After another action-packed week in VCT Pacific Stage 2, Korean Valorant sits at the top of the game, with Gen.G Gen.G Korea Rank #2 Ash Ha Hyun-cheol (하현철) Karon Kim Won-tae (김원태) t3xture Kim Na-ra (김나라) Efina Kim Nak-yeon (김낙연) Raxcal Kim Min-seok (김민석) and T1 T1 Korea Rank #3 stax Kim Gu-taek (김구택) Meteor Kim Tae-oh (김태오) BuZz Yu Byeong-cheol (유병철) DH Kang Dong-ho (강동호) iZu Ham Woo-ju (함우주) Munchkin Byeon Sang-beom (변상범) topping Group Alpha and Group Omega, respectively.

This week, Global Esports Global Esports Asia-Pacific Rank #4 PatMen Patrick Mendoza UdoTan Go Kyung-won (고경원) Kr1stal Savva Fedorov xavi8k Xavier Juan Autumn Kale Dunne , Rex Regum Qeon Rex Regum Qeon Asia-Pacific Rank #7 Monyet Cahya Nugraha xffero David Monangin Xan Xan Ng Jemkin Maksim Batorov Kushy Bryan Carlos Setiawan crazyguy Ngô Công Anh , T1, and Paper Rex Paper Rex Asia-Pacific Rank #2 invy Adrian Jiggs Reyes Jinggg Wang Jing Jie f0rsakeN Jason Susanto d4v41 Khalish Rusyaidee something Ilya Petrov had a double-match as a result of the tighter schedule.

Here's how week 2's slate of matches played out:

Here are the standings in each group after week two:

Group Alpha

1. Gen.G (3-0)

After surviving its double-week with a 2-0 record, Gen.G was tasked with Rex Regum Qeon. RRQ entered the match winless and in the second leg of its double-week, but was still strong against its longtime rivals. The series went all three maps, with Gen.G showing a developed identity with t3xture on Chamber and Raxcal on Phoenix/Sage duties. The biggest star of the show, though, was Ash . On Neon for all three maps, the academy graduate looked unstoppable, particularly when sliding. He ended the series with a team-high 51 kills, including 32 on a Summit that ended 13-11. Next week, Gen.G is tasked with a matchup against Global Esports. Should Gen.G win that match, it will bypass the Play-In altogether and qualify directly for the playoffs.

Ash could do no wrong on Summit.

2. Global Esports (2-1)

The first of Global's two matches this week was a rivalry, and one that it dominated. Against FULL SENSE, led by former head coach FrosT , GE lost just 10 rounds across two maps, shutting the Thai side out. In the second match of the week, GE went the distance against Nongshim RedForce, falling on Sunset after seemingly running out of gas. Global's next match is against Gen.G, and it is a match that may end up having significant implications on the head-to-head advantages in Group Alpha as the group stage begins to enter its final two weeks.

PatMen holds down the A site, and gets four kills for his troubles.

3. ZETA DIVISION (1-1)

After suffering a loss in its opening match to Gen.G, ZETA bounced back and looked comfortable in a 2-0 win over RRQ to draw not just its record level, but also its map difference. Fueled by stellar performances from eKo on map one and SyouTa on map two, ZETA looked strong. On RRQ's Haven, a double-Duelist comp downed RRQ, while a double-Initiator, double-Controller look on Breeze let ZETA close out a 13-3 blowout. ZETA's next match is a fractured-looking FULL SENSE, who need wins fast. Next week will be a double-week for ZETA, as it also takes on Nongshim RedForce.

4. FULL SENSE (1-1)

After all of the hype that was built up entering the week, FULL SENSE fell short of expectations in its rivalry showdown against Global Esports. After losing out on its pick of Ascent, thanks in no small part to Global's strong attack on the map, Global entered Summit with its own unique comp to match GE's. With a comp highlighted by Waylay, Raze, and Tejo, FS disappointed in a big way, picking up just one round on attack. While the defense-side pistol round was secured, the series was over just three rounds later.

Notably, star player primmie , who was on Deadlock duties last week on Haven and Split, was on Duelist for both maps this week. He ended the GE series with 28 kills, eight more than any other member of the team. FULL SENSE enters a double-week next week, with its first match against a ZETA side that is beginning to find its rhythm. Later in the matchweek, FS will take on an out-of-form RRQ.

5. Nongshim RedForce

After dropping both of its matches in a double-week last week, Nongshim bounced back in a 2-1 win over Global Esports. With Francis 's shift into the IGL role, roles elsewhere have also been shuffled. Despite the rough start in map one, Rb showed off a callback to his old days on the Duelist role, playing Jett and Yoru en route to finishing with a team-high 49 kills. Secondary Duelist player Xross seemed to have moved into a hybrid role, primarily playing Initiator while also playing Phoenix. Francis, as the IGL, has taken on Controller and Initiator duties. Nongshim has a long road ahead of it if it wishes to bypass the Play-In, which requires results elsewhere and will likely need a tie with Global Esports. With just two matches left, Nongshim will take on ZETA DIVISION, set to play in the Japanese team's second leg of a double-week.

