Ultra edge FaZe in CDL Stage 3 Major qualifying opener

The Atlanta FaZe, fresh off winning the Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major, dropped their first match in Stage 3 qualifying on Friday, falling 3-2 to the Toronto Ultra.

In the other opening-day matches, Stage 2 Major runner-up Vancouver Surge swept the Vegas Falcons 3-0, and OpTic Texas edged the Minnesota Rokkr 3-2.

The Stage 3 Major qualifying round has the league's 12 playing five qualifying matches apiece through April 20 to determine seeding for the Stage 3 Major playoffs, slated for April 24-27 in Boca Raton, Fla.

The Ultra opened with a 250-193 win on Vault Hardpoint before the FaZe rallied to claim Hacienda Search and Destroy 6-5 and Protocol Control 3-2. Toronto bounced back and earned a 250-206 triumph on Hacienda Hardpoint and a 6-3 victory on Protocol Search and Destroy.

The Surge downed the Falcons 250-127 on Red Card Hardpoint, 6-2 on Dealership Search and Destroy and 3-0 on Vault Control.

OpTic began with a 250-230 win on Skyline Hardpoint, but the Rokkr captured Rewind Search and Destroy 6-4 and Protocol Control 3-1. Texas then prevailed 250-207 on Protocol Hardpoint and 6-5 on Protocol Search and Destroy.

The remaining schedule for the first weekend of qualifying action:

Saturday

--Miami Heretics vs. Vegas Falcons

--Los Angeles Guerrillas M8 vs. Carolina Royal Ravens

--Cloud9 New York vs. OpTic Texas

--Toronto Ultra vs. Boston Breach

Sunday

--Minnesota Rokkr vs. Boston Breach

--Atlanta FaZe vs. Carolina Royal Ravens

--Vancouver Surge vs. Los Angeles Thieves

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

1. Vancouver Surge, 1-0, plus-3

T2. Toronto Ultra, 1-0, plus-1

T2. OpTic Texas, 1-0, plus-1

T4. Cloud9 New York, 0-0, even

T4. Boston Breach, 0-0, even

T4. Carolina Royal Ravens, 0-0, even

T4. Los Angeles Guerrillas M8, 0-0, even

T4. Los Angeles Thieves, 0-0, even

T4. Miami Heretics, 0-0, even

T10. Minnesota Rokkr, 0-1, minus-1

T10. Atlanta FaZe, 0-1, minus-1

12. Vegas Falcons, 0-1, minus-3

--Field Level Media