Bengaluru Torpedoes come from behind against Kolkata Thunderbolts
Bengaluru Torpedoes once again came from behind to register an 11-15, 15-13, 15-11, 15-11 win over the Kolkata Thunderbolts in the Prime Volleyball League at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, on Sunday.
Joel Benjamin was named the Player of the Match.
Ashwal Rai started on the right side of the court and made an early impact for the Thunderbolts in a two-man block line with Matin Takavar. Attacking errors from Sethu pushed skipper Matt West to search for attacking options on his front court.
Kolkata’s defence covered a lot of court, making it harder for the Torpedoes to stitch its attacks. Matin’s super serve rocked Bengaluru, as Kolkata edged ahead.
Jalen Penrose and Sethu began the Torpedoes’ counterattacks. A super point call from Kolkata went in the Torpedoes’ favour with Joel’s fiery spike, and the game opened up once again with both teams at level pegging.
The momentum began to sway towards the Torpedoes as the match progressed, with Joel finding more rhythm. Suryansh Tomar tested the Torpedoes’ defence with high jumps. But Bengaluru won two consecutive super points in a row with Mujeeb delivering a timely block to shut down Kolkata’s attack.
Penrose’s monster super serve earned the Torpedoes important two points late in the game. Kolkata continued to fight it out till the last minute, with experienced Pankaj Sharma leading the charge. But an aggressive display from the Torpedoes helped David Lee’s side get its second win of the season.
Kochi Blue Spikers edge a thriller against Goa Guardians
Kochi Blue Spikers picked up a hard-fought win over the Goa Guardians 11-15, 17-15, 15-13, 10-15, 15-10 on Sunday.
Hemanth was named the Player of the Match.
Goa captain Chirag Yadav set the tone early, starting the game with a super serve. Kochi matched the intensity with captain Erin attacking from the outside zones. Goa’s gutsy move of a super point paid rewards as Erin made a service error.
Amarinder Pal Singh attacked from the centre court for the Spikers, while Hemanth brought firepower with his serves. Kochi skipper Byron Keturakis formed a two-man block with Amarinder to stop Chirag’s attacks, and the strategy worked.
Erin continued to gain confidence with his movement, and Kochi capitalised on its momentum. Prince overcooked his serve, costing Goa a super point, and Kochi took control.
Trailing in the match, Goa dug deep, with Rohit testing the opposition from the service line. Substitute Vikram provided much-needed depth in the front court in both attack and defence, and the Guardians pushed the game to the fifth set.
Libero Alan Ashique made excellent saves to earn Spikers crucial points in the deciding set. Hemanth took charge in the front court across all departments. A smart review call for Erin earned Kochi a crucial super point, and Kochi sealed a memorable 3-2 win.
Published on Oct 05, 2025