Heretics' loss jumbles CDL Stage 3 qualifying race

The Miami Heretics took their first loss in Call of Duty League Stage 3 qualifying on Friday, dropping them into a five-way tie for first place.

The Toronto Ultra (3-1) emerged with a 3-1 victory over the Heretics (3-1). The Boston Breach (3-1) posted a 3-0 sweep of Cloud9 New York (1-3), and the Los Angeles Thieves (3-1) recorded a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Guerrillas M8 (0-4).

The results leave the Heretics, Ultra, Breach and Thieves sharing first place with the Vancouver Surge (3-1), who were idle on Friday as the third and final week of qualifying began.

The Stage 3 Major qualifying round has the league's 12 teams playing five qualifying matches apiece through Sunday to determine seeding for the Stage 3 Major playoffs, slated for April 24-27 in Boca Raton, Fla.

On Friday, Toronto opened with a 250-240 win on Vault Hardpoint, but Miami equalized by claiming Dealership Search and Destroy 6-5. The Ultra wrapped up the series by taking Vault Control 3-1 and Protocol Hardpoint 250-190.

Boston got past New York 250-136 on Skyline Hardpoint, 6-4 on Hacienda Search and Destroy and 3-0 on Hacienda Control.

The Thieves took down the Guerrillas 250-193 on Skyline Hardpoint, 6-2 on Red Card Search and Destroy and 3-0 on Protocol Hardpoint.

The remaining qualifying schedule:

Saturday

--Vancouver Surge vs. Cloud9 New York

--Miami Heretics vs. Minnesota Rokkr

--Los Angeles Guerrillas M8 vs. Toronto Ultra

--Vegas Falcons vs. Atlanta FaZe

Sunday

--Boston Breach vs. Vegas Falcons

--Atlanta FaZe vs. OpTic Texas

--Carolina Royal Ravens vs. Los Angeles Thieves

Call of Duty League Stage 3 Major qualifying standings (with match record and map differential):

1. Los Angeles Thieves, 3-1, plus-8

2. Boston Breach, 3-1, plus-7

3. Vancouver Surge, 3-1, plus-4

4. Miami Heretics, 3-1, plus-3

5. Toronto Ultra, 3-1, plus-1

T6. Carolina Royal Ravens, 2-2, even

T6. OpTic Texas, 2-2, even

8. Atlanta FaZe, 1-2, minus-1

9. Vegas Falcons, 1-2, minus-2

10. Cloud9 New York, 1-3, minus-8

11. Minnesota Rokkr, 1-3, minus-2

12. Los Angeles Guerrillas M8, 0-4, minus-10

--Field Level Media