We’ve finally arrived at the 2017 Summer Quarterfinals, and we’ve had some surprises along the way. C9 has gone from a surprisingly poor Rift Rivals performance to a five-game winning streak with Jensen in particular standing as a near untouchable force of destruction. Meanwhile, CLG has slipped from their position at the top due to some inconsistent mechanics and strategies as well as the possible confusion by their quickly shifting rosters.

On the underdog side, NV has crawled their way into the quarterfinals one melee after another. Though many of their performances have thrown doubt into their skill level, their tenacity has seen them through. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Quarterfinals is DIG, the team no one thought was cutout for the Finals but which has consistently surprised opponents and analysts alike. This weekend will show whether the top dogs are dethroned further or whether we have a clash of kings in the semi-finals.

Quarterfinals: Cloud9 VS Team Dignitas

Things don’t look great for DIG. C9 is in the midst of a massive winning streak, and they have been steamrolling all opposition in their path. Meanwhile, DIG has been pressing forward and winning but not impressing. This is especially true of DIG’s biggest weakness – proactive playing. If DIG can’t learn to come back from a deficit, they can’t expect to topple any of these top tier teams.

What to expect: Though Keane has been playing remarkably well – his last Taliyah game looked like ballet dodging skill shots – it’s unlikely he is going to best Jensen in the mid-lane. Perhaps the glimmer of hope for DIG is going to be in Shrimp, the only Jungler currently besting Contractz in KDA and overall standing. This is especially true if Shrimp pressures bottom, where Altec should be winning lane.

Still, if C9 gets any kind of lead, we can expect DIG to fall into their usual pattern.

Quarterfinals: Counter Logic Gaming VS Team Envy

The last time CLG met against NV – just two weeks ago – it did not go well. CLG made quick work of them in a 2 – 0 series with CLG boasting more than double their kills in game 2 and triple their kills in game 1. Aphromoo even commented that the team was well-aware that NV played around Lira, and so long as they were cautious of that, he expected victory.

What to expect: Lira will counter-jungle. That, if nothing else, will be a certainty. He does it nearly every game against every opponent, but if NV hoping to rattle newbie Omargod with this pressure, they will have to try harder than that. The last time they met, Lira tried to make serious gains on the newcomer but it amounted to little in the overwhelming victories CLG had against them. However, CLG will almost certainly make slight errors that cost them big – as they usually do – but it will be whether or not NV can capitalize on them that will determine these games.