Nigma Galaxy, the reigning Impact champions, have suffered their first defeat in 38 series. Can they still complete the three-peat at Impact?
Nigma Galaxy, the best women's team of the year 2022, have suffered their first defeat in 38 series. The loss came in their second match of ESL Impact Season 3 Europe, where they faced off against NIP fe and lost both Mirage and Vertigo in close affairs.
The team's unbeaten streak began in early 2022, following the addition of Katarína "Kat" Vašková to the squad as a replacement for Kelly "KllyVe" Verhaegen. Since then, Nigma Galaxy has won several titles on the women's scene, including multiple ESEA Cash Cups, two Impact League seasons, ESL Impact Valencia, and ESL Impact Katowice last month.
Despite their success, the team looked beatable in series earlier this year. In the semi-finals of the Katowice tournament, they very narrowly beat their perennial 2022 rivals, FURIA fe, going overtime on the deciding map. NAVI Javelins also took them to overtime in the grand final. Now, with their first defeat, others will be eager to test their mettle against Nigma Galaxy.
The streak itself will stand as one of the most dominant periods for any team in CS:GO. Even the legendary Ninjas in Pyjamas of 2012 went 87-0 in maps, yet only won 25 best-of-X series in a row. The level of competition between the two scenes may be different, but the dominance can not be understated.
In the third season of the Impact League, Nigma Galaxy has started their campaign with a win against MVP and a loss to NIP fe. The regional portion of the tournament is taking place online, and the team is set to face BIG EQUIPA, Astralis fe, and Aces in Group A. Only the top team will advance to the seasonal finals in Dallas, while the second-placed team will compete in a third-place decider for the last spot.
Overall, Nigma Galaxy's run of success has come to an end, but they remain a formidable force in women's esports. The loss to NIP fe may have exposed some weaknesses, but the team will undoubtedly use this as a learning opportunity and come back stronger in future tournaments.
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