SP9RK1E shines as Dallas Fuel secures 3-1 win over Atlanta Reign

The June Joust tournament winners’ final saw Dallas Fuel take on Atlanta Reign in a battle for a grand final slot. The tournament uses a double-eliminaton format so the loser of this match would still get another chance to reach the finals. 

The Overwatch League June Joust has a $225,000 prize pool. After several weeks of divisional qualifiers and more recently, the knockout phase, there are only four teams remaining in the tournament. 

The two teams started the series on Nepal where Tae-hoon "Edison" Kim’s Reaper was dealing massive amounts of damage on a consistent basis. While the tanks soaked a lot of incoming damage, Edison was able to position himself and Death Blossom the enemy to their deaths. The second point was a Dallas Fuel stomp as they had a 100-0 score. Atlanta Reign never won the ultimate economy battle and had no foothold into capturing the point. 

The third point saw Eui-Seok "Fearless" Lee dominate the initial team fight to give Dallas a healthy start. The back and forth on the point was normal, but it wasn’t until MASAA booped Sparkle off the map that Atlanta looked to be in control. Atlanta Reign held the point and won Nepal with a 2-1 score.

A brawly composition (featuring Torbjorn) by Atlanta Reign saw them take the first point on Volskaya without any troubles. The team had nearly six minutes to attack the second point, a large time-bank that was always good news for any Atlanta fan. A couple of failed attempts later, Kai "Kai" Collins finally switched to Reaper. Atlanta Reign took the second point with 1:01 to spare and Pelican played a crucial role in this victory.

Dallas Fuel did not have a similarly strong start on point 1, but the team more than made up for it on the second point. Yeong-han "SP9RK1E" Kim’s Dragonblade did not net multiple kills, but he split up the fight to perfection. This movement allowed his teammates to focus on goals and ultimately secure the second point with 2.54 to spare. A perfect  hold by Dallas Fuel in the second round meant that the series was tied at 1-1. 

Dallas Fuel started on the attack on Numbani. The team was able to explore just enough weaknesses in the Atlanta defense to finish the map in overtime. 

The third map of Numbani truly highlighted Edison’s Reaper. With Edison being able to teleport behind enemy lines and coordinate the attack with the rest of the Atlanta squad, it looked very easy for the Reign. 

Dallas Fuel seemed to have found its groove on Numbani as the players were all for taking aggressive risks. They would push into the Atlanta Reign with just seconds to spare on the clock. These type of aggressive plays highlight the team’s confidence and it was also evident on the next map.

Rialto also saw Dallas Fuel emerge victorious. Dallas could not complete the map finishing 2 points and nearly 72 meters further. But the team’s defense was impenetrable constantly wiping valuable minutes off the Reing’s time-bank. Ultimately, Dallas Fuel secure the map and the series to book a grand finals slot.

A 3-1 victory might seem relatively one-sided for Dallas Fuel, but Atlanta Reign had many opportunities to secure the series. There is a good likelihood that the Reign will seek a rematch in the grand finals against Dallas Fuel. That match would be an exciting replay as Atlanta Reign will be prepared for the Fuel's aggression and sometimes casual approach to the game.

Dallas Fuel are the current champions having won the May Melee tournament. Judging by their current performance, the Fuel seem primed for a repeat performance. Overwatch fans are also looking forward to a potential return for one of the best DPC players of the League, Do-hyeon "Pine" Kim.

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