ZOL Esports ekes past The Overdogs to start VCT Challengers SEA ’24 Split 3 campaign

ZOL Esports ekes past The Overdogs to start VCT Challengers SEA ’24 Split 3 campaign

Filipino esports organization ZOL Esports needed three full games to escape a gritty The Overdogs side to start their VALORANT Challengers Southeast Asia 2024 Split 3: Stage 2 campaign on Tuesday.

ZOL started the Sunset map well, returning from a 0-2 round deficit with 111 straight round wins to put themselves at 11-2.

However, the Indonesians won five out of the next six rounds to put pressure on ZOL, including a flawless against the Filipinos.

ZOL secured the series with a win in the 20th round as Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza’s Neon leading the way with 20 kills with 307 average combat score while Franz “Kevziii” Dingal’s Sova put up 17.

The Filipinos had a bad second game in the Haven map, with The Overdogs turning the tides and beating them 2-11 at the end of 13 rounds.

The Indonesians ensured a winner-takes-all in Bind, locking the map with a 3-13 beating of ZOL, as Oscar “Kakarot” Farin Jr.’s Breach led the latter with 13 kills.

Both teams went to a back-and-forth in Bind, exchanging rounds after another until the APAC Predator League mainstays regained their footing after a break with a 6-6 deadlock.

The all-Filipino squad eventually escaped The Overdogs from another deadlock, 11-11, with two consecutive wins, as Patmen led the board with 27 kills as Raze, Kevziii’s Cypher, and Emmanuel “jEEE” Buenavidez’s Brimstone put up 18 and 17 respectively.

ZOL Esports will see action next against Thailand outfit FULL SENSE on Thursday.