Cumberland Esports Secures NECC Div III Conference Championship in Seven-Game Series

LEBANON, Tenn.--The Cumberland Esports Rocket League Academy team secured a major win, claiming the NECC Div III Conference Championship in a dramatic seven-game series versus Daytona State, winning 4-3.

The Cumberland Esports Rocket League team, consisting of Matthew Zabel, Gerson Cardenas, and Hamp Lackey, secured a 4-3 victory over Daytona State University to win the NECC Div III Conference Championship.

Throughout the regular season, the Phoenix went 5-2 to secure the second seed heading into the playoffs, while Daytona State took the number one seed with a 7-0 record.

During the playoffs, Cumberland won a 4-2 series against the University of Connecticut to advance to the semifinals, where they would face a familiar foe in Winthrop University Gold, which defeated the Phoenix in the regular season, 3-4. The Phoenix stuck to their game plan and earned a 4-0 victory over the Eagles to secure their spot in the Grand Finals, where they would face the Daytona State Falcons.

The Falcons took game one against the Phoenix with a 2-1 score. Cumberland bounced back and tied the series 1-1 after a four-goal game by the Phoenix and shut out the Falcons. The momentum carried over into game three, as both members of the Cumberland roster scored, and Matthew Zabel of Cumberland found a pair of goals to lead the series 2-1 with a 4-3 victory.

Going into game four, the Phoenix knew that if they won, they would be at match point, with a nail-biter 4-3 victory. The Phoenix now led the series, 3-1. The Falcons were able to bounce back, winning back-to-back games five and six to tie the series 3-3.

With the championship on the line, the Phoenix entered game seven with a quick goal to take an early lead. The Falcons answered back to tie the game 1-1. With a close back-and-forth battle, with just a final minute left in the game, the Phoenix and Falcons were tied 3-3. The Phoenix found an opening in the Falcons' defense to score the game's final goal, crowning the Phoenix the NECC Div III Conference Champions with a 4-3 series score.

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Players Mentioned

Hamp Lackey: 6' 3"; Senior

Matthew Zabel: 6' 4"; Freshman

Gerson Cardenas: 5' 6"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Hamp Lackey
: 6' 3"; Senior

Matthew Zabel
: 6' 4"; Freshman

Gerson Cardenas
: 5' 6"; Freshman