In the lower bracket of the VALORANT Champions Tour 2022 North America Last Chance Qualifiers, Cloud9 swept NRG 2-0 to eliminate them from the tournament. This means that Cloud9 stay alive in the LCQ, facing 100 Thieves next in the lower bracket.
What a match from @Cloud9 as they take down @NRGgg 2-0, eliminating them from #VALORANTLCQ. C9 will continue their Lower Bracket run tomorrow against @100T_Esports.
Map 1 – Breeze: Cloud9 13-7
Map 2 – Icebox: Cloud9 13-8 pic.twitter.com/BhAKc4B59A— VALORANT Esports NA (@valesports_na) August 12, 2022
Cloud9 get back in form for VCT
Just as they started their run in the VCT 2022 NA LCQ, Cloud9 swept their opponent to keep their run going. The first time around was against Shopify Rebellion, a close two-map series. In retrospect, the series itself was special due to its surroundings, as every other match around that time was a three-map series. In fact, Cloud9 were the first are in the competition to win an opponent’s map pick.
While their path in the tournament is now in the losers bracket after getting swept by The Guard, they don’t seem to be a fan of three-map series. They swept NRG comfortably, with arguably the cleanest series victory of the tournament so far with a 13-7 Breeze and a 13-8 Icebox. A lot of that was thanks to star performances from both Nathan “leaf” Orf and Erick “Xeppaa” Bach, who topped the stats in the series in the win. Leaf led the lobby in kills (41) and plus/minus (+11). Xeppaa led the lobby in ACS (275) and KAST (83%).
Looking back at the stats from the series, it was really the defensive sides where Cloud9 showed their skills. Cloud9’s play helped keep everyone from NRG from getting a positive kill-to-death ratio.
NRG end their 2022 season
As for NRG, their run in the VCT 2022 NA LCQ is over after this loss to Cloud9. After starting well in a tight loss to 100 Thieves and sweeping Evil Geniuses, the potential was there. Yet, Cloud9 fell into their path and the team just couldn’t overcome them. The belief of NRG making a run was there, especially after finishing top four in Stage 2 Challengers. But, even off the back of great performances from Ian “tex” Botsch and Daniel “eeiu” Vucenovic, they couldn’t win.
One of the most interesting stats from the NRG side in this series was from tex. His first kills to first deaths were great, with 11 first kills and only 3 first deaths. This meant that in a lot of rounds in the series, tex would get an opening pick. That alone proves there are positives to take for the squad heading into 2023.
Cloud9 face 100 Thieves next in the lower bracket at 7 PM EST on Aug. 12, 2022.
