Model UN hosted its annual FIFA tournament on Nov. 22 on the top floor of LaPenta. FIFA is one of the most popular video games on campus and this event has always been a fan favorite.

A former executive board member of Model UN, was an avid fan of the game and made sure that the tournament occurred twice a year.

Since his graduation, the club was uncertain how it would go about continuing the tournament.

As usual, it was an event that allowed experienced and casual players to test their skills against other players in a friendly competition to see who the best was.

The vice president of Model UN senior Megan Adinolfi, was one of the people in charge of putting the tournament together. “[The tournament] always did really well,” she said.

Junior Kenny Reischmann, another member of the club, was a key factor in planning the tournament. He helped make sure it could run smoothly as it did in past years.

“It went really well and it had a good turnout,” Reischmann said. About 20 people showed up and 12 participated in the tournament.

Two $25 Visa gift cards were up for grabs, so more than just bragging rights were at stake.

Participant senior Sean Ryan, an experienced FIFA player, participated in the tournament because of his love for the game.

When asked how often he plays he said, “Every day for hours.”

He also said that this tournament had a great environment. The players were fair and not much trash talking went on. He was surprised by the turnout as well.

“I did not expect that many people to show up, but it got a good crowd,” he said.

Freshman Antonio Russell said that he enjoyed the event as well. He went into detail about the FIFA community at Iona College. He said, “It’s a very competitive community; for the most part players are fair.” Russell made it to the finals.

The final game was no disappointment. The finalists, sophomore Marek Smolinski and Russell, showed their talent and skill throughout the game.

They were focused on playing and not a word was spoken between them during the game.

The teams were evenly matched, Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund.

The game was tied in the 90th minute and with a late goal and it went down to penalty kicks.

Smolinski and Russell displayed excellent sportsmanship in the final game but only one man could be left standing. Smolinski came out on top and he expressed how it felt to be the FIFA 14 Champion.

“It feels pretty good, I’m not going to lie,” he said.

When asked about how he felt during the championship game, he said, “It was pretty intense and my heart was racing.”