Haryana Hurricanes beat Punjab AeroStrikers 2-1 in their VCL Super 6 opener. Ayodhya Garjan also started with a win, defeating Tamil Titans 3-0 after a remarkable comeback in the third set. Chirag Yadav and Pranav Kapil Dev won Player of the Match.
Haryana Hurricanes Edge Out Punjab AeroStrikers in Super 6 Opener
Haryana Hurricanes began their Super 6 campaign in the Volleyball Champions League (VCL) with a 2-1 victory over Punjab AeroStrikers, recovering from a second-set setback to seal the contest with a dominant performance in the decider at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday.
Haryana made a positive start, winning the opening set 21-17 to take an early lead. However, Punjab AeroStrikers responded strongly in the second set, matching their opponents’ intensity and claiming it by the same scoreline to level the match at 1-1, according to a press release.
With the contest finely balanced, Haryana Hurricanes raised their game in the third set. They dominated proceedings, keeping Punjab under pressure and allowing them little room to recover. Haryana eventually won the set 21-10 to seal a 2-1 victory and make a winning start to the Super 6 stage.
Haryana Hurricanes’ Chirag Yadav was adjudged Player of the Match for his contribution to the victory, while his teammate TR Kiranraj received the Impact Player award. Chirag received his award from Manju Sharma, Member of Parliament from Jaipur, Rajasthan, while Kiranraj was presented with his award by Ramanand Chaudhary, former General Secretary of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI).
‘Victory will give us confidence’: Chirag Yadav
Speaking after the match, Chirag Yadav said, “It feels great to start the Super 6 stage with a win. Punjab AeroStrikers are a strong side, and they made a good comeback in the second set, but we stayed positive and focused on our game. We knew the third set was crucial, so we worked together, maintained our intensity and executed our plans well. This victory will give us confidence, and we will look to carry the momentum into our upcoming matches.”
Ayodhya Garjan Begin Super 6 with Dominant Win
Meanwhile, Ayodhya Garjan also began their Super 6 campaign on a winning note, defeating Tamil Titans 3-0. Ayodhya took control of the contest by winning the first two sets 21-14 and 21-20, putting themselves in a strong position to complete a straight-set victory.
Tamil Titans fought back in the third set and looked set to extend the match after building a six-point lead at 18-12. However, Ayodhya produced a remarkable comeback to turn the contest around. They fought their way back to level the score at 18-18 and then moved ahead by a point. Tamil Titans managed to draw level at 19-19, but Ayodhya held their nerves in the closing stages, winning the next two points to seal the set and complete a 3-0 sweep.
Pranav Kapil Dev of Ayodhya Garjan was adjudged Player of the Match, while his teammate KM Fasil received the Impact Player award.
‘Team showed great fighting spirit’: Pranav Kapil Dev
Reflecting on the win, Pranav Kapil Dev said, “It feels great to begin our Super 6 campaign with a win. Tamil Titans put us under pressure, especially in the third set, when they had a six-point lead. But we believed in ourselves and stayed focused on our game. The team showed great fighting spirit and supported each other throughout the match. We knew we had to take our chances when they came, and I am happy that we managed to make a strong comeback and finish the match in straight sets. We will look to carry this momentum into our upcoming games.” (ANI)
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