XSET has won its first VCT title and also secured its first seed from NA. Know everything that has happened.
While XSET has not yet competed in a big international LAN tournament, they have participated in some smaller ones in preparation for the Masters and Champions levels. OpTic chose Fracture, as their first map. This pick ended up being a nail-biter, with no team feeling comfortable with its lead after several rounds of back and forth. To know all the details, read below, as we will tell you how XSET won their first VCT Title and secures the first seed from NA.
XSET wins first VCT Title
While both zekken and Victor dominated Fracture on Neon, Cryo managed to get the better of Yay in the Chamber matchup. The team scored 14-12 after two extra rounds after yay connected on a last Operator shot that connected onto AYRIN and clinched the map for OpTic.
XSET selected Haven as its game map for the match. Although OpTic has a good record on Haven, they have played it so many times at this stage that XSET has a good understanding of their playstyle.
XSET focused on the C site
As casters noted, XSET hit the C site more often than any other site during their attack half as opposed to opting for the A site. This was a clear sign that XSET adjusted its strategies for the rematch against OpTic.
It was rough going for OpTic this time and XSET easily won Haven 13-3. After that, it was off to Bind, where XSET took the first pistol round and blew OpTic out to a 9-3 halftime lead.
Even when OpTic switched sides, they still fell behind 11-4 at the time of their timeout. The momentum briefly swung back in OpTic’s favor, until this time, XSET’s confidence helped them wipe out the 9-3 curse, leading to their victory 13-7.
Ascent
A flank control master class by OpTic stunned XSET for several rounds in a row. XSET players were almost unable to get onto the site during Ascent. Crashies’ aim in the first half was on target as Marved controlled with his Astra stars. Even when XSET finally came on track, they struggled. In round six, Zekken managed three big kills, but could not get the spike down in time, and OpTic won.
XSET defeated OpTic by a score of 3-1 in Stage Two of the NA VCT, winning the map as well as the match by a score of 12-11. OpTic won the match by 11 rounds, but XSET didn’t give up and worked their way back from a three-round deficit to win by 12-11.
Cryocells played a key role
XSET added Cryocells (Matthew “Cryocells” Panganiban) to its roster following its fourth-place finish at the NA LCQ in 2021, where he admitted that it was tough to become accustomed to being the lone new player at first, but once he did, he felt better.
XSET’s young duelist quickly made his mark early on, and he was a key component even in losses. He has improved with time, and his match against FaZe Clan shows his progress as a player. It was a feeling Cryocells cannot describe. In that final match, Cryocells had 103 kills to just 60 deaths across four games. His average combat score of 278 provided him with an edge over everyone else.
Conclusion
This victory also propels XSET directly to the international Champions event at the end of this year. Both OpTic and XSET will be in Copenhagen next month taking part in the second stage of the VCT Masters Stage Two Event.
At their first international VALORANT LAN, XSET is looking to prove themselves and get the experience they will need for Champions later this year. In short, the OpTic is looking to defend its Masters One title, while XSET is looking to prove itself.
It took the North Americans two years to qualify for VALORANT’s first international event. If they place 10th or higher in Copenhagen, they will have a good chance to represent the region at Champions. Due to the constant upward trajectory that XSET has taken to reach this point, Ayrin is at his utmost level of confidence with the team.
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