Aurora beat NRG to reach StarSeries Fall upper final

Aurora defeated NRG 2-0 at StarLadder StarSeries Fall on Sept. 19, taking Cache 13-7 and Mirage 19-17 after double overtime. Aurora advance to the upper-bracket final to face the winner of Vitality and FURIA. NRG drop to the lower bracket and will play MIBR next.

Cache was NRG’s map pick. Aurora secured control early, with effective CT-side retakes and strong attacking rounds that closed the map 13-7. Ismailcan ‘XANTARES’ Dörtkardeş was a key factor on the attack during Cache.

On Mirage, Aurora opened with a solid T-side showing. Özgür ‘woxic’ Eker produced a four-kill round and a six-round T-side streak that put Aurora in position to win in straight maps. NRG responded with a run led by Michael ‘Grim’ Wince that reached an 11-7 lead for NRG and forced a late Aurora comeback.

Aurora recovered late in regulation to force overtime and then a second overtime. XANTARES and woxic supplied decisive kills in the extra rounds to finish Mirage 19-17.

Individual stats from the series show XANTARES with 51 kills and a 1.43 match rating. Jimi ‘Jimpphat’ Salo recorded 39 kills and a 1.26 rating, while woxic had 44 kills. Grim led NRG with 39 kills and a 1.09 rating.

Jimpphat had previously acknowledged that mental lapses had cost the team in matches; Aurora’s late recovery on Mirage followed that issue being raised earlier. NRG had earlier upset a higher-seeded opponent in the event but lost this matchup and will face MIBR in the lower bracket.

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