Riyadh, Vancouver, Texas, Minnesota collect wins at CDL Stage 2 Major qualifying

The Riyadh Falcons, Vancouver Surge, OpTic Texas and G2 Minnesota closed out Week 2 on Sunday with victories in qualifying matches for the Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major.

The 12 Call of Duty League teams are playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the second major of the season, to be held March 27-29 in Marston Green, England, as part of the DreamHack Birmingham event.

The top six teams in qualifying head straight into the Stage 2 Major playoffs, while the teams in seventh through 10th place will compete in a play-in round.

The Stage 2 Major champion will receive $150,000 and 100 Call of Duty League points, while the runner-up will get $90,000 and 75 CDL points.

On Sunday, the Riyadh Falcons swept the Carolina Royal Ravens, winning 250-108 on Blackheart Hardpoint, 6-3 on Scar Search & Destroy and 4-3 on Exposure Overload.

Match MVP McArthur "Cellium" Jovel had 55 kills and 37 deaths, and teammate and fellow American Matthew "KISMET" Tinsley posted 60 kills and 46 deaths. No Carolina players finished with a positive K-D differential.

Vancouver Surge downed Boston Breach 3-1, opening with a 250-78 triumph on Blackheart Hardpoint. Boston drew even with a 6-4 win on Colossus Search & Destroy before Vancouver surged to wins on Den Overload 3-2 and Colossus Hardpoint 250-222.

Isaiah "Gwinn" Gwinn paced Vancouver with 87 kills and 68 deaths, match MVP Thomas "TJHaLy" Haly had 92 kills and 78 deaths and fellow American teammate Noah "Lunarz" Whillock had a K-D of 65-53. Byron "Nastie" Plumridge of the United Kingdom was the only Breach player with a positive differential (77-65).

OpTic Texas blanked Cloud9 New York, winning 250-133 on Scar Hardpoint, 6-3 on Den Search & Destroy and 6-5 on Exposure Overload.

Mason "Mercules" Ramsey was match MVP with 71 kills to 45 deaths for Texas. Teammate and fellow American Anthony "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro had a 68-55 K-D differential. No Cloud9 players had positive differentials.

G2 Minnesota outlasted FaZe Vegas 3-2 after dropping the opening map, Blackheart Hardpoint (250-167). Minnesota rebounded with a 6-3 win on Scar Search & Destroy and 4-3 on Den Overload. Vegas stayed alive with a 250-140 victory on Colossus Hardpoint, but Minnesota captured the match, 6-2 on Colossus Search & Destroy.

Match MVP Cesar "Skyz" Bueno of the United States had 88 kills to 80 deaths. Chris "Simp" Lehr of the United States led FaZe Vegas with a plus-25 differential (105-80).

Week 3 matches are scheduled for Feb. 27 and 28 and March 1.

Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifiers standings (match record, map differential)

1. Los Angeles Thieves, 4-0, +10

2. OpTic Texas, 4-0, +9

3. Paris Gentle Mates, 3-0, +6

4. G2 Minnesota, 2-2, 0

5. FaZe Vegas, 2-2, +2

6. Riyadh Falcons, 2-2, +1

7. Miami Heretics, 1-2, -1

8. Vancouver Surge, 1-2, -3

9. Carolina Royal Ravens, 1-3, -5

10. Toronto KOI, 1-3, -5

11. Boston Breach, 1-3, -6

12. Cloud9 New York, 0-3, -8

--Field Level Media