KENOSHA, Wis. — Carthage Esports concluded its Fall 2026 National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) Week Three matches on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The following teams competed: Rainbow Six (R6) (3-0), Rocket League (RL) Red (2-0), Valorant (2-1), Marvel Rivals (1-2), Smash Bros. (1-2) and RL Black (0-3). R6 became the first team to reach a 3-0 record in NECC play, while Smash Bros. earned its first livestreamed victory.
Meanwhile, Carthage Overwatch (OW) Red (2-0, 6-0) and Black (1-1, 4-5) rescheduled their respective Week Three matches due to the campuswide fall break. As a result, OW Black will compete against Waldorf University Club Purple (2-0, 6-1) on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. CDT.
OW Red will compete against College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) rival and nationally ranked Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) Titans (1-0, 3-0) on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. CDT. Both matches will be best-of-five and off-stream. Those interested can support both teams by visiting the Carthage Esports Arena on match days.
Fall 2026 NECC Week Three Recap: Carthage Valorant (2-1) vs. St. Ambrose University Bees Club (0-3)
Division V — Midwest A | Monday, Oct. 12, at 5 p.m. CDT
Score: Carthage 2, St. Ambrose 0
Carthage Valorant earned its second Fall 2026 NECC regular-season victory after starting 0-1. In Week Two, Firebirds Valorant earned a 2-1 series win over the Governors State University Jaguars (1-2, 3-4). Last Monday, the team earned a dominant 2-0 victory over St. Ambrose's club team in an off-stream, best-of-three series. Three weeks into Division V — Midwest A play, Carthage (2-1, 4-3) is tied for fourth place with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Panthers Club White (2-1, 4-3).
Carthage Valorant's roster includes senior captain
Sergio Musaitef (Gio), second-year transfer
Charlie Post (Opt1mal), second-year transfer
Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish), first-year transfer
Brayden Vandewalle (Aerodynamic) and juniors
Aiden Hecht (Hecht) and
Ryan Rivera (Righreanden). Throughout the best-of-three series, Sullivan played on Map One, while Hecht substituted on Map Two.
Map One: Ascent — 13-4 win
- Firebirds Valorant and the Bees opened the series on Ascent, a three-lane, two-site map set in a floating section of Venice, Italy. A wide-open Mid section connects the map's areas. Ascent often favors the defending team because of the ease with which defenders can lock down narrow entryways and retake sites. Controlling Mid is crucial because attackers rely on the area to execute split pushes between sites, while defenders need to deny map control and rotate early.
- Firebirds Valorant dominated in team kills (80-43) and assists (49-9). The Bees planted the spike more often (5-4) and won three of their four rounds through successful plants. However, Carthage did not allow St. Ambrose to defuse the spike, which proved to be a key difference in the matchup. Post recorded the best overall kill-death ratio at 27-9, while Rivera recorded 21 assists.
Map Two: Abyss — 13-2 win
- Building on its decisive Map One performance, Firebirds Valorant faced the Bees on Abyss. The map features two spike sites, a central lane with significant verticality and jump shortcuts that require precise navigation, making it suitable for both snipers and players who can effectively use movement abilities.
- Carthage again led in kills (70-33) and assists (22-8). St. Ambrose recorded five spike plants, but the opposition successfully defused four of those attempts. It was another dominant performance by Firebirds Valorant. Every member of the team finished with a positive kill-death ratio, with Post (18-9) and Vandewalle (18-7) leading the way.
Fall 2026 NECC regular-season player statistics through Week Three — Carthage Valorant
- Brayden Vandewalle (Aerodynamic): 142 kills, 100 deaths (1.42 K/D), 40 assists, one spike plant and one spike defusal.
- Charlie Post (Opt1mal): 131 kills, 93 deaths (1.41 K/D), 55 assists, 26 spike plants and 11 spike defuses.
- Ryan Rivera (Righreanden): 98 kills, 100 deaths (0.98 K/D), 63 assists and 18 spike plants.
- Sergio Musaitef (Gio): 65 kills, 63 deaths (1.03 K/D), 25 assists, one spike plant and two spike defuses.
- Aiden Hecht (Hecht): 52 kills, 69 deaths (0.75 K/D), 26 assists, five spike plants and three spike defuses.
- Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish): 19 kills, 28 deaths (0.68 K/D), 17 assists, one spike plant and one spike defusal.
- Angel Lopez: seven kills, 36 deaths (0.19 K/D) and 11 assists.
Carthage Valorant (2-1, 4-3) will prepare for an off-stream, best-of-three NECC Week Four series against Cornell College Rams Varsity Purple (0-3, 1-6) on Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. CDT.
