Sentinels Lose To Heretics 2-1, Ending Their Run For VCT 2024

Some journeys end early. Sentinels lose to Heretics in a 2-1 series to bow out the Valorant Champions 2024. 

Another tournament favorite team is out for title contention after the lower bracket semifinals match in VCT 2024. Team Heretics may have shattered Sentinels’ championship dreams as they take the nerve-wracking 2-1 win. Many have anticipated that these teams will face one another, as they previously battled at the Masters Madrid.

While the Sentinels saw success in their Masters Madrid match, Team Heretics took revenge in the VCT 2024. As the tournament continues, Heretics will face the losing team of the upper bracket, Leviatan, in the lower bracket finals. Only one will secure a ticket to the grand finals. 

Sentinels would have to wrap up their VCT 2024 journey after being eliminated. 

Map 1: Haven – Sentinels’ Strong Start

Sentinels’ strongest map pick, Haven, begins the highly anticipated rematch of Masters Madrid’s teams. Heretics displayed an unconventional composition for this match by including Sage and Killjoy alongside a solo Gekko initiator. However, the Sentinels kept their pride and showed a dominating performance on the map. 

Tyson “TenZ” Ngo is the Sentinels’ standout player in this match. He showcased his game prowess in his 29 kills, 41% headshot percentage, and 2.01 match rating performance.

The team secured the win in Haven with a conclusive 13-8 scoreline and took the 1-0 lead.

Map 2: Icebox – Heretics Strike Back

Heretics showed up in Icebox, the second map pick of the series. MiniBoo kept his signature agent, Neon, to put up a fight against the Sentinels. Although TenZ pulled off a strong performance on KAY/O, it wasn’t enough to take the win. 

Heretics have the edge in decision-making to make crucial adjustments mid-map. In halftime, Heretics scored 7-5 against the Sentinels and later went up to 13-9 to even the series. It was the second half of the game that helped the Heretics secure the match with their clutch plays. 

Map 3: Abyss – Heretics Seal the Deal

Sentinels’ sink deep in the Abyss as they faced crushing defeat in this game deciding map. The team found themselves struggling to find their footing against the seasoned Heretics squad. With that, the latter took control early for an 8-4 halftime on their offensive side. 

A moment of hope arose for the Sentinels when they won the second-half-pistol round and zekken’s clutch ace. However, the light extinguished quickly as Boo and RieNs of Heretics stepped up to guard their lead. Heretics took the 13-7 win for a 2-1 lead against the Sentinels in this series. 

Key Factors in Heretics’ Victory

Team Heretics performed better in their rematch against the team that eliminated them in the Masters Madrid. Meanwhile, Sentinels’ performance shows their need to work on their consistency. Aside from the Heretics’ pool of talented players, several factors contributed to their upset win over the Sentinels. 

Mainly, the map pool advantage gives Team Heretics leverage to conquer this map against the Sentinels. With Heretics’ experience on Abyss, they were able to make and take crucial plays for a win on the deciding map.

Moreover, Heretics’ adaptability shines through in this series when their mid-series adjustments work to own the victory in Icebox. Boo and RieNs’ clutch plays create a shift in momentum that is favorable for the team. This barred entry of Sentinels’ attempts for comeback plays in the series.    

What’s Next for Heretics and Sentinels?

As Heretics advances to the lower finals of the VALORANT Champions 2024, they’ll be facing LEVIATÁN, another formidable team from the upper bracket. The game winner will have a shot at the grand finale of the Champions 2024 Finals on Sunday, August 25th, against EDward Gaming (EDG). 

Meanwhile, the Sentinels’ loss ended their Champions 2024 run in fourth place, along with a prize of $130,000. Their early exit may have been disappointing for the team and their fans, but their performance this year remains praiseworthy. With this finish, it has been certain that they belong to the top teams in the competitive scene of VALORANT. 

Conclusion

After weeks of heart-stopping matches, the champions are about to be named in the VCT 2024. Their fans, as well as the community, are shocked as the Sentinels lose to Heretics and are eliminated from the competition. However, there’s a brighter future ahead for the team, as they showed a spectacular performance in their VCT 2024 run. The team will definitely work hard to bounce back stronger in the next Worlds tournament. 

With two remaining matches left, all eyes will be on the three remaining teams. Which team will stand in the grand final stage and get a chance for the championship title?