EB Expo 2011 was truly a sight to be seen, the people, the massiveness of the event itself and the overall atmosphere really just allowed us to realize how real everything is, and how big a deal it will be if we were to come out on top and win this event. From three months back when I had just an idea of putting a team together with WCG as just a dream for us, an unattainable goal, to beating the best in Australia and qualifying for worlds in Korea has truly been a remarkable journey, and one that is just beginning to say the least!

The organization of the event itself had left much to be desired with last minute flights and accommodation for all teams, SQL having none as we are ‘local’ so team mates were bunking at each other’s houses just to make it to the event at all! Unfortunately shirts not arriving by mail in time so we looked like odd ones out wearing casual while everybody else had matching team shirts! Aside from all organizational flaws it was an amazing two days, amazing experience and three of the most intense games we have ever played as a team.

All games in the finals were Single Elimination Best of One’s, definitely not what we expected and some may say unfair for the losing teams, but none the less this added to the intensity of the entire thing, it was A-Game or NO game.
Round 1 in the finals saw us against team inertia, allowed in from Sydney as a team that placed third when ArcMSI disbanded, they were most definitely having the odds against them, and this proved true when we pulled together exceptionally to demolish them in a game under 30 minutes, having been on top from the start and without looking back we gained an exceptional gold lead and just rushed their base, killing them and everything they had winning convincingly.

After a promising first game we were placed against team LoLA, a well renowned LoL team and a team we knew absolutely nothing about, so we were naturally worried as to what we will expect or what will happen from the get go. But as we started the game with everything on the line, we played a game like no other, everybody doing their job flawlessly. Our game was so rock solid that they could find no way to break through our defence, offense, or map control.

We slowly but surely assured our victory, acquiring dragons, kills, and towers to the point where we could easily team fight without question, initiating under their base towers without worry and steamrolling our way through the rest of game two, cementing our birth into the grand final.
The grand final, the match who decided who was going to Korea, who was to verse the top international teams from around the world. It was a very intense game from start to finish. In short:

First game picks
Fray - Udyr, Ryze, rumble, Cait, Rammus

SQL - Akali, GP, Cassiopeia, Trist, Sona

Game began with no invades, about 6-7 minutes in domo on udyr attempted to counter jungle estonian on GP at top double golems, which for some reason domo flashed for GP, gp ate oranges and flashed out to top lane, Akali came over and was an easy first blood.

From there on and with Akali with first blood, blue buff and 6 minute gunblade, obbie on rumble was struggling hard, with Akali killing him another 1-2 times under his tower. Bottom lane got an early kill on cait, which gave them a slight advantage. From there on, SQL had entire map control with a fed Akali being a real terror. Fray really couldn't do much about it, so as SQL went to baron around 32 minute mark, ryze and cait pushed bottom lane second turret, in which Akali had tped back and 1 v 2’d both of them like a boss. As the game went on SQL continued to push killing all 3 inhibitors, then got a second baron which then dale never fails on Akali picked up an official penta kill, ending the game.

Game one to SQL.

Second game:
Fray - irelia, tristana, leesin, cait, malphite.

SQL - Renek, kennen, nocturne, sona, kog.

The second game started in the favour of Fray, being a very aggressive team taking to the bottom lane of SQL was easy work for them having ap tristana to burst and run in 1 swift motion, they took early dragon control and continued their attempts at ganking securing a minor lead over SQL. The countless gank attempts began to punish them as rusty continued to push mid lane securing an early tower. Bot lane began to push back into its strength with kog maw proving to become a lot to handle for Fray. Most skirmishes turned into SQL’s favour, gaining small positive kill tradeoffs around 2-3 to SQL and 1-2 to fray, SQL always having one more.

AP tristana had some mean burst, catching sona out numerous times, but with noc and renek jumping straight onto the carries, and kennen just holding tristana down and protecting the kog maw, there wasn’t much fray could of done. A few mistakes towards the end by SQL could have cost the game, a push to bottom lane was heavily countered by fray, but they were not in the position to really bring back the game.
From there, winning the game became clockwork, with the excitement kicking in everybody was screaming at every positive outcome to every event in the game. Spectators were on the edge of their seats watching our every move as we upset the #1 team in Australia.
SQL- 2 Defeat Fray- 0

MVP goes to Dale Never Fails for his stellar akali performance.

Well done to both teams, Alot of players and teams had no hope for SQL, but the underdogs took the trophy at the end of the day which is all that matters!

Shoutouts to scream for the third game write-up, MF, cC and all those who competed for the fun times that will not be forgotten. Also a big thanks to SQL and Tt eSPORTS.
We will do SQL and Australian gaming proud in Korea in December!