Sentinels defeated XSET 3-1 in the grand final of the VALORANT Champions Tour Stage Three Challengers One tournament today after an intense journey through the main event. The team earned the first seed in the Challengers Playoffs and moved one step closer to Masters 3 Berlin.
The series started with a 13-9 XSET win on Haven. They lost the pistol rounds in the first half, but made up for it by winning eight straight rounds and finishing the half 8-4. Sentinels won rounds more frequently in the second half, but XSET still finished the map 13-9. While this made Sentinels fans nervous about XSET defeating them twice in one tournament, Sentinels were not ready to go down 2-0 in the series.
The first half on Breeze was a different story. Sentinels finished the first half with nine round wins, including a six-round winning streak to start the game. Sick led his team to victory with 24 kills and secured a 3k in the final round.
Sentinels maintained the momentum going into map three on Icebox and won the first two rounds of the game. XSET did not let them run wild, however, and managed to finish the first half 6-6. The second half was a back and forth ordeal as both teams traded blows. Sentinels were about to take a 2-1 lead until XSET’s AYRIN pulled off a two vs. one clutch to force the series into overtime.
But Sentinels’ zombs also came to play and won the map for his team by jumping off the rope on A site at the last second, killing deph with enough time to defuse the bomb.
Both teams refused to give the other an advantage on map four, Ascent. They took turns winning rounds in the first half, although Sentinels managed to finish the half with a one-round advantage. Sentinels’ TenZ pulled off an incredible ace in round eight, showing just how deadly he is with Jett’s Blade Storm.
The first two rounds in the second half went to Sentinels, but XSET stopped them from snowballing in round 15 and won four straight rounds, taking the game to 10-10. Sentinels went on a deadly run, however, winning the final three rounds of the game and earning the title of Challengers One champions.
Tyson “TenZ” Ngo is a retired CS:GO player who currently plays VALORANT for the Sentinels. See the gear TenZ used to compete at the highest level.
Sentinels earned the first seed in the VCT Stage Three Challengers Playoffs and the $20,000 prize for their performance. They maintained their spot as one of the top teams in North America and moved one step closer to Masters 3 Berlin. XSE, however, also earned a spot in the Challengers Playoffs and will have a chance for revenge.
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