Week 4 Rocket League Recap – Student Champs Spring 2022/23

Rocket League was back on our screens last week, and four more teams took to the stream to battle for the victory.

Jamie ‘JustJamie’ Kerrison looks back at the Rocket League action between QMSamurai BR Vs GCS Owls RL1 and Bexhill Warriors RL Vs Cambridge Inferno RLB.

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MATCH 1 – QMSamurai BR Vs GCS Owls RL1:

QMSamurai BR:

Tycra
Atom
Kizuri

GCS OWLS RL1:

HY
Nebbzy
Owen

Game 1:

It was a slow start for the first 20 seconds of the match as straight after kick off, the ball was hit from one end of the field to the other. Atom and Kizuri managed to maintain possession for QMSamurai and the ball bounced off the post from a shot by Kizuri for Atom to sweep in and bang the ball into the back of the net, making it past the awkward defence of GCS Owls, 1-0. 

After the second kick off of the match GCS OWLS seemed to be applying pressure on the QMSamurai defence, and the ball didn’t seem to be able to escape from the blue side of the field no matter how hard the defence tried. Nearly two minutes into the game an unfortunate miss from the third man positioned player for GCS OWLS had them scrambling to get back – but it wasn’t enough as a shot from Tycra from the halfway line sails into the net giving QMSamurai a 2-0 lead. 

Not even 20 seconds later, Hy for GCS Owls managed to get themselves on the scoreboard as they hit the ball off the sidewall to centre it for a passing play and it took a deflection off the top of Atom and bounced over the goal line to make it 2-1. 

The remainder of the match went very much back and forth with GCS OWLS trying their hardest to link up some passing plays, but being cut off at every opportunity by QMSamurai meant the match finished 3-1.

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Game 2:

Game 2 started with a quick goal in the first 15 seconds as GCS Owls over-committed and low air dribbled into a bump by Tycra – making it easy for Atom to pop that ball towards the net and secure the first goal for QMSamurai 1-0.

Just after the 3 minute mark, the GCS Owls managed to turn the tide of play, and Owen managed to secure an equaliser to make it 1-1. After 30 seconds of open play after the equalising goal, Owen managed to pop off and secure the first lead for GCS Owls as he battered the ball off the back wall and got a tight angled double tap into a dunk to make it 2-1.

With under 2 minutes left on the clock, GCS Owls maintained pressure, but were put to a stop by Atom, who managed to catch the ball and pinch with Tycra forcing the ball to go sailing into the net, equalising the game once again in favour of QMSamurai.

The ball touched the ground after 5 minutes and triggered the first overtime of the series. The run of play was in favour of QMSamurai as they are peppering the backboard of GCS Owls, until a desperate fight is made and Owen seizes on his chance with a well placed shot that makes it over two players to secure his hat trick and a 3-1 OT win for GCS Owls.

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Game 3:

With the series now tied up at 1-1, both teams were playing a bit more reserved at the start of the third match, with the first goal not coming until a minute and half had passed. QMSamurai managed to get the ball into GCS Owls half, and Kuzuri managed to chip the ball high onto the backboard to get a double tap behind Hy who couldn’t rotate round to keep the ball out the back of the net.

After 2 minutes pass on the time QMSamurai are looking on form as they maintain possession of the ball, and a play off the sidewall manages to make it through the lacklustre defence of GCS Owls and bounce favourably for Atom to secure a 2-0 lead.

With 1 minute and 45 seconds left on the clock GCS OWLS managed to get themselves a goal with a great clear by Nebzzy from the defensive 3rd which Hy managed to hit past two defenders off the crossbar and Nebzzy sweeps in and secures an easy goal, 2-1. Nebzzy manages to secure an equaliser with just under a minute gone as a miss play in the midfield by QMSamurai puts the ball behind the 3rd man and Nebzzy pounces to smash the ball into the bottom right corner 2-2. 

With 26 seconds on the clock, it looked like QMSamurai were making moves to secure themselves a goal, but out of nowhere, Nebbzy intercepted the play and in one touch they hit the ball hard into the upper net making it 3-2 and securing themselves a hat trick. The ball dropped to the floor and just like that, GCS Owls came back from a 2 goal deficit and were on match point going into game 4.

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Game 4:

Game 4 gets underway with high aggression from both teams. As we near the 1st minute mark Tycra, passed the ball back and forth to Kizuri in the midfield, who leathers it towards the goal so hard that Hy managed to get a touch but it wasn’t enough to keep the ball out the net.

The 2nd kickoff of the match works in favour of the Owls, but they can’t do anything with it as Atom of QMSamurai takes the ball up the side wall to get a great pass into the middle for Kizuri – who only took one touch to get it into the back of the net and secures a 2-0 lead with 3 minutes 51 seconds left on the clock.

Straight off the bat, Kizuri attempts a shot and it hits the crossbar, he went for another and it went off the crossbar again. There was panic in the defence of GCS Owls as they scramble to get to the ball bouncing in front of the net, but Atom came charging in trying to smash the ball through the wall of players.

