Doubleheader week chaos in MAAC Esports week five preview

With Super Bowl Sunday passing we have our own super week of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Esports Spring seasons of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Overwatch 2. Although we do not have Rihanna on platforms, we have ten outstanding schools brawling it out in a chaotic doubleheader week. After this week there are only two weeks left of regular season play. Every match matters and every team has the chance to rise and fall through the standings heading into the final weeks of the season as they look towards the end of the year LAN in Atlantic City.

With the doubleheader week chaos the standings are bound to change. Let's take a look at the MAAC Esports week five matchups that will be highlighted this week on the official stream. We’ll also preview other matches that you’ll want to watch out for throughout this action-packed week.

For our first official streamed match of the week we have Quinnipiac (4-1) versus Mount St. Mary's (1-4). Quinnipiac look to continue its dominance with only having one loss so far through the 2022-2023 school year. Going undefeated in the Fall and only losing to Siena, Quinnipiac wants to end the last four games of the season strong. On the other side, if Mount St. Mary's is able to win out they will receive the same record they had in the Fall at (5-4) and would put them at a good spot heading to the LAN in Atlantic City. The last time these two teams met in SSBU Quinnipiac won 24-4.

The Iona Gaels matchup against the Fairfield Stags to finish out the broadcast and their doubleheader schedule for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate this week. Iona (3-2) are coming off a tough 14-17 loss against Canisius while Fairfield (1-4) have not picked up a win since week one of the Spring season. With four games still left in the MAAC Esports Spring season both teams can make substantial ground in the standings with wins. The last time these two teams met in the Fall Fairfield grabbed the win 18-14.

To start off our Overwatch 2 coverage this week we have Manhattan College (3-2) up against Quinnipiac University (3-2). With a four-way tie currently for third place between teams with (3-2) records, Manhattan or Quinnipiac can use this game as momentum into their second match this week to secure that third place or higher seeding heading into the last two weeks.

Currently, both teams' losses are to the two undefeated schools at the top of the rankings: Marist and Mount St. Mary’s. Manhattan was able to take a map off of Mount St. Mary’s while Quinnipiac was swept in both series. Will the Jaspers continue their two-game win streak or will Quinnipiac put an end to their run and look to solidify their place in the top three?

Following their first match on Wednesday, the Manhattan Jaspers show up again on Friday to face off against the Iona Gaels. Iona, also being one of the teams in a four-way tie for third place, has also taken losses against the two undefeated teams left in the Spring season. Their match against Marist however went to five maps and they also took a map off of Quinnipiac just like Manhattan.

Iona faces up against a (1-4) Rider University for their first match of the doubleheader week. This match could very well depend on who comes up with the hot hands from their previous match this week. With Manhattan up against a tougher opponent based on record, their work is cut out for them this week. Either way, both Manhattan matches are in the spotlight and they look to make a statement on stream.

Before their brawl on stream against Fairfield University, Iona has a big match against an undefeated Siena team. Siena (4-0) looks to continue their undefeated streak during this chaotic doubleheader week. Iona has only taken losses to top 4 teams at the moment and look to snap that loss streak against Siena. The last times both of these teams met in the Fall MAAC Esports season, Siena took a dominating 20-4 victory. Siena will look to remain spotless heading into this match and ending their second match of the night against Marist College.

Niagara after a blazing start to the Spring season, going 2-0 through the first two weeks of play, has been extinguished and now sits at a (2-3) record. Heading into this doubleheader week, Manhattan has a clean (3-0) record and is one of the last two undefeated teams in the conference. If Niagara is able to snatch this game away from Manhattan they would have the opportunity to jump up in the rankings and be right on the ledge of being a top-four team this season. However, if Manhattan continues its dominance through this doubleheader week there is a potential of seeing a new school at the top of the rankings. The last time both these squads faced off Manhattan won 25-5.

THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE MEETS ONCE AGAIN. This time in the world of Overwatch. Niagara University (0-5) faces off against Canisius College (0-5). Although both teams are tied for last place in the standings this match can set the tone for the rest of their matches. If both teams end up losing out after this match then this match decides between facing the first seed or the second seed in the MAAC Esports LAN tournament. Not only would both schools like to grab their first win but they also want to show who is best in this storied rivalry. Canisius has already taken the first rivalry match in SSBU but Niagara aims high to take the dub in OW2 this Wednesday.

To end of the chaotic doubleheader week, Fairfield (3-2) faces up against Rider (1-4) in a skirmish that could change up the bottom side of the standings. Riders losses all come from teams that currently sit in the top five of the standings and they still have the opportunity to switch gears heading into the last four games of the year. Rider faces Iona for their first game of the intense doubleheader week and depending on results the four-way tiebreaker for the third place could get really interesting heading into week six. Fairfield on the other hand has to deal with an undefeated Mount St. Mary's team first on Wednesday and has to head in Friday ready to take the win against Rider.

And stay tuned to Esports.gg for more MAAC Esports news and notes.

*match times are subject to change.