STORM LAKE, Iowa - Beavers Valorant squad continues to stay hot opening up NECC Division 9 Nationals with a 2-1 (5-13, 13-8, 13-5) victory over the 6th seed Clark University. It is the second year in a row that the Beavers have advanced into the semifinals. The Beavers will take on the 7th seed Wayne State College in the semifinals with date and time still to be determined. 

The Beavers started a little slow as the two teams opened the series on Fracture. The Panthers opened up on fire claiming an early 6-0 lead. BVU tried to mount a rally winning four of the next five round cutting the Panther lead to 7-4. From there it was all Clark as they won six of the last seven rounds taking the map 13-5. Bucky from CU led the way with 22 eliminations while Will Roland led the Beavers with 16. 

The second map the two teams played on Ascent. The Panthers opened up the map the way they left off winning the first two rounds. From there the Beavers regrouped and took control of the map winning the next nine round to take a commanding 9-2 lead. Despite losing five of the final nine rounds the Beavers were able to come out with the 13-8 victory tying the series at one. Angel Lopez found his grove leading the round with 27 eliminations. Elizabeth Franken and Roland followed with 22 and 21 respectively. Bucky led the way again for the Panthers with 16. 

The deciding map pick was Split. BVU came out ready to go winning eight of the first 10 rounds. The Panthers tried to mount a comeback but BVU controlled the final eight rounds claiming the 13-5 victory. Lopez and Roland led the way again with 26 and 23 eliminations. 

Lopez led the series with 66 eliminations while Roland finished with 60. Franken led the way with 23 assists and six bomb defuses. Liliana Palmillas led the way with 14 bomb plants. Bucky led the way with 55 eliminations for the Panthers.