NRG, FaZe, TSM, and LG advance to the VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers Main Event

After an action-packed weekend of non-stop Valorant action, four of North America’s top teams, NRG Esports, FaZe Clan, TSM, and Luminosity Gaming (LG), have made it through the first VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers open qualifiers and advanced to the main event. 

They join The Guard, OpTic Gaming, Cloud9, and XSET, teams that received direct invites for finishing top four in the previous VCT NA Stage 1 Challengers playoffs.

The eight teams that have already qualified will be joined by the top four squads from the second VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers open qualifiers next weekend.

NRG Esports and FaZe Clan go undefeated through the upper bracket

NRG’s reworked roster with Ethan “Ethan” Arnold had the best run of any team from the first VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers open qualifier, finishing 8-0. NRG defeated Lenny Time, Zero MarksMen Black, Knights, and Version1 to make it into the main event.

Ethan had an incredible tournament debut with NRG, averaging an ACS of 219.75 and KDA of 31/26/16 in his first four matches with his new team.

FaZe’s new roster looked equally impressive on the other side of the bracket, as they defeated Run it Down, VIRTUOSO, Sentinels, and TSM to qualify for the VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers group stage.

FaZe’s dynamic duo, Andrej “Babybay” Francisty and Quan “Dicey” Tran proved too much for Sentinels. Babybay was unstoppable as Jett, dropping an ACS of 416 and KDA of 30/14/4 on Ascent, while Dicey completed the upset for FaZe with an ACS of 339 and KDA of 28/18/5 on Haven playing Chamber.

TSM and Luminosity Gaming bounced back in the lower bracket

TSM finally made it back to the VCT with the organization’s revamped roster in the first open qualifier. They defeated Cosmic Divide, 100 Thieves, and LG in the upper bracket.

After losing a close overtime game on Haven against FaZe, TSM recovered by defeating 100 Thieves 2-1 in the lower bracket semifinals.

16-year-old prodigy Johann “Seven” Hernandez came up clutch on TSM’s 15-13 overtime win on Icebox, scoring an ACS of 240 and KDA of 24/19/7 on Chamber.

LG is one of the few teams in the first open qualifier that didn’t change their roster at the start of the year. They first defeated NA stack Girl Kissers and Gen.G Esports, but had to make their way through the lower bracket after losing to TSM 2-1.

LG proved they’re one of the top teams in NA after they eliminated both Sentinels and Version1 to qualify for the VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers’ group stage.

Brandon Michael “Bdog” Sanders stepped up on Breeze and helped his team punch their ticket to the main event. Bdog outperformed V1’s stand-in player Matthew “Wardell” Yu on Jett and finished with an ACS of 294 and KDA of 26/13/3.

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The second VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers open qualifiers

Teams that placed 5th to 12th have been awarded the first to eighth seeds in the second open qualifier, which runs from May 5 to 8, and received a bye to the Round of 32. These teams include:

First VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers open qualifiers top 12 teams

Similar to the first open qualifier, matches will be played in a single-elimination format until the Round of 32, which will feature a double-elimination bracket.

The upper bracket and lower bracket finals will not be played, and the tournament will end once the top four teams have been decided.

View the full match schedule for VCT NA Stage 2 Challengers qualifiers here. All matches are broadcast on the official Valorant Twitch and Nerd Street Gamers Twitch channels.

READ MORE: Sentinels look to redeem themselves in second VCT NA open qualifier