Fall 2026 NECC Week Three Recap: Carthage Smash Bros. (1-2) vs. Missouri State University Bears Club Black (1-2)
Division IV — Midwest A | Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. CDT
Score: Carthage 2, Missouri State Black 1
After two consecutive weeks of losses, Carthage Smash earned its first Fall 2026 NECC regular-season win against Missouri State University (MSU) Bears Club Black in a nail-biting best-of-three series. In Week Two, Carthage Smash dropped a three-set match to CCIW rival Carroll University, but the Firebirds earned a victory against MSU Club Black last Tuesday. The Week Three win placed Carthage (1-2, 3-5) at No. 7 in the Division IV — Midwest A standings.
Carthage Smash's roster consists of senior captain
Alex Chuluunbat (ParaMedx), juniors
Shannon Pasters (MintMelee) and
Rylee Preston (Ender), and freshmen
Angel Lopez (CH3CKM8TE) and
Gianna Wiley (ATH33NA).
In the NECC, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate uses a "crew battle" format. Crew battles are team competitions in which two groups of players face off in a series of one-on-one matches. When a player loses, they switch with a teammate, while the winner stays in and may face a new opponent from the opposing team. The match continues until one team loses all its stocks. Each team consists of four players, each with three stocks, for a total of 12 stocks. In a best-of-three format, the process is repeated for each set.
Set One: Missouri State Black wins, 1-0
Lopez (Joker) opened Set One against Asan (Banjo & Kazooie). On Small Battlefield, Lopez eliminated Asan while losing one stock himself. Lopez used Joker's back-air maneuvers and Arsène ability, which increases his damage output. At one point, Lopez reduced Asan to one stock while retaining all three of his own, but Asan timed a Wonderwing side-B perfectly to prevent a three-stock. Lopez ended the fight by hitting Asan with a back-air counter.
With an 11-9 stock lead, Lopez faced Puffers (Ness) on Small Battlefield. Puffers evened the score at 9-9 after an exceptional performance, using Ness' dynamic aerial moveset and yo-yo up-tilts to ledge-trap. Puffers then landed a couple of down-airs to eliminate Lopez.
Wiley (Pyra/Mythra) then faced Puffers on Pokémon Stadium 2. Although Wiley took one stock from Puffers, it was not enough to eliminate MSU Club Black's top player. Puffers' first knockout came with a back-air. The second was a zero-to-death against Wiley using a down-throw, forward-air and down-air combo that carried her from the middle of Pokémon Stadium 2 to below the right ledge.
Following a respawn, Wiley landed a timely smash attack while playing as Pyra near the left ledge. As Wiley attempted to recover from a one-stock deficit, she failed to recover on her final stock, and Puffers won the fight.
Facing an 8-6 stock deficit, Chuluunbat (Bowser) entered for Carthage against a two-stock Puffers. Chuluunbat started strong, reducing Puffers to one stock with Bowser's forward-air claw swipes on the right side of Hollow Bastion. However, Puffers responded by trapping Chuluunbat in a ball of fire and hitting him with a baseball bat to take one stock.
Puffers then evened the count at one stock apiece after stifling Chuluunbat's recovery attempt with a wave of electricity. Chuluunbat dealt enough damage to end the fight with a crucial side-B slam. Before his elimination, Chuluunbat also faced JettLove (Roy) and took one stock.
With a 5-3 stock deficit, Preston (ZSS) entered for the Firebirds against JettLove. Preston eliminated JettLove but lost one stock himself. He took JettLove's first stock with a bury-and-up-B combo and used the side-B plasma whip for the second. In between, JettLove landed a sword dash attack.
Preston then faced a 3-2 stock deficit against Trizzy (King K. Rool), MSU Club Black's final player. On the Town & City stage from the Animal Crossing series, Trizzy defeated Preston with a 1-0 stock advantage. Trizzy's first knockout came after sucking up Preston with K. Rool's suction blunderbuss and releasing him near the right corner of Town & City, sending him below the stage.
Preston rallied by taking two consecutive stocks with aerial maneuvers, including vertical kick-flips and a horizontal back-air. Ultimately, a single cannonball ended Preston's chances of clinching Set One.
Set Two: Carthage wins, 1-0
Pasters (Banjo & Kazooie) made her first appearance of the match against Asan (Banjo & Kazooie) to open Set Two. Both players reached their final stocks, and a decisive Wonderwing side-B from Pasters made the difference. Pasters won through timely play and effective ledge-guarding. Asan remained a threat because of his ability to throw Pasters into the ground and land quick down-smashes.
With a 10-9 stock lead, Pasters faced Puffers (Ness) on the Kalos stage. Puffers quickly eliminated Pasters with a trio of PK fires, a yo-yo up-tilt and a couple of up-airs.
