5 reasons why Sentinels couldn't live up to the hype as they bomb out of VCT NA LCQ

The Sentinels' journey in VCT 2022 ended after the popular Valorant team lost to 100 Thieves in a knockout match of VCT's Last Chance Qualifiers today, leading to their elimination from the tournament.

Last month, the Sentinels shocked the Valorant fandom by announcing Shroud's inclusion in their roster for the Last Chance Qualifiers. This marked the gaming legend's return to esports and his entry into the world of Valorant competition.

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The Sentinels' roster received a massive overhaul for the Last Chance Qualifiers, and fans were full of hope. However, the team couldn't live up to their expectations. That said, the reasons behind their failure seem clear.

Sentinels had hoped to conquer VCT NA LCQ with a new roster

1) VCT's LCQ stage features massive competition

The VCT NA LCQ will offer a wildcard slot to only one team out of eight competing teams. As a result, all participants give their best for their last chance to enter VCT 2022.

100 Thieves posed a massive competitive strategy for the Sentinels to tackle, and the ShahZam-led Valorant geniuses failed to break it. Being one of the toughest stages to clear in VCT, the LCQ wouldn't be a cakewalk for the Sentinels.

2) The Sentinels lacked patience

While both 100 Thieves and Sentinels displayed exceptional skills in today's matches, one notable difference was patience. 100 Thieves had weaved together an intricate strategy, maintaining a perfect balance of patience and aggression.

While the Sentinels tried countering 100 Theives' plan, they failed to keep patience in many close situations, costing them rounds. While they managed to pull off Fracture in an overtime duel, their lack of patience clearly showed in Breeze and Haven.

3) Lack of a Duelist on Haven

Haven is a complicated map favoring the offense. Sentinels chose to keep three Initiators, one Controller, and one Sentinel on their team. This could be why they couldn't successfully hold sites, even after gaining control. Sentinels did manage to foster a massive comeback but eventually failed.

While a three-initiator strategy isn't unthinkable, conquering Haven requires a duelist like Raze or Jett. Sentinels had Dapr, Zellsis, and ShahZaM with Fade, KAY/O, and Breach, respectively, while Shroud and TenZ picked Omen and Chamber.

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However, the 100 Thieves were comparatively more balanced, with Asuna playing Raze, Derrek playing Fade, Bang playing Omen, Stellar playing Sage, and WillFPS playing Chamber.

4) 100 Thieves utilized better post-plant and offense strategies

While the Sentinels faced difficulty pushing onto sites, 100 Thieves had a better strategy to counter them. Sentinels lost a lot of gunfights due to positioning, often ending up in helpless situations. Moreover, 100 Thieves' Derrek played incredibly well, clutching important rounds for his team.

100 Thieves outsmarted Sentinels for the first time since 2021. Before today's match, 100 Thieves faced Sentinels 6 times in VCT 2021 and lost each time.

5) Shroud's first official Valorant tournament

While his performance as a Controller was notable, Shroud had a tough time with gun fights on all three maps. He did win some influential fights but failed to maintain a balanced performance overall.

With Last Chance Qualifiers being his first official Valorant tournament, the pressure on him was inevitable. However, he managed to conquer some part of it and presented impressive performances in previous matches. Sadly, the legend failed to display his full potential in today's matches.

Overall, both Sentinels and 100 Thieves are forces to be reckoned with in Valorant Esports. While 100 Thieves advance into the Lower Bracket Semifinals in the LCQ, Sentinels will have to wait until 2023 for their next chance at Valorant Champions Tour.