Ahmedabad Defenders beat Kochi Blue Spikers in a nail-biter

The Ahmedabad Defenders finished first in the league standings after beating the Kochi Blue Spikers 15-14, 15-14, 11-15, 14-15, 15-10 on Tuesday at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad. The Defenders, who finished with 10 points in the league stage, also knocked the Blue Spikers out of the tournament.

The Ahmedabad Defenders, Calicut Heroes, Hyderabad Black Hawks, and Kolkata Thunderbolts will compete in the RuPay Prime Volleyball knockout stage.

Player of the Match

Ahmedabad Defenders’ Shon T John was selected Player of the Match.

Captain Muthusamy of the Ahmedabad Defenders hit a superb spike to take a 6-4 lead in the first set. The Blue Spikers rallied to tie the game at 10-10, headed by Cody Caldwell. Following that, both teams scored at the same time, ending in a 14-14 tie. However, the Defenders took the lead after the Blue Spikers’ Erin Varghese lost a crucial serve.

The Defenders had an 8-7 lead in the second set, thanks to Shon T John’s brilliance. Following that, Angamuthu delivered a spectacular spike as the Defenders maintained their lead. Caldwell, on the other hand, made a magnificent smash to tie the game at 13-13. The Defenders, on the other hand, held their nerve and won the second set 15-14 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

As the Blue Spikers grabbed a commanding 7-2 lead in the third set, Varghese unleashed a spectacular smash and Captain Karthik delivered a Super Serve. As Kochi forged ahead, Deepesh Kumar Sinha also delivered a stunning spike. Kochi capitalized on the momentum and won the third set 15-11 to get a foothold in the match.

The Blue Spikers gained an 8-5 lead in the fourth set because to Erin Varghese’s outstanding serve. Kochi preserved their 11-8 lead thanks to skipper Karthik. Santhosh’s two spectacular smashes kept the Defenders in the game, but Varghese’s fantastic spike allowed the Blue Spikers close off the fourth set at 15-14 and tie the game at two sets apiece.

The Defenders regained the momentum and took a four-point lead at 10-6 in the final set. Rodrigo Villalboa effected a fabulous spike as the Defenders continued to forge ahead. Angamuthu’s magnificent block helped the Defenders win a Super Point and dominate the fifth set at 13-7. Ahmedabad eventually wrapped up the fifth set at 15-10 to register a 3-2 victory.

The Ahmedabad Defenders registered their fifth victory in six matches at the RuPay Prime Volleyball League.

The Kolkata Thunderbolts will take on Kochi Blue Spikers at 1850 hrs on Wednesday, 23 February 2022.

Where to Watch

Watch the RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23, LIVE and Exclusive on SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 2 (Malayalam), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) and SONY TEN 4 (Tamil and Telugu). The RuPay Prime Volleyball League is exclusively marketed by Baseline Ventures, the leading sports marketing firm in the nation. RuPay, India’s first global card payment network, has signed on as the RuPay Prime Volleyball League’s Title Sponsor, while fantasy games pioneer A23 has signed on as “Powered By” Sponsors in a multi-year contract.

Sponsors

As Associate Sponsors, Byju’s, Cred, Dafa News, EatFit, Amul Kool, and Nippon Paint have joined the RuPay Prime Volleyball League, while Cosco and Apollo Hospitals have joined as Official Partners. The RuPay Prime Volleyball League’s Official Content Partners are ShareChat and Moj.

The RuPay Prime Volleyball League will feature a total of 24 matches.