Puffers continued his strong performance against Lopez (Joker). Entering with a 9-9 tie, Puffers extended MSU Club Black's lead to 8-6, losing only one stock. Puffers used his signature PK fire combo to take one stock and also used an electric wave to disrupt Lopez during a recovery attempt.
Lopez struggled to hold his ground and lost a couple of stocks after narrowly missing a ledge. He landed a back-air to take one stock from Puffers before Carthage sent in Chuluunbat (Bowser), who eliminated Puffers after a close fight.
Despite a three-to-two stock deficit, Puffers evened the count at one stock apiece with an up-B electricity wave and up-air combo. Chuluunbat maintained his composure and won the fight by knocking Puffers off the left ledge.
MSU Club Black then led 6-4 as JettLove (Roy) entered the contest. Chuluunbat carried one stock over from his previous fight against Puffers, but JettLove eliminated him with a sword counter off the left ledge of Small Battlefield.
Preston (ZSS) became the Firebirds' last hope. He needed to defeat JettLove and Trizzy (King K. Rool) consecutively. In an even three-to-three stock fight, Preston eliminated JettLove while retaining two stocks. Preston effectively used Zero Suit Samus' aerial moveset, including a final knockout in which he buried JettLove into the ground and followed with an up-B.
The final fight of Set Two took place on Kalos between Preston and Trizzy. Trizzy again held a three-to-two stock advantage. Preston evened the count at two stocks apiece with a key back-air, but Trizzy responded with a powerful back-throw after respawning.
With a two-to-one stock deficit, Preston landed another back-air to even the count. At 66% damage, Preston was on his final stock, but Zero Suit Samus' mobility allowed him to string together combos and increase Trizzy's damage to 87%.
Near the right ledge, Preston executed a wall-jump recovery, flipped backward to avoid Trizzy's blunderbuss, buried him and sent him flying with a set-clinching up-B.
Set Three: Carthage wins, 1-0
MSU Club Black changed its lineup, starting with JettLove (Roy) instead of Asan (Banjo & Kazooie). The Firebirds opened with Wiley (Pyra/Mythra), saving Lopez (Joker) for a later spot.
On Pokémon Stadium 2, JettLove retained all three stocks after Wiley accidentally fell off the stage twice. Before that sequence, JettLove landed a forward-smash to claim Wiley's first stock. Wiley's miscues gave MSU Club Black a 12-9 stock advantage.
Chuluunbat (Bowser) entered next to face JettLove. In an even three-to-three stock fight, the matchup came down to each player's final stock. Chuluunbat used Bowser's heavy-hitting attacks, while JettLove countered with forward-smashes from Roy's powerful sword. Ultimately, JettLove won with a back-air that eliminated Chuluunbat on Hollow Bastion.
Lopez entered to eliminate JettLove. He succeeded, but not before JettLove claimed one stock with a Dancing Blade attack. On Town & City, Lopez ended JettLove's run with a back-air as he hopped onto a nearby platform.
Lopez continued against Puffers (Ness). In a hard-fought battle, Lopez eliminated Puffers with multiple forward-smashes aided by Arsène. Lopez then faced Asan, carrying one stock into the fight. On Small Battlefield, Lopez took one stock from Asan with a crisp forward-air. Although Lopez could not eliminate Asan entirely, he gave Preston (ZSS) an opportunity to close out the set.
Preston entered Set Three with Carthage trailing 5-3 in stocks. On Town & City, Preston eliminated Asan while retaining all three of his stocks. His first knockout came on a down-tilt when Asan reached 147% damage. For the second knockout, Preston kicked Asan toward the right ledge and spiked him off the stage with a backflip. The stock count was then tied at 3-3.
On Kalos, Preston and Trizzy (King K. Rool) faced off for the final time to decide the series. Trizzy struck first, using the blunderbuss to launch a cannonball at Preston. Following a respawn, Preston used his invincibility frames to land a back-air on Trizzy, who was at 164% damage, sending him off the left ledge.
Trizzy later increased Preston's damage to 95% before using a powerful forward-tilt attack to take the stock and gain a 2-1 advantage.
Preston fought back and evened the count at one stock apiece with a timely plasma whip side-B that knocked out Trizzy at 143% damage. The two traded attacks on their final stocks, each inflicting more than 120% damage.
Preston's patience proved decisive. He fired a small burst of electricity near the left ledge, forcing Trizzy to jump after recovering. The move gave Preston time to set up a plasma whip side-B and secure the series victory.
Fall 2026 NECC regular-season player statistics through Week Three — Carthage Smash
Carthage Smash (1-2, 3-5) will prepare for a livestreamed, best-of-three NECC Week Four series against CCIW rival Augustana College Vikings (1-2, 3-4) tonight at 8 p.m. CDT.
