MLG Dallas Halo 3 Finals Game-By-Game Recap
By subtheorist | Published: August 30, 2009 11:47pm EST
 Another one is in the books! The pro gaming action here at the third stop along the 2009 MLG Pro Circuit came to a dramatic conclusion as the former champs, Triggers Down, and the Cinderella story, Carbon, faced off in the Finals of MLG Dallas. With the world looking on, the teams stepped out under the lights of the Main Stage and put everything they’ve worked for the past two months on the line. Although it was no easy task, Triggers Down showed everyone in attendance and the countless viewers watching from around the world that they were clearly the superior team. They went on to win their second MLG Pro Circuit event of the year with a dominant 6-4 victory over Carbon. Here’s a breakdown of how it all went down. Due to meeting in the Winners Bracket Finals earlier in the day, the series was considered a continuation of the previous. This fact meant that Triggers Down would start with a 3-2 lead over Carbon. The action kicked off on Onslaught CTF, where as always, it would take five flags to win. It took five minutes for Triggers Down to score the first capture of the game, which was followed by a flurry of three others directly afterwards. Carbon would eventually go on to capture a flag of their own, but it would be their last. TD would set the tone of the match with a 5-1 win here in Game 6. Next up, the teams moved on to Narrows Team Slayer. Carbon could have taken advantage of the fact that they had just played here against Instinct. Unfortunately, Triggers Down was just too motivated to win to let Carbon grab a game here. The last time TD appeared on Narrows TS in a Finals match was in Columbus against Str8 Rippin. We all know the result of that game, but Triggers Down proved that they had learned from their mistakes with a lopsided win here against Carbon. Pistola’s 18 kills, coupled with Heinz’s 16 kills, lead the charge for a 50-37 win here on Narrows. With Triggers Down just one win away from their second championship of 2009, Carbon needed a win on Guardian Oddball to keep their tournament life alive. Fresh off of a miraculous win in this exact gametype in the Losers Bracket Finals against Instinct, Carbon knew that anything was possible. That mentality would be put to the test as TD played consistently strong throughout the duration of the game. But with a mere 15 seconds left on the clock, Carbon pulled off the impossible again by somehow getting possession of the Oddball and pulling ahead of TD with just seconds to spare. The 153-149 final score gave them the win, and the motivation needed for Game 9. With the crowd firmly behind them, Carbon hoped to leverage their newfound sense of hope towards another win here on Construct King of the Hill. As always though, they knew Triggers Down wouldn’t make it easy. Historically, Construct King is Carbon’s best gametype, and they rank among the league’s best throughout Halo 3. Triggers Down came out strong just as Carbon had expected, mounting a significant lead through the first half of the game; But slow and steady would prove to be a successful strategy for Carbon once again. They slowly chipped away at Triggers Down’s lead, taking over in the homestretch of the match, and eventually came away with a 250-196 win. Heading into what would be the final game of MLG Dallas, Amplified TS, there were only four people in the venue who weren’t contemplating the possibility of an upset. Unfortunately for Carbon, the members of Triggers Down were those people. Amplified Team Slayer is one of Carbon’s worst gametypes, and there are very few teams who have a worse track record. Although Carbon started off strong, Triggers Down quickly picked them apart piece by piece, at one point outscoring Carbon 10 to 1. Based on his performance in the Finals, it seemed fitting for Pistola to pull off a double kill to end the match. Triggers Down’s celebration ensued, and they were granted their second tournament win of the 2009 MLG Pro Circuit. With the win, Triggers Down will more than likely take over the #1 seed, something they earned after their win in Meadowlands and then lost again after Columbus. They’ll now enjoy the spoils of being the Pro Circuit’s top dogs once again, and are undoubtedly the team to beat in Anaheim. Congratulations to Triggers Down on their win, and we can’t want to see if they can do it again in Anaheim! |
