VCT Americas: Sentinels in VALORANT as they clinched the title of VCT Americas Kickoff champions
Today marked a triumphant moment for the Sentinals as they showcased an epic showdown against LOUD in the grand finals.
From start to finish, the competition unfolded like a blockbuster movie. SEN kicked off the best-of-five grand finals with a strong performance, securing victories on Sunset and Split with stellar plays from TenZ, zekken, Sacy, johnqt, and Zellsis. Despite a valiant effort from the Brazilian squad, who fought back with wins on Icebox and Bind, SEN sealed the deal on Lotus, ultimately emerging victorious with a 3-2 series triumph.
Despite their ultimate victory in the grand finals, the Sentinels faced an uphill battle throughout the entire Americas Kickoff event. Their journey began with a stumble as LOUD sent them to the lower bracket in the opening round. From there, SEN navigated a challenging path, defeating formidable opponents like 100T and Leviatán while battling through the group stages.
However, their most daunting challenge awaited them in the semifinals against the star-studded NRG dream team featuring Ethan, Victor, crashies, Marved, and Demon1. Overcoming this formidable opponent not only secured SEN's ticket to VCT Masters Madrid but also solidified their status as the team to watch in the Americas region.
Today’s win against LOUD was both sweet revenge and a much-needed win for the new SEN VALORANT roster, which added Zellsis and their brilliant IGL, johnqt. The team struggled all of last season, failing to attend any international events outside of LOCK//IN São Paulo, but their win today could be the turning point for the org.
At the top of the leaderboards was none other than TenZ, who has been shifting to more of a flex role, playing controller on Omen, initiator on KAY/O, and duelist on Yoru in this series alone. Interestingly, in all three maps won by SEN in the finals, TenZ was playing Omen. He looked right at home between this series and the semifinals, making big plays with his Shrouded Step teleport and playing beautifully around dangerous smokes.
The Sentinels, led by the unstoppable TenZ, will make their next appearance on the global stage in Madrid, where they'll confront formidable opponents from the Pacific, EMEA, and China regions. This includes renowned teams such as Gen.G, Paper Rex, Karmine Corp, Team Heretics, EDward Gaming, and FunPlus Phoenix. There's also the possibility of a rematch between SEN and LOUD, as both teams secured their spots in the next Masters event.
With powerhouse teams like NRG, Fnatic, and DRX absent from the Madrid lineup, the path seems favorable for another triumphant #SENWIN. As anticipation builds, all eyes will be on SEN City for what promises to be an exhilarating showdown.
