Lake on why he didn't play well vs. TYLOO: "It was more like I was playing CS:GO"

M80, the only NA team in the BLAST.tv Austin Major Stage Two, have had mixed results on the first day of this new stage. They succumbed to TYLOO in the opening round, and pulled a massive comeback against OG to avoid going to the 0-2 pool.

For Mason "Lake" Sanderson, the difference between the TYLOO and OG game, was that he played the latter with far more confidence. "I realized I wasn't playing as confidently as I was [...], I wasn't taking the fights that I really wanted to," Lake confessed to Dust2.us' Editor-in-Chief after having a superb performance vs. OG.

The interview also touched on how NA have been doing at the Major, and the fact that M80 would have played Falcons if they lost to OG. You can read the full interview below, or click on the video to watch it on YouTube.

I'm here with Lake after an insane comeback to take down OG in overtime. How are you feeling coming out of that marathon?

It was brutal, but we made it through. I think s1n's calling was really good at the end there. We took a time out, kind of had to figure out how they were playing because it wasn't really like how they had played in their demos from before. They kind of changed their play style on Ancient a little bit, maybe it was prep for us, or maybe they knew this map was coming. But from what we looked at, it looked like they were a little bit off, just not doing what they were normally doing.

So, it was a bit of an adjustment for us. But at the same time, his calls there at the end after dephh's timeout were kind of 'Hey we need to do this,' and then he started getting into a role, it was good.

You had a rough opening match today against TYLOO, so does it feel great for you to come back and play a pivotal role in your team's clutch? You ended with 29 kills against OG, an incredible performance in your first Major. How's that been for you, that second match?

Honestly, I realized what I needed to do. I realized I wasn't playing as confidently as I was. I wouldn't necessarily say it was nerves [because] there was no real nerves going into the TYLOO game. It was more like I was playing CS:GO, if that makes sense. I was standing still, I wasn't taking the fights that I really wanted to. I also realized halfway through the TYLOO game that I couldn't hear anything, so I doubled my volume because it's just back on LAN, it's just things you got to get used to.

But, for the TYLOO game, I just didn't shoot, my calls were really great on that CT Train, I'm really proud of the way that I called on CT Train. But then, our T-side kind of just fell off. That's the kind of thing that happens with us sometimes. But we clawed back through it with this one.

If you lost to OG, you were mathematically guaranteed to play Falcons in a BO3 for elimination. Did you know that ahead of time, and are you happy to avoid that fate?

I am glad to avoid that fate, playing Falcons in the 0-2 game would have been a bit brutal. Honestly, we didn't know. It looked like there was a chance that Falcons were going to come back and win that game, I think. When we stopped looking, I believe it was 6-5 to one of them, on Nuke, and we were like 'Oh, Falcons will probably win.' We weren't really too worried about it. And then, we got out of the OG game and you were like 'Oh, they went 0-2,' and you would have played them. That would have been brutal.

dephh mentioned that some of the individuals need to step up, and that's the main thing that kept you from winning the TYLOO game. You and slaxz- had a great game vs. OG. Do you feel like the team has come online and is ready to get started in Austin?

I think it's really the confidence now. Especially on Train, the start was a bit rocky, to be honest. Especially for me, my aim really wasn't there at all. I was kind of entrying some hard situations as well, and I was just getting pissed on, I was just getting melted. I really didn't have that much of a chance, I'm just trying to create space for the team at the end of the day on that map.

But, I think that what we did on this map really showed what we can do in this Major. Even though it was a little bit close, maybe it went a little too far gone, but we were able to bring it back.

Now the bracket kind of opens up for you as you're 1-1. How do you feel about going back and playing another best-of-one tomorrow? Maybe we can expect a more one-sided win?

Obviously, you never want to be in the BO3 in your first two games unless you win 2-0, if you go to 0-2, it's a really rough situation. Obviously, you want to try to stay in the BO1s as long as you can, on the top end of it anyway. Going 0-2 would be brutal, I'm glad we went 1-1. Whoever we get tomorrow, I hope we show up well and play good against.

Let's be frank, the Major has been a disaster for NA teams, as all three Stage One teams were knocked out. Is there something different that you think will give us a potentially better showing from NA in Stage Two?

I don't really know what the other teams are doing all that much, to be honest, but I think the amount of time we've had in Europe compared to the other teams, I think it'll change. I think Wildcard was a bit surprising, to be honest, I had them going through Stage Two at least. But, it was kind of just one of those things where we just been playing a lot in Europe, we spent two and a half months of the last three and a half in Europe, whether it was Kazakhstan or Serbia for three weeks.

We've been in Europe a lot, we've been away from home just practicing. So, we've been getting that experience in EU, and it's been helping me a lot, especially growing as a player.

Any closing thoughts from you? It's your first win at a Major, that's a pretty big deal.

Honestly, not really anything for myself. I'm proud of my teammates really pulling that win through, and I just want to say thanks to the NA fans supporting us, even though some of you might have had us going 0-3.

M80 will play FURIA next in the 1-1 pool, and a win would put them one step closer to making Stage Three.