On a day that will be forever etched in CSI history, the College of Staten Island Esports team became the first to bring home an East Coast Conference Championship, as they completed a perfect season in 2020 with a 3-0 victory over St. Joseph's College (LI) in the Final this evening in the game of Valorant.  The win lifted CSI to 10-0 overall, while the Golden Eagles finished their season at 6-4.  CSI won the match by scores of 13-8 (Icebox), 13-7 (Ascent), and 13-6 (Haven).

As CSI has done in their last two matches leading up to this one, they chose Valorant's newest map of Icebox to open play.  They would be attacking first, and they felt right at home, getting off to a hot start and winning the attacking half of play by a score of 9-3 before switching over to defense.  The Eagles also did well offensively in what was a theme to the match.  The Eagles pulled to within 11-8, thanks to a great run, but CSI responded with a huge win in the next round, with Kyle Tordecilla and Ryan Lu capping the round.  That gave momentum back to CSI, and they capitalized with the defensive win to win the map overall, 13-8.

Christian Dumadag, named the ECC Regular Season MVP proved why in the opening map.  Vici went off for 27 kills, next to just 14 deaths, leading all with a competitive rating of 350 and eight first blood kills.  Hadi Daoud was next for CSI with 19 kills and just 13 deaths, while Tordecilla and Lu finished with 12 apiece.  Stephen DeVito easily led the pack with eight spike plants.

In the second map, CSI chose Ascent, and SJC chose to defend first.  It worked out for the Eagles, as they went round-for-round with CSI, never letting the Dolphins get comfortable, and scoring a few points to end the half in a 6-6 tie at the end of the first 12 rounds.  CSI, however, always prefers to go on defense, and they proved that by powering over the Eagles when they switched sides.  What was a close one at 8-7 was no longer when CSI finished it off with five-straight round wins to win the second point by a 13-7 score. 

Again it was Dumadag leading the way for CSI, this time with 23 kills and just 11 deaths, followed closely by Daoud's 22 kills and 10 deaths.  Lu topped out at 13 kills, while DeVito and Tordecilla each had 12.  Tordecilla led all with four first bloods while DeVito led the way again with six spike plants.

Next up was another CSI choice of map, and they chose Haven, a map they have had huge success in all year.  Again, SJC chose to defend first.  SJC fought hard in the early rounds, but it was clear that CSI felt right at home in Haven, winning several rounds flawlessly en route to a 9-3 edge on the changeover from attacking to defending.  When CSI had to defend, SJC stayed pretty even, but they had too much ground to make up and CSI finally slammed the door with a resounding, 13-6, win, to take the match in straight points.

Lu led the way for CSI in teh final map with 22 kills, followed by Dumadag's 20, next to a game-low 11 deaths, tied with Daoud there.  Both Dumadag and Lu shared the lead with four first bloods while DeVito again led CSI with four spike plants.

The win capped a great season for the Dolphins, one that saw them go 10-0, and outscore their opponents on the season 22-1.  This was the first season that the East Coast Conference sponsored Valorant as an Esports game within their conference, and so not only was this CSI's first ever ECC Championship, it was also the first sponsored by the ECC as well, making it a historic night on many levels.  CSI Esports will pick things up again this spring, when they participate for the first time in League of Legends and Rocket League, as well as a spring season in Overwatch.

Congratulations to the CSI Dolphins on this great win!