Fall 2026 NECC Week Three Recap: Carthage Marvel Rivals (1-2) vs. University of Central Oklahoma Broncos Varsity Blue (1-2)
Division III — West Central B | Monday, Oct. 19, at 5 p.m. CDT
Score: UCO Blue 3, Carthage 1
Carthage Marvel Rivals competed against UCO Broncos Varsity Blue in an off-stream, best-of-five series. Last week, the Firebirds were swept 3-0 by UW-Madison Badgers Varsity Red (3-0, 9-1). In Week Three, the Firebirds lost 3-1 to Broncos Blue after winning the opening map. With this loss, Carthage Marvel Rivals (1-2, 4-6) sits in sixth place in the Division III — West Central B regular-season standings, just above Broncos Blue because of a better game differential.
The Carthage Marvel Rivals roster includes senior
Ethan Anderson (Snowstorm), junior
Adam Hollis (Hollister09) and freshmen
Jacob Cooper (Void),
Hayden Nelson (Hazzick),
Matthew Santiago (Lumen),
Michael Santiago (Vader) and
Anna Westbrook (BambeeBirdie).
For the Firebirds, Hollis and
Michael Santiago primarily play Vanguards; Nelson and
Matthew Santiago are Duelists; and Cooper and Westbrook are Strategists. However, players may switch roles to provide flexibility.
Map One: God Quarry — Domination, Carthage wins 2-1
Carthage secured its only map victory with a 2-1 win in Domination on God Quarry, a map that emphasizes frontline play and healing support. Nelson led the offensive charge as the MVP with a game-high 28 kills, 17 final hits and 21,576 damage.
The Firebirds' support players kept the team sustained during point captures, with Cooper recording 32,219 healing and
Matthew Santiago contributing 34,755 healing, 33 assists and 93% accuracy. Despite Broncos Blue player VGB07 earning the SVP with 23 kills, 23,486 damage and 33,399 damage blocked, Carthage held off UCO Blue's sustained pressure to secure the opening map.
Map Two: Hall of Djalia — Convergence, UCO Blue wins 3-1
UCO Broncos Blue evened the series with a 3-1 victory on Hall of Djalia, overwhelming Carthage with a high-elimination attack. The Broncos' damage dealers took control of the match, led by in-game MVP Braxy, who recorded 35 kills, 24 final hits and 19,363 damage.
His teammates VGB07 (35-1 K/D) and Izruh (30-2 K/D) also heavily limited the Firebirds' rotations. Carthage struggled to generate final blows on offense, managing only 33 combined kills across the roster, while its Vanguard and Duelist players combined for 30 deaths.
Anderson earned SVP honors for a defensive effort that anchored Carthage's backline, recording 30,383 healing and 10 assists.
Map Three: Thebes — Convoy, UCO Blue wins 4-3
In the series' highest-scoring and longest map, UCO Broncos Blue narrowly edged Carthage 4-3 on Thebes. Braxy delivered another strong performance, earning his second consecutive MVP honor with 49 kills, 27 final hits and 58,219 damage while pushing the payload through crucial chokepoints.
Although the Firebirds came away without the win, they put together an impressive performance.
Michael Santiago finished with 44 kills and 15 deaths, dealt 67,008 damage and mitigated 132,003 damage as a Vanguard. Westbrook finished with 37 kills and 14 deaths, dealt 31,567 damage and mitigated 90,197 damage.
Hollis added a team-high 50 kills. Anderson earned SVP honors for the second consecutive map with 43 kills, 48 assists and 66,192 healing, while
Matthew Santiago contributed 67,849 healing and 53 assists. Despite Carthage recording more than 130 combined kills, UCO made the key stops to take a 2-1 series lead.
Map Four: Krakoa — Domination, UCO Blue wins 2-0
UCO closed out the series with a 2-0 sweep on Krakoa, shutting down the Firebirds' offense and preventing them from taking a single round. Braxy earned his third MVP honor for Broncos Blue, recording 32 kills, 19 final hits and 19,395 damage.
Izruh (21-1 K/D) and VGB07 (20-1 K/D) provided near-flawless backline protection. Carthage was unable to build momentum or break through UCO's point defenses, recording 43 team deaths and only 28 kills.
Anderson earned his third SVP honor with 23,141 healing, but UCO's execution on control points proved too much for the Firebirds. Broncos Blue secured the 3-1 series victory.
Fall 2026 NECC regular-season player statistics through Week Three — Carthage Marvel Rivals
- Michael Santiago (Vanguard): 187 kills, 75 deaths, 106 assists, 267,304 forced damage and 522,591 mitigated damage.
- Anna Westbrook (Vanguard): 126 kills, 81 deaths, 45 assists, 149,322 forced damage and 196,625 mitigated damage.
