Just a note before you read this recap: if you haven't seen the matches, you can do so here at the Collegiate Starleague Justin.tv stream. Trust me, you'll enjoy it. But for those who need textual support or are hiding their CSL addiction at work and can't watch video, here's a brief on the Waterloo/Illinois action!

1) CombatEX (p) vs. esiex (p)
Map: Xel’Naga Caverns

Dropping into this match a little late due to a stream glitch, we find out that Eesiex’s earlier attempt to cannon rush his opponent CombatEX failed, leaving the Waterloo player far ahead. He exploits his economic advantage by one-gate expanding. It’s the hard road for esiex as he tries to play catch up with a 3-gate robo build and some defensive cannons.

There are some “cute” moments that must be seen, including CombatEX trying to take (and later cancel) esiex’s natural expansion just to harass/delay his opponent; not to mention the plyon-scripted “EZ !” in the middle of the map by CombatEX again, who even uses the structures to sort of funnel off esiex’s forces. At this point, Waterloo’s infamous son is just having fun knowing he has a lead.

A sign of things to come?

Esiex has been going solely warped in units off four gates and some immortals, but that is not enough to stop Combat who has his gold starting by the 11:25 mark and a robotics bay which is researching thermal lance. Esiex pushes out, but is forced to retreat when he see colossi from CombatEX coming out. Waterloo’s player messes with Illinois’ some more before going in for the kill, pushing in on esiex’s natural and winning in just under twenty minutes.

2) Kangpo (p) vs. mangOMaster (p)
Map: GSL Crevasse

Both Protoss players start off pretty typically with gateway-core, but diverge early on as we see Mango trying to wall off his front and dropping a robotics bay to go for the 3-gate robo build; Kangpo opts for a very early twilight council to take advantage of blink research on this large map. Illinois’ player goes for a unit composition of zealots and stalkers with colossus backup, while Kango (obviously) goes heavy stalker.

Kangpo peaks in with said blink-equipped stalkers to get vision in the front of his opponent’s base and around 10 minutes into the game, drops his expansion. Mango (questionably) decides to research blink as well and takes his own in-base natural around 12:30. He then responds by producing some immortals to strengthen his composition, but Waterloo’s player is pulling ahead in the army count. Some indecision on what strategy to exploit seems to slow down the Illinois player, which ends up costing him.

Mango’s force of colossi, immortal, stalkers and zealots are picked off as they push into Kangpo’s natural, and are flanked by Kangpo’s blink stalkers as they press up against the enemy nexus. Waterloo is up 2-0 by the 16 minute mark.

3) Superninja (p) and NrGHumble (z) vs. FruitBombs (t) and Protoss (z)
Map: Warzone

Nothing like a good ol’ crunch-time 2v2 action for Illinois who are behind in this series and need to get a win to survive. The Illinois team spawn in the top half of the map, and the Waterloo team on the bottom. In a moment of education and curiosity, we learn in the beginning by watching Fruitbomb that you can construct your ally’s gas and save them a drone. Superninja goes for a tech build while Zerg on both sides go for early zergling play. Humble diverges when he drops a baneling nest.

Superninja’s stalker and zealot mix attacks with baneling backup and do some damage in Fruitbomb’s base, but Terran’s marine build eventually drives them back. Waterloo keeps the pressure up with a healthy composition of stalkers, sentries, zerglings, and pesky banelings, but Illinois still manages to keep it alive.

There is a big attack by Fruitbombs and Protoss with a speedlings and marines mix, but Waterloo defends as Superninja’s tech build has churned out colossus by this point, and Waterloo are in a good position to repel any attack. The return volley by Superninja and Humble sees them push into Illinois through Fruitbomb’s base, securing the game by the 16:37 mark; the final GG giving Waterloo a 3-0 victory decisively over Illinois.

Winners: Waterloo -- will advance to the round of 16.