Smash sweeps highlight two days of esports action
BECKLEY, W.Va. — WVU Tech esports earned a pair of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sweeps Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 26-27, highlighting two days of competition that also featured a strong Teamfight Tactics performance, Fortnite Zero Build Duos action and a five-game Marvel Rivals battle.
The Golden Bears defeated Stockton Smash Ultimate 2-0 in ECAC competition Monday before sweeping Buena Vista Blue 2-0 on Tuesday to improve to 5-0 in NECC Super Smash Bros. Ultimate play.
Junior Triston Stover continued his climb in the ECAC Teamfight Tactics standings, moving into fourth place among 32 competitors in Division D. WVU Tech also totaled 76 points in Fortnite Zero Build Duos, while the Marvel Rivals team rallied from a two-game deficit before falling 3-2 to Illini Esports Blue.
ECAC Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Oct. 26
WVU Tech 2, Stockton Smash Ultimate 0
WVU Tech opened the week with a convincing sweep of Stockton Smash Ultimate, earning 12-5 and 12-4 victories to improve to 3-3 in ECAC competition.
The Golden Bears took 24 stocks across the two games while surrendering just nine, finishing with a 15-stock advantage.
Junior Evan Ingram (Dunks) led the opening game with seven stocks while competing as Falco. Junior Mark Imbing (Markieblue) contributed five stocks with Wii Fit Trainer as WVU Tech secured the 12-5 victory.
Sophomore Ralph Aaron Etaba Ateba (Wreck) matched Ingram’s seven-stock performance in Game 2 while competing as Ken. Sophomore Tyler Vines (Tytanium) added five stocks with R.O.B., helping the Golden Bears close out the sweep with a 12-4 victory.
Individual stock totals:
| Student-athlete | Stocks |
|---|---|
| Evan Ingram | 7 |
| Ralph Aaron Etaba Ateba | 7 |
| Mark Imbing | 5 |
| Tyler Vines | 5 |
| WVU Tech total | 24 |
Match highlights:
- Game 1: WVU Tech won 12-5
- Game 2: WVU Tech won 12-4
- Stocks taken: 24
- Stocks lost: 9
- ECAC record: 3-3
The victory marked WVU Tech’s third ECAC win of the season and its second sweep in its last three ECAC matches.
Teamfight Tactics | Oct. 26
Triston Stover: Third place, 11 points | Fourth in Division D
Junior Triston Stover (Sammy36) continued his strong ECAC Teamfight Tactics season Monday, finishing third in Week 6 competition and moving into fourth place among 32 competitors in Division D.
Stover opened the two-game match with a second-place finish worth seven points. He followed with a fifth-place result in Game 2, adding four points to bring his weekly total to 11.
The Golden Bear finished third in the final match standings, trailing ShatteredSwords of Randolph-Macon College and ayup of Augustana College, who tied on 12 points.
Stover’s consistent performances have also placed him among the division’s leading competitors. Following Week 6, he sits fourth overall with 69 cumulative points, just three behind third-place Hazysubmarine of Augustana College, who has 72.
Stover is tied on points with the fifth-ranked competitor but holds the higher position in the division standings.
Week 6 results:
| Game | Placement | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2nd | 7 |
| 2 | 5th | 4 |
| Weekly finish | 3rd | 11 |
Season results through six weeks:
| Date | Weekly placement | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 21 | 2nd | 13 |
| Sept. 28 | 3rd | 10 |
| Oct. 5 | 4th | — |
| Oct. 12 | 6th | — |
| Oct. 19 | 3rd | 13 |
| Oct. 26 | 3rd | 11 |
Stover has recorded three third-place weekly finishes in six competitions, including each of his last two appearances. He also opened the season with a second-place performance Sept. 21, earning 13 points.
His Week 6 result helped him reach 69 points in the overall Division D standings, putting him in the top four of a 32-player field.
With six weeks completed, Stover has established himself as one of the division’s consistent performers as the regular season continues.
NECC Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Oct. 27
WVU Tech 2, Buena Vista Blue 0
WVU Tech extended its unbeaten NECC Super Smash Bros. Ultimate record to 5-0 Tuesday with a 2-0 sweep of Buena Vista Blue.
