Florida State Esports advances to National Championship
The Florida State Splatoon (Esports) program defeated UC Santa Cruz in a 5-4 series, clinching its second national championship appearance since 2022.
Take notice, Esports world. Florida State is one game away from its second national championship in collegiate Splatoon. On Sunday, the team defeated UC Santa Cruz 5-4 in a best-of-nine set, advancing to the Collegiate Cephalopod Association's Division 7 National Championship.
FSU Goldies started by dropping the first game to UC Santa Cruz in Splat Zones, but responded by taking the next three games in a row in Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Clam Blitz. With a 3-1 lead, the Seminoles let UC Santa Cruz back in as they won their second Splat Zones game and another game in Tower Control. A 3-3 tie brought it to match point on Clam Blitz in the Museum d'Alfonsino map, but UC Santa Cruz would push it to a game nine, with it being all on the line in Splat Zones on Shipshape Cargo Co.
In a thrilling game nine where FSU brought it to one point away from a knockout, the Goldies allowed UC Santa Cruz to score 81 out of the 100 points to clinch the match. In the last 10 seconds, FSU painted the zone and ran out the clock to punch its ticket to the national championship. FSU Splatoon advances for just the second time to the National Championship game in the CCA league.
The last time they were there in 2023, they won it all. Commentator inker2_ on the Twitch livestream was quoted as saying, "That set really had it all. No hyperbole to it.