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It was a messy 2-0 sweep for QG Reapers on Thursday against Vici Gaming, kicking off Week 9, Day 1 of the League of Legends Pro League with a chaotic series win in Shanghai.
Vici Gaming (4-9, 11-20 match record) had a solid start to Game 1, despite QG picking up first blood before 10 minutes. Teamfighting well around mid laner Lee "Easyhoon" Ji-hoon's Taliyah in the mid game, Vici Gaming took a commanding lead, though it wasn't dictating the pace of the game. QG Reapers' mentality of constantly teamfighting until it won or died finally paid off at 28 minutes, when QG took a 4-for-1 fight around Baron to secure a Baron kill. Just like that, things were over for Vici Gaming, who struggled to punch through QG top laner Kan "Kabe" Ho Man's Nautilus, who finished Game 1 with a 3/1/8 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) for 85 percent kill participation. QG Reapers took a decisive, clean 5-for-0 ace in the bottom lane at 30 minutes, ending the game shortly afterwards to go up 1-0.
Vici Gaming had an even better start in Game 2 as jungler Bae "Bengi" Seong-woong's Graves picked up three early kills to put Vici roughly 2,300 gold ahead at 14 minutes. QG Reapers (8-6, 19-14 match record) didn't stay down for long, however, picking up a 3-for-0 teamfight win at the 18-minute mark to put itself back in the game. Throughout a scrappy mid-late game, a 25-minute QG Baron saw it lose three members after securing the buff, which it still used to obtain an objective lead. With a berth into the LPL playoffs in its sights, QG took a second Baron at 32 minutes and an ensuing 5-for-1 teamfight, powered by a quadra-kill from AD carry Wang "Alone" Zi-Jun's Ezreal, closing the game out in 34 minutes and securing a playoff spot.
QG Reapers will next take to the Rift at 1 a.m ET on Saturday to take on Game Talents, while Vici Gaming prepares to face Newbee at 4 a.m ET on Saturday.