The Boston Uprising clinched a playoff spot by edging the Toronto Defiant 3-2 in the upper-bracket final of play-ins in the Overwatch League’s West Region on Saturday.
Only one playoff berth in the West remains, with three teams in the lower bracket fighting for it. Three teams from the region — Atlanta Reign, Florida Mayhem, Houston Outlaws — had already clinched a playoff spot thanks to their performance in Summer Stage Qualifiers.
The fourth- through 10th-place teams from Summer Stage Qualifiers are competing in a double-elimination bracket, with the top two squads locking down a playoff berth. There is an upper and lower bracket, and all matches are best-of-five.
The ninth- and 10th-seeded teams opened play-ins with a knockout match last weekend. The Washington Justice ousted the New York Excelsior in that meeting.
On Saturday, Boston opened with a 2-1 victory on Lijiang Tower, but it quickly fell behind when the Defiant prevailed on Numbani (3-1) and Suravasa (3-1). The Uprising stayed alive with a 1-0 victory on Colosseo before punching their ticket to the postseason with a 5-4 triumph on Circuit Royale.
Toronto was relegated to the lower-bracket final, where it will face the winner of Sunday’s match between the Vancouver Titans and London Spitfire.
Both the Titans and Spitfire were in action on Saturday, with Vancouver beating the San Francisco Shock 3-0 and London squeaking past the Justice 3-2.
The Titans had no problems with San Francisco, winning 2-0 on Oasis, 4-3 on Numbani and 3-1 on Suravasa.
After the Spitfire earned victories on Oasis (2-1) and Numbani (3-2), they saw their lead slip away when the Justice took Suravasa 3-1 and came out on top, 1-0, on Esperanca. But London buckled down, cruising to a 3-0 win on Watchpoint: Gibraltar to clinch the match.
Play-in action in the West continues on Sunday with two matches:
–Vancouver Titans vs. London Spitfire (lower-bracket semifinal)
–Toronto Defiant vs. winner of Titans/Spitfire (lower-bracket final)
West Region play-in results:
1. TBD — qualifies to playoffs
2. TBD — qualifies to playoffs
3. TBD
4. TBD
5-6. San Francisco Shock, Washington Justice
7. New York Excelsior
–Field Level Media