- Adam Hollis (Vanguard/Duelist): 93 kills, 59 deaths, 13 assists, 116,426 forced damage and 88,726 mitigated damage.
- Matthew Santiago (Duelist/Strategist): 144 kills, 30 deaths, 87 assists, 144,466 forced damage and 129,428 healing.
- Hayden Nelson (Duelist): 119 kills, 79 deaths, 15 assists and 177,529 forced damage.
- Ethan Anderson (Strategist): 126 kills, 50 deaths, 158 assists and 267,647 healing.
- Jacob Cooper (Strategist): 71 kills, 44 deaths, 129 assists and 173,597 healing.
Carthage Marvel Rivals (1-2, 4-6) will prepare for an off-stream, best-of-three NECC Week Four series against Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SOSU) Varsity Blue (2-1, 7-6) tonight at 8 p.m. CDT.
Fall 2026 NECC Week Three Recap: Carthage R6 (3-0) vs. Missouri State Bears Club Maroon (0-2)
Division V — West Central B | Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. CDT
Score: Carthage 2, Missouri State Maroon 0
Carthage R6 competed in a livestreamed, best-of-three series against MSU Club Maroon. For the third consecutive week, Firebirds R6 earned a victory, whether by going the distance in a three-map series or finishing in two. In Week Two, Firebirds R6 outlasted Buena Vista University Club (1-2, 4-5), winning 2-1 after a crucial 7-4 Map Three victory on Fortress.
Last Wednesday, Carthage R6 swept the Bears, winning 7-4 on Kafe Dostoyevsky and 7-3 on Clubhouse. With the victory, Carthage R6 (3-0, 6-2) holds sole possession of first place in the Division V — West Central B standings.
The Firebirds R6 roster consists of junior captain
Chris Vallee (Typhoon), senior
Rey Trejo (Paltry) and freshmen
Braden Haske (Shrimp),
Connor Phelps (EliteRanger) and
Aidan Tosch (Sircat).
Before the match, both teams participated in the map pick-and-ban phase. In Week Three, MSU Club Maroon chose Kafe Dostoyevsky and started on offense. Carthage chose Clubhouse and began on defense. Throughout the series, Haske, Phelps, Tosch, Trejo and Vallee competed against Beanz, Bomber, Godz, Maundog and Prz from MSU Club Maroon.
Map One: Kafe Dostoyevsky — 7-4 win
Carthage opened Map One with a 5-1 lead on defense before the halftime side swap. On offense, the Firebirds won two of the next five rounds. Despite a few mistakes, Carthage finished the job and secured a Map One victory on MSU Club Maroon's map choice.
MSU Club Maroon's first-half highlight came in a Round Three post-plant clutch. With 51 seconds remaining, Tosch (Kaid) eliminated Beanz with a C4 charge, creating a three-versus-three situation.
Following that sequence, Bomber (Ying) moved from the third-floor Red Stairs to the second-floor Museum Entrance. To clear out Haske (Melusi) and Phelps (Vigil), Bomber used Ying's flash-heavy Candelas. With 23 seconds left, Tosch faced a one-versus-three situation. He positioned himself in the second-floor Laundry Room, next to the second-floor Reading Room bomb site.
Tosch first peeked into the hallway and eliminated Bomber. Prz then moved behind Tosch and planted in the Reading Room. To distract Tosch, Maundog (Fuze) dropped from the third-floor Cocktail Lounge into the second-floor Laundry Room.
Tosch, positioned in the second-floor White Stair hallway, heard Maundog and eliminated him. That left Tosch in a one-versus-one situation, but Prz held a better angle and secured the round for MSU Club Maroon.
Carthage's first-half highlight came in Round Six, just before the side swap. The Firebirds defended the second-floor Fireplace Hall and Reading Room bomb sites. Phelps (Castle) drew first blood with 1:29 remaining as Beanz (Maverick) attempted to enter through the second-floor Train Museum.
Trejo (Goyo) then eliminated Beanz from above through the third-floor Cocktail Lounge opening. However, Godz (Twitch) found Vallee (Solis) in the third-floor Cigar Lounge after moving up Red Stairs.
To maintain pressure on MSU Club Maroon, Trejo eliminated Bomber (Ace) from the third-floor Bar, moved through a Stockroom rotation hole and confirmed the elimination from the Cigar Lounge. Facing a two-versus-four situation, Godz eliminated Trejo from above in Cocktail, while Prz (Thatcher) dropped into the second-floor Pillar Room and eliminated Tosch (Mute).
The situation became a two-versus-two with 27 seconds remaining. Prz, positioned in the Reading Room doorway, eliminated Haske (Thorn), who was hiding behind a wooden bookshelf, and began planting the defuser.
