TSM has punched its ticket to the 2018 NA LCS Summer Playoffs behind a massive performance from Bjergsen’s Akali.
In the final regular season game of summer, TSM defeated NA LCS reigning champions Team Liquid. Despite holding a negative record for its majority, TSM will finish the 2018 NA LCS Summer Split with a 10-8 record. Due to a 4-way tie for 3rd with Echo Fox, FlyQuest, and 100Thieves, there will be four tiebreaker games before the 2018 NA LCS Quarterfinals.
Bjergsen’s Akali was absolutely devastating. In his debut performance on the reworked Fist of Shadow, Bjergsen’s Akali singlehandedly won the game for TSM.
Return of the King
The early game was a death sentence for TSM. Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen and Alfonso “Mithy” Aguirre were trounced in lane, dying a combined four times in the first six minutes. The advantage TSM had gained in the draft phase by forcing Team Liquid AD Carry Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng onto Tristana had completely evaporated.
Bjergsen’s Akali performance showcased a level of aggression absent from TSM’s play the entire year. Marred by passivity and indecision, TSM fell in the Quarterfinals of the 2018 NA LCS Spring Playoffs to Clutch Gaming. The first round exit was the team’s worst finish in NA LCS history.
In a post-game interview with Ovilee May, Bjergsen expressed gratitude towards his teammates for putting their trust in his ability on Akali.
Thank you to my teammates for trusting me to first-pick Akali and giving over any champions Team Liquid wanted. I appreciate that.
In the following day’s tiebreaker games to seed the 2018 NA LCS Quarterfinals, TSM fell to Echo Fox. Later in the day, TSM rallied and defeated FlyQuest to secure the 5th seed. Bjergsen’s Akali was not let through the ban phase in either game.