. Flyquest moved Hai back onto the Talon pick that he enjoys with Moon on his signature Evelynn. Meanwhile, CLG has gone with an Ekko mid and a Kalista AD Carry. Both teams are looking to catch the other off-guard.

CLG: Camille, Graves, Ekko, Kalista, Nami

Bans: Malzahar, Rumble, Shen, Elise, Ahri

FLY: Renekton, Evelynn, Talon, Ashe, Karma

Bans: Aurelion Sol, Rengar, Lulu, Vladimir, Orianna

6:46 pm ET — FlyQuest finish off the CLG Nexus in 35 minutes as they roll over a CLG that seems to have lost focus on the series. We are going to game 5!

6:43 pm ET — FlyQuest pick up Baron at 32 minutes as Rengar vs Syndra continues to be a huge problem for CLG. FlyQuest leads the game by almost 12k gold which means we are most likely going to game 5.

6:27 pm ET — Just like last game Moon’s Rengar proves to be incredibly strong with smart map movement and a lot of damage, he has grabbed a 4/0/2 scoreline in 17 minutes with bringing FlyQuest a 7-1 lead in kills with a 5k gold lead.

6:10 pm ET — Pick and Ban Game 4

Both teams have full team fighting comps with CLG having a slight edge with the additional pick offered by Syndra and Fly having a slightly better teamfight themselves.

FLY: Renekton, Rengar, Orianna, Ashe, Karma

Bans: Aurelion Sol, Camille, Lulu, Vladimir, Ahri

CLG: Nautilus, Graves, Syndra, Ezreal, Nami

Bans: Malzahar, Shen, Rumble, Maokai, Fizz

5:48 pm ET — Despite doing everything they could to lose the game, it looks like the super-damage-comp gamble pays off in game 3 for FlyQuest as they take the game in 40 minutes. The mid and late game were absolute disasters though, so if FlyQuest want a chance to make this reverse sweep happen, they are going to have to close their games more effectively.

5:34 pm ET — FlyQuest continues to have a lead, but is struggling to convert their gold lead into ways to win the game as they give up three bad trade in a row that amount to a 4-1 in favor of CLG cutting the FlyQuest lead to under 2k.

5:20 pm ET — For the first time this series, FlyQuest have gained a meaningful lead over Counter Logic Gaming. At 12 minutes the FLY lead was almost 3k with first tower and dragon going their way.

5:08 pm ET — Pick and Ban Game 3

The Talon means that FlyQuest are going to go for the highest possible damage version of the comps they have been trying all game. Low CC, high damage. The good news for them is that Rengar and Talon can at least facilitate a split push or pick in a way their previous comps couldn’t. For CLG, this comp isn’t much different from game one with the exception of the lower roaming from Syndra.

FLY: Rumble, Rengar, Talon, Caitlyn, Karma

Bans: Camille, Aurelion Sol, Lulu, Ezreal, Varus

CLG: Fizz, Graves, Syndra, Ashe, Nami

Bans: Malzahar, Nautilus, Shen, Vladimir, Ahri

4:45 pm ET — CLG win another game without too much struggle. Darshan’s Dr. Mundo was absolutely unstoppable, spending the last 20 or so minutes of the game with no regard for turrets or damage and picking up kills all over the map.

4:40 pm ET — CLG divide the map into halves and force FLyQuest to make a choice between their base and the Baron. In the end, a lack of decision from Fly leaves them with 1 Nexus tower remaining and still giving away Baron.

4:35 pm ET — CLG go for an ill-advised 30 minute Baron that gets stolen by Fly. Unfortunately they lose the buff on all but one member after a huge team fight for CLG.

4:27 pm ET — FlyQuest try a 5 man jump from the blast cone into the Baron pit to surprise CLG, unfortunately it goes bad and ends up in a 4-2 trade in CLG’s favor. That brings CLG’s lead to 3k at 22 minutes.

4:15 pm ET — At 10 minutes this gamei s quite a bit closer than the first game. CLG grab first tower off a gank toplane, and have a slight gold lead at almost 1k, despite being down 2-3 in kills.