It was 3-1 QMSamurai with just under 2 minutes left in the match and QM made a huge over commitment and left the net open for Owen to receive a pass from Hy and bang the ball off the backboard and into the net. Now being 3-2, GCS Owls were trying to get the win here and now, but a miss-flick gave up possession of the ball and Kizuri got an easy shot off to make 4-2 for QMSamurai.

Kizuri took no chances and straight after the kick off the ball bounced into the air, they were up first to hit the ball into the corner, where it floated into the front of the net. Kizuri, still up in the air, used their boost to chase the ball down and make it 5-2. The ball hits the ground and we see Game 5.

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Game 5:

As we went into Game 5, both teams were swapping possession of the ball, until a misplay in the midfield gave Owen the chance to boom the ball off QMSamurai’s backboard and secured a 1-0 lead for GCS Owls.

QMSamurai had a quick response though as Tycra took the ball onto the top of his car, got a good flick, and managed to get back to the ball to pop it high before bumping the keeper out the way making it an easy open net for Atom to tie the game 1-1.

The timer was about to hit the 1 minute remaining mark, and Atom popped the ball into the air and he faked to let Kizuri slam the ball into the back of the net making it 2-1 for QMSamurai. GCS OWLS were trying desperately to tie up the match to get themselves to OT but nothing came from it. The timer was counting down the final 10 seconds of the match and Atom came in with 3 seconds to spare and slammed it home securing the Rocket League victory for QMSamurai in Game 5.

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MATCH 2 – Bexhill Warriors Rocket League Vs Cambridge Inferno RL B:

Bexhill Warriors Rocket League:

ASTN
IPEAKEDPLAT
MISSIONNNNN

Cambridge Inferno RL B:

ReeceTompkins9
Time 🙂
TY.CO

Game 1:

It took 40 seconds for us to see the first goal for the Bexhill Warriors Rocket League, as a lack of communication on defence for Cambridge Inferno caused a double commit that led IPEAKEDPLAT to get a touch which bounced the ball into the back of the net.

Another goal for Bexhill Warriors came before the 1st minute of the game, with another defensive mistake from Cambridge Inferno saw the ball bounce off their backboard into the goal. Cambridge managed to get one back within 15 seconds after kickoff to make it 1-2, as the ball is cleared from the back of the orange half, and ReeceTompkins9 is able to race to the ball before anyone from Bexhill Warriors is able to get back into net.

We saw more defensive mistakes coming from Cambridge Inferno as nobody was able to get a hold of the ball, allowing it to bounce up above the crossbar from an attempt at the net by IPEAKEDATPLAT and Missionnnnn to slam it home for a 3-1 lead.

Cambridge Inferno seemed to pick themselves up, and started to be more aggressive with just under a minute left. ReeceTomkins9 managed to get a pass across the front of the net and interfered with the defence of Bexhill Warriors enough for TY.CO to receive the pass and boom the ball into the top of the net – making it 3-2.

It was all falling apart for Bexhill Warriors Rocket League as the ball didn’t leave their half, and an easy goal by Time 🙂 made it 3-3 with only 28 seconds left. The ball does bounce onto the floor after the remaining play time, and we have a Game one OT. It took 1 minute and 18 seconds of Overtime to see a goal and it belongs to ASTN of Bexhill Warriors – meaning they win Game one 4-3 by the skin of their teeth.

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Game 2:

2 minutes of play after kick off the first goal of the game went in, but there had been numerous chances for both teams to score up until that point. Bexhill Warriors Rocket League overcame and were gifted an easy open net for ASTN to hit the ball into and make the match 1-0.

As the game passed the halfway mark Missionnnnn got a great clear from the midfield sidewall and ASTN,unchallenged, was able to put another shot into the back of the net to bring it to 2-0.

The defence for Cambridge Inferno totally fell apart again as they double committed in the corners, giving space for IPEAKEDATPLAT to get a touch and slowly bounce over the line at a lowly 34kph making it 3-0 with 1 minute and a half left on the clock. The game finishes 3-0 to Bexhill Warriors who are now ready to grab a sweep on match point.

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Game 3:

Bexhill Warriors didn’t hesitate going into this next game, and it took them 30 seconds to score the first goal in Game 3. IPEAKEDATPLAT certainly hadn’t finished peaking as they caught the ball at the halfway line, drove it towards the wall, and used the flip and remaining boost in the tank to catch a clip reset to make it through the crumbling defence of Cambridge Warriors, 1-0.

The run of play fell very much in favour of Bexhill Warriors, as they were given so much time on the ball, but the defence of Cambridge Inferno held up.

Eventually we saw another goal for Bexhill Warriors at the 1 minute 20 seconds mark, as IPEAKEDPLAT chipped the ball into the air and caught the reset – of which they used to take a shot, where they put the ball into the back of the net making it 2-0.

Cambridge Inferno seemed to have given up with no player really challenging any attempts made by Bexhill Warriors, and the ball did eventually drop after the countdown – giving Bexhill Warriors Rocket League the 3-0 series sweep.

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Eager for more Student Champs, or Rocket League action? You can catch weekly streams over on the British Esports Twitch channel at 4pm every Wednesday, with the next stream after half term featuring League of Legends. Rocket League will be returning over the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

As well as this, the Overwatch 2 Women in Esports Division of the Student Champs is featured every week over on the Women in Esports Twitch.