It wouldn’t be a UK CS event without copious group stage upsets, and EPIC.42 is no exception. While the clear-cut upsets are the underdog teams vanquishing the favourite teams, we’re also including a couple results here that went closer than people would have expected
We’ll be updating this article as the Group Stage moves on, so keep an eye on here and our X page as we’ll do our best to update this article as the upsets come in thick and fast.
Round 1
Group A: Belfast Storm 13-10 123PEEKNICE
While not an upset in terms of results, Joe “Dexie” Demmon and Luke “Nem” Mear’s return to competitive LAN play may have been slightly dampened by taking slightly longer than expected to pick up the win against the mix team they came up against.
Round 2
Group A: 123PEEKNICE 11-13 Invictum
The 123PEEKNICE mix team continue on with taking established teams to the edge, admittedly Invictum’s status still establishing their new players into the roster may take a part, this would’ve been slightly closer than they’d have preferred for Lorenzo “LTH” Venanzi and co in their quest for the upper bracket.
Group B: BLUEJAYS Royal 13-3 TYREECESIMPSON
The first proper upset here at LAN – and it’s a juicy one. TYREECESIMPSON made waves before LAN after their deep runs in the UKIC qualifiers, with three-time EPIC.WAN winner Oliver “Maza” Mazarelo in play. But their big LAN charge appears to have hit the brakes a little bit, facing a pretty comfortable loss against a lesser known BLUEJAYS roster. This will shake up the balance of power in Group B for those teams vying for the all important playoff spots this evening.
Round 2 at @EPICLAN kicks off with two 13-0s, but the main surprise comes from @BLUEJAYS_ATP demolishing TYREECESIMPSON 13-3 pic.twitter.com/kNhVnQMcEI
— UKCSGO (@ukcsgo) July 19, 2024
Round 3
Group C: DreamsToLegends 9-13 Girl Scouts
The mix team battle sees DreamsToLegends head into a nightmare. A semi-rematch of the UKIC Division 2 finals, a heavy hitting team including Zy “yz0” Esponilla fall in what appeared to be quite a comfortable match, as Liam “m1n1mal” Reynolds’ team produce a masterclass in the hunt for those coveted playoff spots. While these two teams are in a smaller group, so in theory reaching this evening’s games will be easier, the balance of power in missing the lower bracket is certainly now up in the air.
Group B: GET BDOG’D 10-13 TYREECESIMPSON
Initially missed due to the result being inputted incorrectly, TYREECESIMPSON bounce back from their earlier loss to take down Shuaib “Shoobie” Saddique’s squad, featuring former RAPTORS duo Arkadiusz “ifan” Dabkowski and Reegan “ReegaN” Ward. While both mix rosters are pretty close on paper, its worth a mention here for two reasons. One, as the quality of the teams and Maza‘s squad coming back from being utterly demolished and its good to follow this online team, and secondly because the admins made a mistake in reporting the score and “Mischief” has been making fun of me this LAN.
Group D: Annex Esports 15-15 hedgehogpeek
While not the first overtime this tournament’s seen, its the first one between two teams that don’t feature UKCSGO’s Arnie “Stetson” Petty. This mirage match went the distance, with Joseph “godkU” Fowkes’ team fresh from being picked up the evening before LAN, they’d likely have hoped to have not been hit by a draw this early in the competition. But, coming up against a mix team featuring Jake “KicA” Harter and Jack “JackB” Burton its not exactly the most unexpected LAN result in the world, but still an upset here in Kettering.
Round 4
Group C: DreamsToLegends 13-11 dishddd is going to HMP Wandsworth
Not much upset action in this round of games, either the matches have been close between similar seeds or the leading teams have been holding out strong. One to note was this heartbreaker for “edeninho“‘s squad against DreamsToLegends, where they were 11-6 up before losing a 2v1 situation that could’ve placed them into EPIC.LAN folklore and secured an exciting win. But, unfortunately, it wasn’t to be as DreamsToLegends picked up the gauntlet and raced to victory to secure the comeback.
Group D: The Last Resort 15-15 Annex Esports
Another draw hits EPIC.LAN 42, and its Annex again taking a game they’re in all the distance. This time it’s a good result for Annex, taking the UKCSGO Ranked #4 team to a shared points position. This will remain frustrating, however, as looking up the table their opponents now sit holding first and second, whereas Annex sit fourth. A comfortable fourth, but they sit two points away from a place into the upper bracket
Round 5
Group C: Girl Scouts 13-6 dishddd is going to HMP Wandsworth
Girl Scouts are comfortably becoming the story of Group C. Currently, with the Reason/DTL game still to finish, this result sends them right to the top of the group, comfortably beating their assigned seed and are now aiming for a flawless group. m1n1mal and team are properly getting their name out there this LAN, and will be one to watch as the event continues on this weekend.
Group C: Reason Gaming 13-11 DreamsToLegends
Reason were the expected winners and that was the result they managed to achieve. What was less expected, however, was being taken all the distance against the DTL mix team, that being said as the team were familiar foes in last season of UKIC Division 2 and DTL did manage to get the upper hand that time around. Still, Reason continue their journey in Group C with a flawless record. Reason and Girl Scouts play each other next in the battle for top seed of the group – only one will manage to keep both hands on their 100% winning records.
Round 6
Group B: Verdant 13-11 GET BDOG’D
Results in round six went more or less as expected, with the seed one teams recording victories to make firm claims to their upper bracket playoff qualification spots at the top of the group. A mention goes out to GET BDOG’D, however, who pushed Verdant the distance and came close to pressing the Anglo-Irish team to overtime, but due to Mason “Vacancy” Haines pulling off a 1v3 clutch in the final round on Nuke, they avoided having to share the points and continued with their 100% record.
Group C: DreamsToLegends 16-12 left lean gang
A late addition to the Round 6 update, and that is because the match itself ran late. DTL are not performing as many onlookers may have expected, and needing to go to overtime, to take down a left lean gang squad who are competing for that fourth and final playoff qualification place.
Round 7
Group B: GET BDOG’D 10-13 BLUEJAYS Royal
BLUEJAYS Royal continue their impressive appearance here at EPIC.LAN 42, this time taking down the fairly stacked mix roster of GET BDOG’D, and securing the true upset and picking up second place in their group and heading to the upper bracket of the playoffs this evening.
Group C: Reason Gaming 13-11 left lean gang
Reason’s position at the top of the table had been confirmed in the round prior, thanks to the head-to-head sorting rules for the group stage. So, not many could be too disappointed in them letting off the gas a bit in what was a dead rubber game… for them. For left lean gang, on the other hand, this was a vital must win game for them to secure that final playoff spot over dishddd is going to HMP Wandsworth. However, despite going all the way in regulation, it wouldn’t to be and they are out of the main portion of the LAN.
