The Blinn College esports Rocket League team opened up the NJCAA Esports Rocket League National Tournament with a 1-1 record Tuesday.
The seventh-seeded Buccaneers opened the double-elimination tournament with a 3-2 upset of second-seeded Salt Lake Community College before falling to third-seeded Daytona State College 3-0 in the semifinals.
The team of , Braeden Pomeroy, Edward Tejada, and Travis Stansberry competed for Blinn.
Rocket League combines elements of soccer with fast-paced car mechanics. Teams of three players use rocket-powered vehicles to hit a ball into the opponent’s goal. The team with the most goals during a five-minute match win. Both matches Tuesday were contested in a best-of-five format.
Blinn will continue its tournament run in the consolation bracket, where it will attempt to win its way into the finals.
The Bucs face top-seeded Iowa Western Community College at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29.
“Despite the loss, I’m incredibly proud of how far this team has come,” Blinn head coach and Rocket League manager Kyle Murto said. “We started the regular season dropping our first two matches to mid-tier teams, and now we’re competing on the national stage and advancing through bracket play. The growth, dedication, and resilience from every player this year has been something special to witness, and we’re not done yet.”
Elsewhere in Blinn esports, Murto will lead the Bucs’ Overwatch team as they face Bryant & Stratton College in the championship match of the NJCAA Esports Overwatch National Tournament at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.