However, Phelps used Trejo's fire canisters to eliminate Godz immediately after the defuser was planted. Prz took damage from the initial wave of fire but remained alive until Phelps launched a second canister. Phelps won the one-versus-two situation but had to wait an additional 20 seconds to stop the defuser because the fire blocked his path.
In the second half, MSU Club Maroon's highlight came in Round Eight, its second consecutive defensive win after the side swap. Godz (Kaid) faced a one-versus-three situation while defending the first-floor Kitchen Service and Kitchen Cooking bomb sites.
Godz positioned himself behind the confined walls of the first-floor Freezer. He quickly peeked at Phelps (Blackbeard) and Vallee (Deimos), who were in Kitchen Cooking, and landed headshots on both. Godz then shifted right, watched the hallway and eliminated Tosch to secure the round.
Carthage's highlight came in Round Nine, when the Firebirds recorded the match's first flawless round. Vallee (Ram) first found Maundog (Frost) in the second-floor Laundry Room. As the Firebirds took control of the second floor, Phelps (Rauora) entered the Reading Room and planted the defuser.
Haske (Dokkaebi), Trejo (Lion) and Vallee (Ram) then dismantled MSU Club Maroon's scattered defense by eliminating players outside the main bomb site.
Map Two: Clubhouse — 7-3 win
Carthage started Map Two with a 4-2 lead on offense before switching to defense. The Firebirds won three of the next four rounds on defense. Although MSU Club Maroon won two consecutive rounds around the side swap to cut its deficit to 4-3, Carthage responded with three straight defensive wins to secure the 2-0 series sweep.
Carthage's first-half Clubhouse highlight came in Round Four while attacking the second-floor CCTV and Cash bomb sites. With 1:19 remaining, Vallee (Striker) watched Cash Room through the sub-roof window, turning a four-versus-four situation into a four-versus-three advantage.
With about 50 seconds left, Vallee jumped through the second-floor Construction window and eliminated Prz (Tubarão) and Maundog (Mute) through a Cash Room rotation hole. Facing a one-versus-four situation, Godz (Goyo) rushed back to the site from the first-floor Garage. However, Phelps (Kali) positioned himself above on the second-floor Garage Rafters and eliminated Godz through a doorway with a sniper rifle.
MSU Club Maroon's Clubhouse highlights came in consecutive rounds. Just before switching to offense, the Bears won a crucial Round Six to cut their deficit from 4-1 to 4-2.
MSU Club Maroon defended the basement Arsenal and Church bomb sites. Facing the tight defense, Carthage rushed its entry. With 48 seconds remaining, Haske (Dokkaebi), Phelps (Blackbeard), Tosch (Hibana) and Vallee (Typhoon) all dropped through the first-floor Stage hatch. The Bears were ready, and Godz (Goyo) and Bomber (Thunderbird) each secured a double kill to win the round.
MSU Club Maroon's second-half highlight came in Round Seven. As Carthage defended the CCTV and Cash bomb sites, Godz (Ace) immediately eliminated Vallee (Azami) after reading his spawn-peek attempt. The Firebirds lost their main fragger.
Tosch (Bandit) also went down after Godz opened the reinforced CCTV wall with a S.E.L.M.A. breach charge. With a five-versus-three advantage, Godz continued to pressure the Firebirds' defense, eliminating Haske (Wamai) and Phelps (Thorn) from the CCTV breach.
Trejo (Castle) then used his Super Shorty shotgun to eliminate Godz from the CCTV floorboards. As Prz (Thatcher) planted in Cash Room, Trejo raced up the Garage Rafters and eliminated three Bear defenders to create a one-versus-two situation, but Prz eventually eliminated him in CCTV.
Carthage's second-half highlight came in Round 10 as the Firebirds pursued three consecutive defensive wins. Godz (Ace) again eliminated Vallee (Azami) early as he attempted a spawn peek from Garage Rafters. Godz then breached the CCTV wall, leaving Tosch (Bandit) in an awkward position. Tosch attempted to throw a C4, but it sailed over multiple Bear attackers.
Godz soon created a five-versus-three advantage. Haske (Thorn) responded by eliminating Bomber (Twitch) above in Garage.
Maundog (Lion) rushed into CCTV to eliminate Phelps (Ela), but Haske traded the elimination by taking out Prz (Thatcher). The Bears held a three-versus-two advantage, but Trejo (Castle) shifted the momentum with a crucial elimination of Godz (Ace) from the first-floor Lobby.
With about 30 seconds remaining, Haske held his ground on the first floor of Garage and secured a third elimination by finding Maundog. Carthage had a two-versus-one advantage.
With 20 seconds left, Beanz (Finka) had no choice but to drop from Garage Rafters and challenge the remaining Firebirds. Beanz dropped but was immediately met by Haske, who secured a quadruple kill to end the series.
