Wolf Pack esports stays unbeaten in Sun Conference, NACE

NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans esports team continued Sun Conference and NACE competition in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate this week, winning both matches to stay undefeated in each league. In a 2-1 win over St. Thomas University (Fla.) in Sun Conference play, the Wolf Pack ended the regular season 6-0 for their second straight undefeated campaign. In NACE action, Loyola swept Old Dominion University (Va.) to improve its record to 5-0 with two matches left on the schedule. 
 

The reigning Sun Conference Champions will now look forward to the playoffs, which begin next week. Wednesday's win was also Loyola's 14th straight in the conference. 
 

St. Thomas had a good start to the first crew battle, as its Mii Brawler fighter took out the first two Loyola competitors. Malachi Lee, however, jumped in and defeated all four of St. Thomas' characters, sweeping three of his fights, to help give Loyola a 1-0 lead in the match. STU tied the match, 1-1, in the second crew battle, which was Loyola's first crew battle loss in Sun Conference play since March 19, 2024. In the third crew battle, Leyton Gould defeated the first St. Thomas counterpart before Lee took out the next two to set up Samuel Spiegel for the win. 
 

Against ODU on Thursday, Anthony Nodolski took the first four stocks from the Byleth and Ice Climbers characters, then Lee finished things off by taking the final seven stocks from Ice Climbers, RYU and Snake. Lee, again, had a good performance in the second crew battle, but it was a combination of Lucian Payne and Spiegel who closed things out. 
 

Loyola vs. St. Thomas (Sun Conference)

First Crew Battle:
Mii Brawler (STU) def. Sonic (Leyton Gould), 3-1
Mii Brawler (STU) def. Cloud (Braden Garfield), 3-0
Terry (Malachi Lee) def. Mii Brawler (STU), 2-0
Terry (Malachi Lee) def. Kirby (STU), 3-2
Terry (Malachi Lee) def. Palutena (STU), 3-0
Terry (Malachi Lee) def. Pokémon Trainer (STU), 3-0
Loyola leads, 1-0
 

Second Crew Battle:
Sonic (Leyton Gould) def. Pokémon Trainer (STU), 3-1
Palutena (STU) def. Sonic (Leyton Gould), 2-0
Palutena (STU) def. Cloud (Braden Garfield), 3-0
Terry (Malachi Lee) def. Palutena (STU), 3-2
Kirby (STU) def. Terry (Malachi Lee), 1-2
Kirby (STU) def. Roy (Samuel Spiegel), 3-0
Match tied, 1-1
 

Third Crew Battle:
Sonic (Leyton Gould) def. Pokémon Trainer (STU), 3-0
Palutena (STU) def. Sonic (Leyton Gould), 3-2
Palutena (STU) def. Cloud (Braden Garfield), 3-0
Terry (Malachi Lee) def. Palutena (STU), 1-0
Terry (Malachi Lee) def. Sephiroth (STU), 3-1
Kirby (STU) def. Terry (Malachi Lee), 2-2
Steve (Samuel Spiegel) def. Kirby (STU), 1-1
Loyola wins match, 2-1
 

Loyola vs. Old Dominion (NACE)

First Crew Battle
Olimar (Anthony Nodolski) def. Byleth (ODU), 3-2
Ice Climbers (ODU) def. Olimar (Anthony Nodolski), 1-2
Malachi Lee (Terry) def. Ice Climbers (ODU), 1-0
Malachi Lee (Terry) def. RYU (ODU), 3-1
Malachi Lee (Terry) def. Snake (ODU), 3-2
Loyola leads, 1-0
 

Second Crew Battle:
Snake (ODU) def. Olimar (Anthony Nodolski), 3-2
Malachi Lee (Terry) def. Snake (ODU), 1-0
Malachi Lee (Terry) def. Byleth (ODU), 3-1
Ice Climbers (ODU) def. Malachi Lee (Terry), 2-2
Wolf (Lucian Payne) def. Ice Climbers (ODU), 3-1
RYU (ODU) def. Wolf (Lucian Payne), 2-1
Roy (Samuel Spiegel) def. RYU (ODU), 2-1
Loyola wins match, 2-0