League of Legends: Cloud9 win LCS Summer championship with 3-0 sweep over 100 Thieves

North American League of Legends (LoL) powerhouse Cloud9 (C9) claimed the 2022 LoL Championship Series (LCS) Summer title after sweeping 100 Thieves (100T) 3-0 in the fastest grand finals ever in LCS history.

Beyond the record books, this was also the first time since 2013 that C9 claimed the LCS Championship title.

C9 had an average Summer, finishing the regular season 5th place with an 11-8 standing. However, they looked like an entirely different and dominant team in the Playoffs.

C9 and 100T's road to the finals

The team first defeated Counter Logic Gaming 3-2 in the upper bracket quarterfinals before dominating Spring Champions Evil Geniuses (EG), 3-1, in the upper bracket semifinals.

C9 then did the same to 100T, winning the upper bracket finals 3-1, to make it to the grand finals.

100T, on the other hand, had a strong performance in the regular season, finishing 2nd with a 14-4 standing.

This allowed them to start in the upper bracket semifinals, where they outlasted Team Liquid, 3-2, before being defeated by C9 in the upper bracket finals.

100T then eliminated EG in the lower bracket finals 3-2 to set up a rematch with C9 in the grand finals.

C9 goes classic in game one

In the first game of the finals, C9 opted for a classic Zeri-Lulu combination in the bot lane, with a Le Blanc mid to follow through with damage. 100T responded with a Sivir-Soraka combination.

C9 dominated the early game, taking the first kill in the mid lane and following up with a gank at the top lane.

They then continued their siege, with Robert "Blaber" Huang effectively rotating around the map and catching the members of 100T off guard with his Nocturne ult.

100T could not find ways to fight back against C9’s extremely mobile top and bottom laners.

In a fight at the Baron pit, C9 picked off 100T in a dominant fashion. And in just 27 minutes and with a 12-3 kill lead, C9 sounly claimed their first win of the finals.

100T up the tempo in game two, but C9 are ready

100T took Zeri and Lulu for themselves in game two to try and get ahead of C9. Meanwhile, C9 responded with Sivir-Yuumi, another classic combination this Summer.

100T picked up their tempo in the second game, finding kills across the map and taking the first turret.

However, the tides turned in favour of C9 after Blaber found Ian Victor "FBI" Huang’s Zeri in the jungle, allowing C9 to ace 100T in their own jungle.

C9 won back-to-back team fights from there, with Blaber taking out FBI first and nearly finishing 100T every time.

With a 6,000-gold lead and the Baron buff on them, C9 dove turrets and destroyed 100T at every turn.

And after a 24-minute sprint, C9 destroyed the enemy Nexus, winning the second game and taking their team to match point.

C9 turn the tables after a pivotal river fight

The third game started off hot with a C9 jungle invasion that ended with a first blood for Jesper "Zven" Svenningsen’s Lulu.

However, 100T were able to successfully trade kills, keep up the gold lead, and take the first Rift Herald while C9 traded for the first Dragon of the game.

Both teams continued to proactively find opportunities to outplay each other but still continued to trade evenly until 100T found a couple of kills to take an early game lead.

But once again, C9 quickly turned the tables around after finding a fight in the river, with Berserker’s Sivir bursting down almost everyone in 100T.

And just like before, C9 accelerated the game, winning team fight after team fight in a repeat of game two.

C9 caught 100T off guard in the jungle yet again, acing the opponents and taking the Baron.

With the Baron buff on them, C9 barrelled down the 100T base, but Lee "Clozer" Ju-hyeon was able to stop the siege, taking out Jensen’s Zilean and allowing his team to live for another fight.

However, C9 were able to take another Dragon to claim the Dragon Soul nearly uncontested. Sensing blood, the C9 team started the siege, with Berserker taking a triple kill that ended the chances of 100T.

After a 30-minute slaughter, C9 destroyed the 100T Nexus to secure the 3-0 series sweep and claim the 2022 LCS Summer championship and the US$100,000 grand prize.

Berserker was notably named the Player of the Series.

Meanwhile, 100T have settled for second place, taking home US$50,000 in consolation.

C9 and 100T have qualified as the first and second seed of the LCS in the LoL World Championship this year. They will be joined by EG in their attempt to win the World Championship for the LCS region.

Anna is a freelance writer and photographer. She is a gamer who loves RPGs and platformers and is a League of Legends geek. She's also a food enthusiast who loves a good cup of black coffee.

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