Carthage R6 Week Three postgame interview — Rey Trejo, interviewed by Andrew Czysz Jr.
Fall 2026 NECC regular-season player statistics through Week Three — Carthage Rainbow Six
- Chris Vallee (Typhoon): 110 average EPS, 103-59 record (1.75 K/D), 34 assists and 73.3% average KOST.
- Rey Trejo (Paltry): 106 average EPS, 86-58 record (1.48 K/D), 32 assists and 75.6% average KOST.
- Braden Haske (Shrimp): 104 average EPS, 65-54 record (1.20 K/D), 24 assists and 71.1% average KOST.
- Connor Phelps (EliteRanger): 101 average EPS, 55-55 record (1.00 K/D), 25 assists and 65.6% average KOST.
- Aidan Tosch (Sircat): 93 average EPS, 37-68 record (0.54 K/D), 18 assists and 61.1% average KOST.
Carthage R6 (3-0, 6-2) will prepare for a livestreamed, best-of-three NECC Week Four series against Texas Tech Raiders Club Black (2-1, 4-3) on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. CDT.
Fall 2026 NECC Week Three Recap: Carthage RL Red (2-0) vs. University of Illinois Chicago Red (1-1)
Division III — Central A | Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. CDT
Score: Carthage Red 4, UIC Red 1
Fresh off a Week Two bye, Carthage RL Red defeated UIC Red, 4-1, in an off-stream, best-of-seven series during Week Three. In Week One, the Firebirds swept the University of Arkansas White (1-2, 4-11). About halfway through the Fall 2026 NECC season, Carthage RL Red (2-0, 8-1) holds second place in the Division III — Central A regular-season standings.
Carthage RL Red's roster includes a sophomore trio of captain
Owen Perry (Kor),
Kyle Branski (xray) and
Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17, also known as ThePrimReaper). Throughout the series, they faced Ascy, Derpy and KillswitchEndo.
In Game One, Firebirds Red secured a 3-2 win led by Perry. Ascy scored the game's first goal at the 4:05 mark. However, Perry scored two consecutive goals within the next couple of minutes, including one assisted by Branski. Derpy then equalized for UIC Red.
With the score tied 2-2, both teams traded possessions until Branski set up Perry for his late-game hat trick. Carthage heavily pressured UIC's net with 14 shots on goal. UIC Red managed four shots on goal and recorded 10 saves as a team, with Ascy and Derpy contributing four saves apiece.
UIC Red responded with a 3-1 victory in Game Two. Although Branski scored first at the 3:01 mark, UIC Red turned the tables by forcing Carthage to clear more shots. In the second half of Game Two, Ascy, Derpy and KillSwitchEndo each scored once, providing balanced offensive production.
UIC Red's defense limited Firebirds Red to nine shots on goal, while its offense generated 12 shots. As a result, UIC Red created better-quality scoring opportunities late in the game. Derpy led UIC Red with five saves, one more than Prims, who recorded four saves for Carthage.
Game Three ended in a 2-1 overtime win for Carthage. Neither team scored until the 2:46 mark, underscoring how closely contested the game was. Ascy scored first off an assist from Derpy to give UIC Red momentum.
Firebirds Red struggled to break through UIC Red's defense until just before regulation expired. Perry centered the ball for Prims near UIC's net, and Prims scored to force a 1-1 tie.
Overtime lasted 24 seconds. Carthage gained a favorable position following a kickoff, and Perry again found an open passing lane before sending the ball to Prims, who scored the game-winning goal.
Game Four ended in a 3-1 victory for Firebirds Red after two insurance goals in the second half. Branski scored the game's opening goal within the first minute off an assist from Perry. Carthage and UIC then traded possessions for several minutes before Ascy scored off an assist from KillSwitchEndo to tie the game at 1-1.
Perry took over from there, scoring twice in quick succession, including one goal assisted by Prims. The goals helped Firebirds Red pull away from UIC. Carthage generated 12 shots on goal, compared with three for UIC Red.
Game Five ended in a 2-1 Carthage victory after the Firebirds established an early 2-0 lead. Perry helped Carthage avoid playing from behind late in the game and secure the series victory in five games. Prims assisted on one of Perry's two goals. Before time expired, KillSwitchEndo scored a solo goal to prevent a shutout.
As a team, Carthage Red led in goals (11-8), assists (8-5) and total shots (56-31). UIC Red led in shooting percentage (26% to 19%), saves (35-19) and demolitions (16-14). While UIC Red had better shooting efficiency, Carthage's higher shot volume created more scoring opportunities in key situations.
Fall 2026 NECC regular-season player statistics through Week Three — Carthage RL Red
- Owen Perry (Kor): 13 goals, seven assists, 12 saves, 46 shots, 14 demolitions and 28% shooting.