The Golden Bears opened with a 12-6 victory before completing the sweep with a 12-8 win in Game 2. WVU Tech took 24 stocks across the two games while losing 14, finishing with a 10-stock advantage.
Sophomore Adams S. Turpin-Abdulrazaaq Jr. (Trickks) led the Golden Bears with eight stocks across both games while competing as Terry.
Turpin-Abdulrazaaq collected five stocks in the opening contest and added three in Game 2 to lead Tech’s balanced effort.
Junior Rylan Ellison (RyeBread) delivered a standout opening performance, collecting six stocks while competing as Joker. Ellison’s effort helped WVU Tech secure the 12-6 victory in Game 1.
Freshman Bryse Jenkins (ConcludedNut1) totaled six stocks across the two games, taking one in the opener and five in the second game. Jenkins competed as Ridley and Ganondorf during the match.
Freshman Josiah Pilkington (DaBeastLoL) contributed four stocks while competing as Roy in Game 2, helping Tech secure the 12-8 victory.
Individual stock totals:
| Student-athlete | Game 1 | Game 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Turpin-Abdulrazaaq Jr. | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Bryse Jenkins | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Rylan Ellison | 6 | DNP | 6 |
| Josiah Pilkington | DNP | 4 | 4 |
| WVU Tech total | 12 | 12 | 24 |
Match highlights:
- Game 1: WVU Tech won 12-6
- Game 2: WVU Tech won 12-8
- Stocks taken: 24
- Stocks lost: 14
- NECC record: 5-0
WVU Tech has now defeated UWSP Esports Black, Eastern University, Pittsburg State’s Greek Freaks, Thomas College and Buena Vista Blue in NECC competition this season.
Tuesday’s victory also completed an unbeaten two-day stretch for WVU Tech’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate teams, which combined to win four games without a loss across their ECAC and NECC matches.
Fortnite Zero Build Duos | Oct. 27
Keith Karwacki and Ryan Hayden: 76 points
Seniors Keith Karwacki (TheWacki1) and Ryan Hayden (Dr.unrushed) combined for 76 points across four games in their Week 6 Fortnite Zero Build Duos competition Tuesday.
The pair’s strongest performance came in Game 2, when they finished fourth and earned 50 points. Karwacki recorded one elimination during the round.
The Golden Bears opened the evening with a 25th-place finish worth six points. Karwacki and Hayden each recorded one elimination in the opening game.
They followed their fourth-place performance with a 16th-place finish and 20 points in Game 3 before closing the competition in 30th place in Game 4.
Week 6 results:
| Game | Placement | Eliminations | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25th | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | 4th | 1 | 50 |
| 3 | 16th | 0 | 20 |
| 4 | 30th | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 76 |
Karwacki finished with two eliminations, while Hayden recorded one.
The fourth-place result in Game 2 was the duo’s best individual game finish of the evening, accounting for 50 of their 76 points.
The pair’s final overall Week 6 leaderboard placement has not yet been confirmed.
Marvel Rivals | Oct. 27
Illini Esports Blue 3, WVU Tech 2
WVU Tech mounted a strong comeback Tuesday against Illini Esports Blue, rallying from a two-game deficit to force a decisive fifth game before falling 3-2 in Marvel Rivals competition.
The Golden Bears dropped the opening game 2-0 and the second contest 2-1 but responded with back-to-back victories to even the series.
WVU Tech claimed Game 3 by a 3-0 score, then earned a 2-1 victory in Game 4 to force the deciding contest. Illini Blue ultimately secured the series with a narrow 5-4 victory in Game 5.
Game-by-game results:
| Game | WVU Tech | Illini Blue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2 | Loss |
| 2 | 1 | 2 | Loss |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | Win |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | Win |
| 5 | 4 | 5 | Loss |
Sophomore Wyatt Plumley (Plum) led the Golden Bears offensively, collecting a team-high 122 eliminations across the five-game series.
