karrigan on Team Falcons: “Right now, we’re learning from our mistakes, dealing with defeats, and getting stronger.”

I’ve thought about this a lot over the past couple of years and have come to the conclusion that nothing has changed in my preparation for Majors or the amount of work I put in on the server. I think other teams in the playoffs can’t handle the pressure, and I take advantage of their weaknesses. In crucial matches, opponents react 5–10% slower and make risky decisions. As for me, I try not to stray from my usual principles. But for some reason… I don’t know, maybe I made a deal with the devil to perform well only at Majors. My leadership skills probably play a role in my success, too. When my opponents’ game falls apart under pressure, I instill my confidence in my teammates, and together we pull out the victory.

When I joined the Falcons, my goal was to perform as well as possible in Cologne and then focus intensely on preparing for the Major in Singapore. Right now, we’re learning from our mistakes, dealing with losses, and getting stronger. It’s impossible to consistently win Tier 1 tournaments in the same style we played at the Major in Cologne. Of course, the victory gave the team a boost of confidence. The resilience we showed in the first three tournaments was simply incredible. I think all the stars aligned at that Major. In the playoffs, I wanted only one thing—to get a tough bracket so we could put pressure on our opponents. We wouldn’t have been able to win in the studio the rounds we took from Spirit and Vitality in the arena.