- Kyle Branski (xray): nine goals, four assists, 13 saves, 28 shots, seven demolitions and 32% shooting.
- Jimmy Prims (Slurp): five goals, six assists, 15 saves, 24 shots, seven demolitions and 21% shooting.
Carthage RL Red (2-0, 8-1) will prepare for an off-stream, best-of-seven NECC Week Four series against the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) (1-1, 7-4) on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. CDT.
Fall 2026 NECC Week Three Recap: Carthage RL Black (0-3) vs. Robert Morris University Club Red (3-0)
Division III — Central B | Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. CDT
Score: RMU Club Red 4, Carthage Black 0
Carthage RL Black competed in an off-stream, best-of-seven series against RMU Club Red. In Week Three, Firebirds Black (0-3, 3-12) were swept 4-0 and remained last in the Division III — Central B regular-season standings.
The starting lineup included senior captain
Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), junior
Kaliek Wade (Akko) and first-year transfer
Ben Lagerhausen (Cosmic). Senior
Lucas Menzer (Joystik) was unavailable for the rescheduled match because of other personal obligations. Throughout the series, Firebirds Black faced Ever, Lomac and Pyrrhic.
In Game One, RMU Club Red won 4-3 after capitalizing on a crucial defensive mistake by Firebirds Black. Both teams traded goals to reach a 3-3 tie. With 1:30 remaining, Pyrrhic capitalized on a Carthage offensive mistake.
Wade carried the ball toward RMU Club Red's goal line, but Lomac cleared it away toward Gilchrist, who was positioned along the right sideline. Gilchrist challenged Lomac for the ball, but momentum from both players' cars kept it near midfield.
Pyrrhic then launched the ball over Lagerhausen, who was rotating back toward the net, and scored. Despite multiple attempts to even the score, Firebirds Black suffered a narrow defeat. Pyrrhic scored four goals on five shots, while every Carthage player scored at least once.
RMU Club Red carried its momentum into Game Two, winning 4-1 after scoring three unanswered goals. Firebirds Black had initially tied the game at 1-1 when Lagerhausen scored.
Pyrrhic again led RMU Club Red's offense with three goals, while Lomac added one. Ever contributed two assists and two saves. As a team, RMU generated 14 shots on the Firebirds' net. Carthage managed only four combined shots on goal and received its lone goal from Lagerhausen. RMU's offensive pressure forced the Firebirds' defense to contend with a higher volume of shots.
In Game Three, RMU Club Red earned another 4-1 victory. Firebirds Black remained scoreless until the final 55 seconds. Meanwhile, RMU built a 3-0 lead, with each player scoring once.
Gilchrist scored Carthage's only goal by circling back to midfield and hitting a floating shot with the side of his Octane car. Before time expired, Pyrrhic scored on the ensuing kickoff. Each team generated seven shots on goal, but RMU Club Red created higher-quality opportunities.
RMU Club Red dominated Game Four, winning 6-1. For the first four and a half minutes, the Firebirds' defense allowed only two goals. With 1:32 remaining, Carthage looked to close the gap and prevent a series sweep.
With 1:21 left, Gilchrist left the ball on RMU Club Red's goal line for Wade, who raced in and pinched the ball off Lomac's car for a score. However, Firebirds Black could not contain RMU for the remainder of the game after cutting the deficit to 2-1.
RMU scored four unanswered goals before time expired, including a hat trick from Ever and a goal from Pyrrhic.
Fall 2026 NECC regular-season player statistics through Week Three — Carthage RL Black
- Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): 13 goals, nine assists, 18 saves, 40 shots, 14 demolitions; shooting percentage unavailable.
- Lucas Menzer (Joystik): nine goals, eight assists, 22 saves, 32 shots, 18 demolitions and 28% shooting.
- Kaliek Wade (Akko): two goals, five assists, 15 saves, 28 shots, 13 demolitions and 4% shooting.
- Ben Lagerhausen (Cosmic): two goals, one assist, four saves, six shots; shooting percentage unavailable.
Carthage RL Black (0-3, 3-12) will prepare for an off-stream, best-of-seven NECC Week Four series against Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Club Blue (0-2, 5-8) on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. CDT.
Carthage Esports is currently competing in NECC and WEC events. Fall 2026 NECC livestreams are scheduled for Smash Bros. on Tuesdays, Rainbow Six on Wednesdays and Overwatch on Fridays. This schedule applies to regular-season matches from the week of Sept. 28 through the week of Nov. 9.
Follow @carthageesports on social media for updates about the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 seasons. Follow the program's Twitch channel to receive updates when broadcasts go live. Recaps will also be available on the Carthage Athletics Esports page as the Fall 2026 NECC and WEC seasons continue.
