Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Esports team captured its first-ever East Coast Conference Super Smash Bros. Championship in program history on Thursday evening, defeating New York Tech. in five games, 3 to 2. The gaming title is the second in team history, as STAC took home the ECAC Fortnite Crown in 2020.
Sophomore Nicholas Shalaba led the Spartan Super Smash Bros. team into the title round against the Cybears. In the best-of-five series format, Shalaba took an early lead, winning game one, but then NYIT evened out the match winning the second game. After STAC posted a game three victory, New York Tech. forced a winner take all game five, where Shalaba was able to be victorious and capture the championship. Shalaba had difficulty with taking some damage from his opponent’s combos in games two through four, but he came out more patient in deciding game and it was all the difference in winning the matchup.
St. Thomas Aquinas College looks to ride this momentum into the spring season.