NYXL still confident after losing to Vancouver at Homestand Weekend

Olivia Richman Published 26/08/2019

After an intense five-map match, the Vancouver Titans defeated the New York Excelsior. That didn’t stop the Overwatch League community from thinking that the NYXL is the best team of all-time, according to a recent Twitter poll.

While the San Francisco Shock were quick to tweet back their indignation over the results, the NYXL still remain one of the OWL’s most popular teams with the biggest fanbase.

The NYXL discussed the playoffs and the 2020 schedule following their defeat in the final day of the Los Angeles Valiant’s Homestand Weekend.

What was your team’s strategy going into the match today?

Hyun-sang “Pavane” Yu, head coach: We watched them play Reaper-Mei against the Shock in their last match. So we preapred a counter. Even though it didn’t work well on the first map, that was what the strategy we had going into that game.

You took the Titans to map five. What is your takeaway from this match?

Pavane: The first map is really important. If we lose, we feel we will go downhill from there. For the playoffs, we’re going to have the new patch. Nobody will know what the meta is, but we have to find a style that works for us the best, as quickly as possible. That’s our goal for now.

How did you like playing at The Novo versus the Blizzard Arena?

Libero: The stage is warmer here

JJoNak: Same thing. I used to shake while I was playing [at Blizzard Arena], it was so cold.

How will you be adjusting for the playoff’s new meta?

Sung-hyeon “JJoNak” Bang: The new patch with Sigma. All we can do is try him out in scrims and see if it works or not.

How are you feeling going into the playoffs after having such a rough time in Stage 4?

Pavane: The beginning of Stage 4 was really tough on us. But our players and coaches worked really hard. Even though we lost today, we have upward momentum. I want to use that to win the championship this year.

Who would you like to play in the first round of the playoffs?

Dong-gyu “Mano” Kim: Seoul or London.

Hae-seong “Libero” Kim: Philadelphia, to get revenge after last year.

What are your thoughts on the Atlantic Conference’s northern division, which includes Boston Uprising, Toronto Defiant, London Spitfire, and Paris Eternal?

JJoNak: I don’t see any strong team in our division next year, no real threats. The strongest team is London, if I had to pick a possible threat.

What are you looking forward to most about living and playing in New York?

Libero: It aligns with my hobbies. I am excited to take pictures of the landscape and thearchitecture. And the food.

Mano: New York is such a diverse city.

What other cities are you excited to play in?

JJoNak and Libero: Seoul.

Mano: Shanghai.

Libero, you said on Discord that you had a mental breakdown last night. How were you feeling today?

Libero: I felt better today. Yesterday, I was having a hard time. But I woke up and played a game and felt good. I knew I’d be okay today.

JJoNak, what is the meaning behind your tattoo?

JJoNak: The one on the top is an octopus, the meaning of my nickname. It’s the most meaningful thing in my life. The roses on the bottom don’t mean anything. They’re just pretty.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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