After a disappointing series loss against Golden Guardians on Thursday, Team SoloMid rebounded on Saturday with a sweep Dignitas to advance to Round 2 of the League of Legends Championship Series Summer Playoffs. The loss marks the end of the season for Dignitas, who will be watching the rest of the playoffs from home.
TSM came into the series as heavy favorites to beat Dignitas, despite getting swept by Golden Guardians just two days prior.
It was a much needed, dominant three game set for TSM. Throughout the series, they consistently had map control over Dignitas, who often seemed lost and uncoordinated. TSM was able to successfully utilize their map pressure to slowly suffocate Dignitas. Even while they were being threatened on soul point in game three, TSM’s superior macro play was showcased and Dignitas was unable to get past TSM’s pressure.
Franchise cornerstone Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg was named Player of the Series for his dominance over mid lane opponent Kim “Fenix” Jae-hun. In just three games, Bjergsen was able to show off his wide range of champions. The mid laner had a KDA (kill/death/assist) of 9/2/2 while on the carry role with Syndra. He played the supportive role while on Twisted Fate, and he even brought out the in-your-face, engage heavy champion in Sett.
Despite TSM’s dominance over Dignitas, their biggest opponent continues to be themselves. While they appeared to be a well-oiled team this series, it was a stark difference between these three games and the three games they lost to Golden Guardians. TSM’s inconsistent drafts continue to be a major chink in their armor, and they often seem held back by their conflicting team compositions.
Meanwhile, Dignitas has a long offseason ahead of them. Two disappointing splits in a row have left a bad taste in the mouths of their fans. It won’t be surprising to see the organization make major changes before 2021.
Round 2 of the LCS Summer Playoffs continue on Thursday, starting with Cloud9 taking on FlyQuest at 4:00 Eastern Time. TSM is set to play on Sunday against the loser of Team Liquid and Golden Guardians.
