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Due to scheduling conflicts we're unable to provide you with battle reports for the final two weeks of GOM's Ro16. Instead, we'll link to the games and provide a brief summary in spoilers, bolding two of the games to indicate preference for watching those games over the others.
Results
Ro16 - Day 3
MVP vs Berserker
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +Game 2
+ Show Spoiler +Game 3
+ Show Spoiler +
Tempest vs MenSol[ZerO]
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +Game 2
+ Show Spoiler +Game 3
+ Show Spoiler +
Ro16 - Day 3
MVP vs Berserker
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +
Although at a positional disadvantage, Berserker took an early lead with a smartly executed 2 factory tank push. MVP was able to recover to an extent, but looked uncomfortable and indecisive throughout the mid-game. When MVP finally dedicated himself to a cliff drop, Berserker counter dropped MVPs main and pushed his ground forces into MVP's front natural, ending the game in short order.
+ Show Spoiler +
Both players decided to open with massive amounts of vultures with mines, but while Berserker transitioned out of heavy vultures by making a sizable tank force, MVP opted for wraith. Berserker's initial reaction to the wraith was to unsiege his tanks and then reseige them, costing him 1-2 tanks that he didn't need to lose. By the time Berserker had goliath to discourage the wraith bombardment, MVP had a tank advantage which he used to set up a contain. Berserker was able to make a game of it, but never recovered from his initial blunder as MVP was allowed to control the flow of the game from beginning to end.
+ Show Spoiler +
Berserker's famously surgical dropship play turned an early economic disadvantage around. Due to a few poor decisions, MVP was eventually starved for gas and failed to keep up with with Berserker's tank production. Berserker Eliminates MVP.
Tempest vs MenSol[ZerO]
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +
ZerO takes game 1 with a smart hydra timing push which followed a scourge/muta opening that shut down Tempest's corsair/dt strategy.
+ Show Spoiler +
ZerO deflects Tempest's initial 2 archon/speedlot timing push with a mixture of hydra, sunkens and expertly placed zerg buildings. However, he lost a considerable number of drones in the process and was unable to counter Tempest's third quickly enough to prevent Tempest from securing it. Despite some incredible micro by ZerO, he's unable to defend against Tempest's superior economy, and eventually falls to streams of protoss units.
+ Show Spoiler +
ZerO's sunken was moments late and Tempest was able to destroy it with his first four zealots. He walked two dark templar into ZerO's main while a back-up sunken was building and severely knocked ZerO off his game. Although ZerO placed his third at another main's natural and was able to secure it, it did not matter to Tempest's signiture follow up: a stream of protoss units straight into the zerg natural. Tempest eliminates MenSol[ZerO].
Ro16 - Day 4
Jaedong vs Much
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +Game 2
+ Show Spoiler +Game 3
+ Show Spoiler +
Violet vs EffOrt
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +Game 2
+ Show Spoiler +Game 3
+ Show Spoiler +
Jaedong vs Much
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +
Much does absolutely nothing to throw Jaedong off his game. And since Jaedong's game involves winning, that's what happens.
+ Show Spoiler +
See above. Jaedong eliminates Much in a one-sided series.
+ Show Spoiler +
Game 3 unnecessary.
Violet vs EffOrt
Game 1
+ Show Spoiler +
It doesn't look like Violet practiced for this game, he proxy gates and hesitates at EffOrt's ramp. Violet loses since EffOrt is able to place sunkens in his main and expand to his rear natural.
+ Show Spoiler +
EffOrt decides Violet is vulnerable to all-in ling and, distracting Violet's Zealots with a small group of zerglings, he gains access to Violet's vulnerable natural. Violet ggs as soon as his cannon (singular) and zealots are killed. EffOrt eliminates Violet in a disappointing series.
+ Show Spoiler +
Game 3 unnecessary.
sKyHigh vs July could turn out to be a pretty nice series. CJ's Terran phenomenon has been in a bit of a minislump for June, and this may open the door for July to win his first boX series against a Terran since he beat SEri and IdrA in the 2008 Winter MSL Offline Preliminaries. Lacking any proleague (or OSL or MSL) responsibilities, July can focus all his attention on this game, and with sKyHigh looking vulnerable for the first time this year, he may just sneak his way into the semi-finals! Doubt me? Check it.
Flash vs Shuttle isn't quite a forgone conclusion, either. Shuttle is used to being an underdog that eliminates big names-- especially in GOM, where he gets superpowers-- and he showed not twenty-five days ago that he's capable of giving Flash a challenge in the 2009 Bacchus OSL (check it out)! Unlike sKyHigh, however, Flash is most certainly not slumping, so Shuttle is still a big underdog for this series. If the OSL games were the result of Flash underestimating Shuttle, it's a mistake he's not likely to repeat, but it should be entertaining to watch this rematch anyway.
The maps for the Quarterfinals will be Heartbreak Ridge, Outsider and Destination.
Odds n' Ends
LosingID8 had a chance to interview Violet recently. If you haven't yet had the chance to read it, I suggest that you take the time to do so! Among other things, Violet talks about GOM and how he approached his games.
See you in the Live Report Thread!