4:05 pm ET — Pick and Ban Game 2

While, CLG’s comp may seem strange, it really isn’t much different from last game. Right down to having Ahri as Huhi’s roam heavy midlaner. The one difference is Dr. Mundo, who is probably a warning shot towards TSM more than anything else. FlyQuest on the other hand are putting all their Game 2 money on AP with two AP heavy solo laners and a Kennen AD Carry.

CLG: Dr. Mundo, Rengar, Ahri, Ashe, Nami

Bans: Malzahar, Nautilus, Shen, Talon, Zed

FLY: Rumble, Graves, Orianna, Kennen, Zyra

Bans: Aurelion Sol, Camille, Fizz, Kled

3:46 pm ET — CLG win in 25 minutes. That was not much of a game to be honest. FlyQuest left up Aurelion Sol and Huhi was kind enough to remind them why people ban it against him. That’s probably his last game on the champion for a while taking over this game from the fifth minute on.

The list of things that went well for FlyQuest this game is very very short. They got a kill, so I guess that’s okay, but that’s about it. The good news is the series can only get better from here. And banning Aurelion Sol will already get them part of the way there.

3:30 pm ET — 12 minutes in and CLG take the first tower mid. Along side some roaming from Huhi on his signiture Aurelion Sol pick gives them a 4-0 kill lead with a 4k gold lead as well.

3:20 pm ET — Pick and Ban Game 1

FlyQuest are going for a composition that is light on CC, but will focus on team fighting around Rumble ultimates around Baron and Dragon. Meanwhile, CLG are using a more CC pick comp that will try to pick Rumble and Orianna off early before Lulu and save them.

FLY: Rumble, Kha’Zix, Orianna, Ezreal, Lulu

Bans: Shen, Camille, Kennen, Zyra, Vladimir

CLG: Fizz, Rengar, Aurelion Sol, Ashe, Nami

Bans: Malzahar, Graves, Nautilus, Talon, Zed

The second quarterfinal of the 2017 NA LCS Spring Split playoffs on Sunday is between fourth seed Counter Logic Gaming and fifth seed FlyQuest, two teams with polar opposite seasons. The teams will be playing for the right to advance to the semifinal and face off against number one seed Team SoloMid.

For all the information about the possible matchups as well as the schedule, bracket and results from all of the NA LCS Playoffs check out our post here.

For Counter Logic Gaming, the season couldn’t have started much worse. However, after 4 losses in their first 5 matches they found their footing and started to win consistently, ending the split at 10-8. While the entire team improved through this process, the key difference maker for CLG in the second half of the season has been midlaner Choi “Huhi” Jaehyun. If CLG is going to advance, look for jungler Jake “Xmithie” Puchero to focus on mid lane to get Huhi a lead and put FlyQuest on the back foot.

Through the first four weeks of the season, FlyQuest seemed like a shoo-in for second place, but as the rest of the league began to evolve and improve, FlyQuest stayed largely the same. This failure to evolve led to a frustrating last 5 weeks for the team, as they barely slipped into Playoffs. If FlyQuest are going to succeed in the playoffs they are going to have to prove that they have made significant strides in their individual play as well as in the Pick and Ban phase.

The best-of-five series will start at 3 p.m. ET.

Lineups

Counter Logic gaming

• Top: Darshan Upadhyaya
• Jungle: Jake “Xmithie” Puchero
• Mid: Choi “Huhi” Jaehyun
• ADC: Trevor “Stixxay” Hayes
• Support: Zaqueri “aphromoo” Black

FlyQuest

• Top: An “Balls” Lee
• Jungle: Galen “Moon” Holgate
• Mid: Hai Lam
• ADC: Johnny “Altec” Ru
• Support: Daerek “LemonNation” Hart

Series info and how to watch

The first match of the NA LCS 2017 Spring Split Playoffs will be watchable on Lolesports as well as on the NALCS1 Twitch channel as well as a shotcalling stream on NALCS2. The first match will kick off about 3:15 pm ET.

[SOURCE:-sbnation]