Who said Dambi could only play Neon?

6. Rex Regum Qeon (0-3)

Just a few months removed from being nearly qualified for Masters Santiago and now over a year removed from being crowned Pacific champions, Rex Regum Qeon looks a shell of its former self. In a double-match week, RRQ was swept by ZETA and then lost a three-map series to rivals Gen.G. There has been a lack of consistency for RRQ this stage, beginning with its roster. The team was without star player Jemkin against Gen.G due to illness, making the roster in the Gen.G match its third unique roster in just three matches. RRQ has a long road ahead if it wishes to qualify for Champions, as it will likely need a Play-In run and then a top-two finish in the playoffs. That long road continues next week against FULL SENSE, who will be just as hungry for results.

Group Omega

1. T1 (2-1)

After starting out the stage with a win over Paper Rex, T1 was up-and-down in week two, falling 2-0 to VARREL in the upset of the stage so far and then defeating Team Secret 2-0. After losing by a combined five rounds against VL, T1 dropped just 10 rounds across both maps against Secret, and continued to show off its flexibility with recent changes. Following stax 's benching and DH 's call-up, T1 has had three different players take on the Duelist role, with Meteor the go-to Jett, BuZz the main Phoenix player, and iZu on Neon. When not on Duelist, Meteor has been Chamber, BuZz has been a Controller, and iZu has been on Initiator duties. While T1 sits at the top of the group now, its loss last week to VARREL means that it will need to keep winning to stay up. Next week, T1 will be up against a DFM team that has started the stage 0-2. The match will be DFM's second of a double-week, meaning T1 could be up against some tired players.

T1 closes out Ascent with a flashy set-play.

2. Paper Rex 2-1

Paper Rex, also tasked with a double-week, won both of its matches in clean fashion, defeating both DFM and KRX 2-0. The series against DFM was tight, with both teams going to the wire despite the 2-0 scoreline. The series was decided by a margin of five rounds, with Ascent, the second map, ending 17-15 in overtime. The series against KRX was anything but close. A 13-1 Summit was followed up by a 13-6 Breeze, with KRX moving away from its triple-Duelist approach in the series. Paper Rex showed a lot of change this past week, dropping its Miks-Killjoy Ascent comp for Omen and Chamber, playing something on Sage and also staging his return to Neon after struggles with the agent earlier in the year. something ended as the top frag in both matches, taking home a combined 81 kills. Paper Rex enters next week with a matchup against Team Secret.

something showing off his new and improved Neon.

3. VARREL (2-0)

While it owns the best record in the group, VARREL currently sits in third with just two matches played and two matches won. After picking up its first-ever VCT win last week, VARREL logged its first-ever upset, taking down T1 in two maps. Foxy9 continued to impress as the team's go-to Sentinel and Viper player. VARREL, across Split and Haven, fielded six different players, with C1ndeR making way for Klaus after map one. Both players played Omen, suggesting that the change could have more to do with the map being played.

VARREL will look to stay undefeated next week as it takes on a double-week, playing a winless DFM, who have a double-week of their own, and an out-of-form KRX.

4. Team Secret (1-2)

After splitting its double-week last week, Team Secret entered its second week of play against T1. While Secret will have felt confident following its 2-0 win over KRX, it was stomped against T1, picking up just 10 rounds across both maps in a 2-0 loss. After leading the team in a big way in week one, Zeus seemed to have his first rough week since making his VCT debut in the series. Team Secret will look to break even next week, when it plays Pacific giants Paper Rex.

5. KIWOOM DRX (1-2)

After winning with the triple-Duelist and then losing with the triple-Duelist last week, KRX changed its approach against Paper Rex, but looked flat. The triple-Duelist comp was dropped, with HYUNMIN on Phoenix and Flicker on Neon while free1ng was moved onto Sentinel and Controller. In a 13-1 loss on Summit, KRX looked all out of sorts. The same, however, could be said about Breeze, which ended 13-6. KRX will go up against an in-form VARREL next week as part of the team's double-week.

6. DetonatioN FocusMe (0-2)

Despite inspiring performances from Akame in week one and Meiy in week two, DFM is winless in Stage 2. It was blitzed in the KRX match against three Duelists, and then barely outclassed in the second match against PRX. After going down 0-2, DFM has a double-week next week, taking on VARREL and T1.

One of Meiy's 31 kills on Ascent.

Up next

VCT Pacific Stage 2 will continue with the following matches: