Team Vitality continues its climb up the 2026 LEC Summer Season standings, securing their third consecutive win. After a tough start in Paris, the team defeated Team Heretics and SK Gaming, solidifying their hold on third place with a 3-2 record. Ahead lies a serious challenge in the form of GIANTX. In an exclusive interview, the team's jungler, Linas "Lyncas" Nauncikas, spoke about the roster's current form, the integration of newcomers, the importance of discipline, and the goal of making it to the World Championship.
According to Lyncas, the season began with an extreme schedule against three of the strongest teams in Europe. The victory secured at the start was a true relief, as a 0-3 result could have severely impacted the team's morale. The jungler notes that the matches against SK and TH should have been mandatory wins on paper, although the first game against SK turned out to be somewhat "rusty" in the early stages. At the same time, Lyncas is in no rush to unconditionally call Vitality the third-best team in the league, emphasizing that they still need to earn this title in their upcoming matchup against GIANTX, especially while their competitors from Movistar KOI are experiencing a slump.
An important factor in their success is the integration of the new midlaner, An "FIESTA" Hyeon-seo. Despite initial difficulties, his English level is rapidly improving. FIESTA has seamlessly blended into the roster and, according to the jungler, often jokes around and gets along great with Carzzy. Lyncas especially highlighted the newcomer's progress in the match against SK, where he not only showcased individual skill but also actively participated in coordinating the team's actions. Overall, the working atmosphere and the psychological state of the players have become much more stable compared to the Spring split.
Despite the victories, Lyncas sees room for improvement and demands more from the team. Shortly before the match against SK, he confessed to coach Pad his frustration with the pace at which they were fixing mistakes. The jungler's main grievance is a lack of discipline, which leads to silly deaths before major objectives spawn (for example, before a fight for the Dragon Soul).
To accelerate their progress, Team Vitality has finally gotten the opportunity to play practice matches (scrims) against the league leaders. The team has already started practicing with G2, who are renowned for their serious approach to practice, and also has scheduled matches booked with Karmine Corp.
Lyncas notes his own professional growth in all aspects of the game and feels much more confident. He tries to pass this positive attitude on to the team, while maintaining a balance between hard work and taking it easier on himself overall. Currently, the player doesn't feel any extra pressure, but he has a clear goal.
"I just really, really want to go to Worlds, and we need to show it with our gameplay. Right now, we have a really good opportunity to make it to the top three," Lyncas concluded.
With very little time left until playoffs, Team Vitality is forced to learn from their mistakes quickly in order to maintain their momentum.
As a reminder, Oscarinin on His Successful Start with GIANTX, the Conflict with Fnatic, and the Battle for Worlds
