This marks FlyQuest’s first World Championship appearance in four years, and they did it in style, taking down one of the LCS��s most storied teams.
FlyQuest��s journey to this victory wasn��t straightforward.
After finishing third in the LCS Summer regular season with a 5-2 record, FlyQuest fell to Cloud9 0-2 on the final day.
However, their thirst for revenge was evident in the playoffs.
Despite losing the first game of the series, FlyQuest looked dominant throughout, nearly clinching the win in map one before Cloud9 managed a narrow comeback.
From that point on, it was all FlyQuest.
In the following maps, FlyQuest took control, winning maps two and three in long but convincing fashion.
The final map, however, was a masterclass in dominance.
FlyQuest dismantled Cloud9 in just 26 minutes with a perfect 14-0 kill score, leaving Cloud9 without a single kill.
A significant contributor to FlyQuest��s victory was mid laner Song “Quad” Su-hyeong, who celebrated his 22nd birthday by putting on an exceptional performance.
Quad achieved a 25-5 kill/death score over the series, with a standout nine-kill performance in Game 2 on Smolder.
His 81% kill participation underscored his critical role in FlyQuest’s success.
But it wasn��t just Quad who shone.
Top laner Gabri?l “Bwipo” Rau rebounded from a difficult start to hold his own in a Renekton vs. K��Sante battle against C9��s Park “Thanatos” Seung-gyu.
Meanwhile, jungler Kacper “Inspired” S?oma secured a crucial baron steal on map three, shifting the momentum decisively in FlyQuest��s favour.
After the match, Inspired highlighted the team��s growth in coordination, stating, ��The team is finally doing only coordinated plays; in this game and the whole series, we never took a fight when we didn��t need to.��
This win sends FlyQuest to the upper bracket final against Team Liquid on Saturday, August 31.
Although their primary goal of reaching LoL Worlds is secured, FlyQuest is far from complacent.
Inspired acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that Team Liquid is equally adept at controlled gameplay, making their upcoming match anything but easy.
Welcome to #LCS Championship weekend, FlyQuest
#FLYWIN pic.twitter.com/VmkmfQIhTr
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) August 25, 2024
Cloud9, on the other hand, now faces a critical test.
After falling to FlyQuest, they��ll await the winner of Dignitas vs. 100 Thieves for a do-or-die match on Sunday, September 1, to claim the final LCS spot at Worlds.
Despite their recent struggles, Cloud9 remains a formidable opponent, having attended ten of the past eleven World Championships.
However, they��ll need to regroup quickly and address the mistakes that plagued them in this series to keep their streak alive.
FlyQuest’s victory not only avenges their regular season loss to Cloud9 but also cements their resurgence in the LCS.
As they prepare to face Team Liquid, fans can expect a thrilling encounter between two of the top teams in North America.
]]>Veteran mid-laner Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen is rumoured to be benched for the entire split, with Song “Quad” Su-hyeong set to be promoted to the main roster from FlyQuest Challengers.
Quad has had a notable journey in his career, starting with DRX as an academy mid-laner before moving to Gen.G and NS RedForce.
In 2024, he debuted in the LCS with FlyQuest Challengers.
Initially known as a Cassiopeia specialist, Quad has since expanded his champion pool significantly, showcasing his versatility and growth as a professional player.
FlyQuest Challengers had an impressive spring split, finishing first in the regular season and sweeping Maryville University 3-0 to win the tournament.
Quad��s outstanding performance, particularly his expertise on meta champions like Ahri, Taliyah, and Corki, earned him a promotion to the main roster.
Notably, Quad led the NACL mid-laners in kills and had the second-highest KDA in the spring split, with an impressive 879 average damage to champions per minute, according to Oracle��s Elixir.
FlyQuest’s main roster also had a strong start in the spring split, quickly becoming fan favourites.
Despite finishing first in the regular season, they fell short in the playoff finals against Team Liquid and struggled at the Mid-Season Invitational.
As a result, FlyQuest is likely looking to Quad to reinvigorate the team’s performance and push them back into championship contention.
With Jensen potentially benched, his future remains uncertain.
He might transfer to another team for the summer split or take a temporary break from competitive play to pursue streaming, a common path for many pro players in similar situations.
The only expected roster change for FlyQuest is Quad’s promotion, as the team believes they have the building blocks for a championship and need that one piece to propel them to the top.
Quad��s addition could provide the needed firepower and fresh perspective to help FlyQuest reclaim their position as top contenders in the LCS.
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