Plumley was particularly effective during WVU Tech’s comeback, recording 36 eliminations in both Game 3 and Game 4 before adding 34 in the deciding game. He also finished with 73 assists and 10,025 healing.
Senior Ty Bock (BockShiesty) added 111 eliminations, including 27 in Game 3, 29 in Game 4 and 34 in Game 5. Bock also blocked 216,361 damage across the series, with 87,231 coming in the final game.
Fifth-year Anthony Biley (G0thGirlsHMU) finished with 106 eliminations while providing a strong defensive presence. Biley led WVU Tech with 253,946 damage blocked, including 92,274 in Game 5. He also recorded 35 assists.
Senior Noah Tucker (bizzy.biyombo) contributed 82 eliminations and 40 assists across the series. Tucker recorded 23 eliminations in the Game 3 victory and added 26 in Game 5, helping keep WVU Tech within striking distance during the deciding contest.
Senior Benjamin Cogar (I3ennii) also finished with 82 eliminations despite entering the lineup in Game 2. Cogar added 122 assists and led the Golden Bears with 183,258 healing across four games, including 72,037 healing in the series finale.
Sophomore Jordan Green (JrdnNextDoor) recorded 64 eliminations while contributing 172,794 healing and a team-high 143 assists. Green registered 42 assists in Game 3, 33 in Game 4 and 46 in Game 5, providing important support throughout the comeback.
Sophomore Tyler Vines (Tytanium) competed in the opening game, recording one elimination and contributing 8,587 healing.
Individual series statistics:
| Student-athlete | Eliminations | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Wyatt Plumley | 122 | 73 |
| Ty Bock | 111 | 16 |
| Anthony Biley | 106 | 35 |
| Noah Tucker | 82 | 40 |
| Benjamin Cogar | 82 | 122 |
| Jordan Green | 64 | 143 |
| Tyler Vines | 1 | 0 |
| WVU Tech total | 568 | 427 |
Additional statistical leaders:
- Eliminations: Wyatt Plumley, 122
- Assists: Jordan Green, 143
- Healing: Benjamin Cogar, 183,258
- Damage blocked: Anthony Biley, 253,946
- Second-leading scorer: Ty Bock, 111 eliminations
- Second-leading healer: Jordan Green, 172,794
- Second in damage blocked: Ty Bock, 216,361
WVU Tech combined for 568 eliminations over the five games, including 167 during its Game 3 victory, 127 in Game 4 and 174 in the deciding fifth contest.
The Golden Bears produced their strongest offensive output of the match in Game 5, with Plumley and Bock recording 34 eliminations apiece. Biley added 31, while Cogar contributed 27 and Tucker finished with 26.
Although Illini Blue claimed the series, WVU Tech’s consecutive victories in Games 3 and 4 demonstrated the team’s ability to recover from an early deficit and compete through a decisive fifth game.
The result moves the Golden Bears to 1-4 in Marvel Rivals competition this season.
What’s Next
WVU Tech returns to competition Wednesday, Oct. 28, when its undefeated Rainbow Six Siege team faces FSU Maroon at 8 p.m. The Golden Bears enter the matchup with a 4-0 record.
Thursday, Oct. 29, features four competitions, all scheduled for 8 p.m.:
- Rocket League: WVU Tech vs. Trine RL White
- Fortnite Builds Duos: Brayden Hanshew (Mune) and Karl Hoppe (karl1x), Week 6
- Fortnite Builds Duos: William Vila (Will) and Nathan Vecellio (Nate), Week 6
- EA Sports FC 26: Luca Koenig (Otto132708) vs. William & Mary’s Marc Grabulosa-Serra
The Golden Bears return to action Monday, Nov. 2, with Stover competing in Teamfight Tactics and the ECAC Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team facing Binghamton 2. Both competitions are scheduled for 8 p.m.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, WVU Tech’s undefeated NECC Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team meets Waynesburg University JV at 7:30 p.m. Karwacki and Hayden return for another Fortnite Zero Build Duos competition at 8 p.m., followed by Marvel Rivals against UW: Team B at 8:30 p.m.
Overwatch returns Friday, Nov. 6, when the Golden Bears face Murray State Gold at 8 p.m.
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