TSM is moving forward to the semifinals after a victory against Echo Fox in five action-packed games.
Echo Fox made it to playoffs after an inconsistent performance in the summer split. The team known for its explosive and unpredictable style struggled to find the wins even after multiple roster changes. TSM, meanwhile, has been looking to recover from a brutal spring.
Echo Fox didn’t waste time in game one, as the team opened the scoreboard with a first blood at five minutes in the middle lane. Andy “Smoothie” Ta quickly showed his playmaking skills roaming through the map.
The objectives went in favor of Echo Fox early, but TSM managed more kills. An Echo Fox overextension allowed TSM to take control of the game, and with a baron buff and a pentakill by Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen, TSM claimed game one.
The aggression didn’t stop in game two, as both teams were looking for fights and kills across the map. Joshua “Dardoch” Hartnett was caught out of position several times, and TSM’s Jonathan “Grig” Armao stole a baron at 21 minutes.
TSM had multiple opportunities to take over but Echo Fox’s Lawrence “Lost” Hui was on point on Draven, pushing Echo Fox to even the series.
Another aggressive strategy proved to be effective in game three. Echo Fox secured the objectives and grew an immediate advantage. The squad secured baron and broke the enemy base at 27 minutes, deleting four enemies from the map and taking the series lead.
At match point, it seemed like Echo Fox had the series in the bag. In game four, Dardoch was assertive in the jungle and allowed top laner Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon to roam. Echo Fox grew a gold advantage until the mid-game when TSM reasserted itself by securing the baron buff.
Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg proved the star of game four with a pentakill that gave TSM a victory and took the series to game five.
Kevin “Hauntzer” Yarnell started the action with a solo kill in the top lane. TSM focused on the top lane from that point forward. The gold grew in TSM’s advantage, and so did the team’s available damage. It soon became obvious that TSM’s composition was scaling and fighting better. The game reached a point of no return for Echo Fox, and TSM booked their spot in the semifinals.
TSM will next play Cloud9, with the winner receiving a shot at the NA LCS title.
