LOUD and DRX qualify move on to VCT LOCK IN semifinals

The two intense finals the culmination of proceedings in the Alpha group of VCT 2023 - LOCK//IN with LOUD and DRX earning a Playoffs spot at the first VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) tournament of 2023. Here is a recap of the events that transpired in each of the matchups held at VCT LOCK IN Brazil.

LOUD barely edge out NRG

The format adopted for LOCK IN had already created high stakes for each matchup, but with a Playoff spot on the line, the intensity of the matchups reached new heights. As members of LOUD and NRG stepped onto the stage, the excitement and anticipation for this head-to-head match skyrocketed, guaranteeing that both teams would bring their A-game.

Split became the first map to host each of the two teams, a decision that NRG would later regret. LOUD decided to populate the scoreboard first, and they did so in spectacular fashion posting up 9 rounds by halftime led by Arthur "tuyz" Andrade Viera’s contributions who finished the half with 1.67 rating on 248 ACS and 3.25 KD. Launching a comeback after falling 3-9 isn’t unheard of, but it wasn’t something NRG could pull off against LOUD’s brick-like defense.

An early advantage in the matchup did not hinder the spirits of NRG as they returned more furious than ever on Pearl, yet another map they hadn’t publicly demonstrated their talents on. Even though LOUD, once again, seemed to be in control of the map’s momentum early on, the EMEA legend Ardis "ardiis" Svarenieks stepped in for the rescue and subsequently bolstered them to a much needed lead at halftime. His efforts on Defense weren’t as noteworthy but Austin "crashies" Roberts lent a hand increasing the lead to 11-5. LOUD knew better than to let the advantage slip away that quickly and exerted their best efforts to regain their position in the map. They experienced success, only enough to force overtime as NRG sealed out the win 13-5.

Deciders are bound to be entertaining and this one did not disappoint at all. It started off customarily with LOUD taking the early rounds, but NRG was able to keep their necks afloat with five rounds till halftime. Upon switching sides, LOUD was able to secure three rounds to push the score to 10-5. Before they could close out the early win, the NA challengers decided to launch one more attempt at a comeback and finally managed to push overtime. Each time a team came close to sealing the win, the other bounced back and delayed it by a further two rounds such that LOUD only earned the qualification spot after round 34 owing to Cauan "cauanzin" Pereira’s 2 kills and the defusal.

DRX VS emerges in the battle of APAC

Similar to the last matchup, this one too put the audience at the edge of their seats. It started off on Fracture with DRX winning the pistol round. Despite doing so, they couldn’t build on this momentum any further and ended up on the trail end of the lead with a 4-8 score at halftime. Switching sides was instrumental in rekindling their momentum as they were able to reduce the lead to a one point deficit by round 17. Unfortunately, their defensive prowess wasn’t as advantageous anymore as Talon Esports closed out the map with a 13-10 score.

Both teams then transitioned to Ascent, DRX’s map pick, and this factor played a huge role in deciding the outcome. Although Talon had the upper hand after leaving the gate, this advantage subsided gradually such that the scores were tied by halftime. A seemingly close encounter became instantaneously one-sided when DRX switched onto Defense and embarked on a seven round streak to close out the map with Kim "Zest" Gi-seok leading the score with a 2.44 rating on 437 ACS. He had 12 kills over the six rounds facing elimination in only one round.

Icebox was agreed on as the decider for this matchup and it did not disappoint. Despite taking the first three rounds, Talon esports were not in control of the momentum. DRX’s offense was difficult for them to deal with but they persevered and ended up only two rounds behind at halftime. When the sides changed, DRX was quick to further their lead putting the Thai team in a difficult predicament. Talon Esports, nonetheless, managed to tie up the score by round twenty at 10 apiece. Just when his team needed him, Kim "stax" Gu-taek put on a showing leading the team to three consecutive defusals sealing the playoff spot.

MVP: MaKo

Taking THESPIKE.GG’s MVP award for the qualifying matchups of the Alpha group is Mako from DRX who demonstrated his exceptional talents on each of the three maps with a 1.04 rating on Fracture, 1.56 on Ascent, and 1.49 on Icebox. Despite this consistency, his impact was most notable in the defensive half of Ascent, where he used the Astra utility to great advantage and finished with 328 ACS and 4 KD.