NRG defeats Evil Geniuses in Last Chance Qualifier
The North American VCT Last Chance Qualifier continued with the second elimination match between NRG and Evil Geniuses. It was a do-or-die situation for both teams, with only one of them making it to the 2022 VCT Champions.
NRG emerged victorious in a 2-0 sweep, sending EG home for the year.
Coming into the LCQ tournament, NRG had shown improvements in their gameplay. The team attended a VALORANT bootcamp between Stage Two and the LCQ, which enhanced their team cohesion and confidence.
EG, on the other hand, had a strong start to the season but struggled recently. Despite their potential, they faced a heartbreaking defeat against FaZe in their first game of the LCQ, landing them in the lower bracket.
NRG dominates Bind
EG chose Bind as their first map pick. NRG surprised everyone by not playing Chamber, a standout agent for tex. Instead, they opted for Sage.
However, tex still performed exceptionally well, fragging for his team and clutching important rounds. Ethan playing Skye also provided healing support, relieving the burden from tex.
The first half of Bind was evenly contested, with both teams trading rounds.
In the second half, NRG took control and outperformed EG. They coordinated effectively, utilizing utility and executing site pushes. EG struggled to find openings and failed to retake sites effectively.
EG couldn’t win a single round on defense, and NRG secured Bind with a 13-6 scoreline.
NRG continues dominance on Icebox
The teams entered Icebox with similar compositions, leading to intense duels.
NRG maintained their dominance on this map, making EG look inferior. They utilized agent utilities, executed unexpected strategies, and controlled the map flawlessly on attack.
Although EG showed signs of a comeback, winning rounds and leveling the score, NRG responded with five consecutive rounds to secure match point. The teams eventually went into overtime.
In a stunning display, NRG sealed the victory with two excellent overtime rounds, winning Icebox 14-12 and the series 2-0.
Overall, it was a remarkable performance from NRG and a disappointing one from EG. NRG displayed improved teamwork and utility usage throughout the match. EG fought back in the second map, but NRG’s dominance prevailed.
NRG will face Cloud9 in an elimination match on Aug. 11.
NRG, Evil Geniuses, Last Chance Qualifier, VALORANT, VCT Champions, bind, Icebox, utility, teamwork, dominance, overtime, bracket run, Cloud9