XDG LXIX, other PH teams ignite fiery start in all-female CODM Valkyrie Series

XD Gaming LXIX spearheaded the searing performance of the Filipino teams at the start of the all-girls Garena Call of Duty Mobile Valkyrie Series on Tuesday night, May 4. 

Composed of Raenan Isabel "Yakee" Villa, Daena "Consta" Constantino, Venice Daphne "Venice" Mea, Kersey Andrea "Cyka" Batua, Dannah Angeline "Aphaea" Castañeda and Chantela Jessette "Aphro" Lapatha, XDG utterly crushed 21 Huntress of Malaysia, 3-0, to open the eight-team regional tournament. 

The squad under coach Emmanuel Zaragoza and managers Arkisha Aragon and Udquin Lenard fired off its onslaught against the Malaysia side with a 150-78 romp in the opening Hardpoint at Standoff. 

XDG then scored a 6-3 victory in Search & Destroy at Tunisia before closing out the rout with a 150-110 triumph in Domination at Firing Range. 

Aragon bared in an online message to Manila Bulletin that this is the first Garena tournament for the XDG girls after winning 17 championships in various tourneys. 

"We decided to play competetively because we want to prove that not only men are capable of bringing glory in the esports community but also us women. We also share mutual goals such as winning both small and major tournaments," the team said. 

Later on, Gaijin Invicta and Aim Artemis also opened their campaigns with smashing victories against their separate foes. 

Gaijin destroyed Malaysia's Sukeban, 3-0 (150-11 Hardpoint at Firing Range; 6-1 SND at Standoff; 150-105 Domination at Crossfire), while Aim Artemis pummeled Singapore's Velvet, 3-0 (150-51 Hardpoint at Firing Range; SND at Tunisia; 150-73 Domination at Firing Range). 

Nifty Ultra Genesis, however, started on the wrong foot as it lost 3-0 to Singapore's Team Eve. 

The four PH squads are set to battle it out versus the two Malaysian and two Singaporean teams in the group stage until May 12.