The Hyderabad leg of the second season of the Prime Volleyball League will culminate with the hosts Hyderabad Blackhawks taking on a resurgent Bengaluru Torpedoes at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium on Tuesday.
An intense, high-octane encounter is expected as both sides are tied for points, with three victories in five games. Both teams are fighting for a spot in the playoffs and the encounter is expected to give the victors an edge in their pursuit of the semifinals.
The Black Hawks has found its momentum again with two consecutive victories against the Kochi Blue Spikers and the Chennai Blitz. The Torpedoes had a lukewarm start to the season, but have rapidly turned things around with three victories on the trot. In its most recent match, it pipped the Kochi Blue Spikers.
Varun GS, the attacker from the Hyderabad Black Hawks unit is confident of his team’s prospects ahead of the crucial encounter. He attributes his optimism to two components, its preparation and the heart-warming support of the fans.
“We have spent a lot of time on our strategy and we have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of ourselves and the opposition. On match day, the key for us is to execute our strategy accordingly,” he said.
Varun further added that Coach Tom Joseph has also been instrumental in shaping the squad’s psyche. “The coach is always reiterating the importance of sticking to our plans and not trying anything fancy, if we play to our roles and our abilities, we will get positive results.”
He also spoke about the phenomenal support the hosts have received during the Hyderabad leg and how challenging it can be for the opposition. He said, “The crowd has been amazing! Yes, it motivates us but I think also think it can sometimes be overwhelming for the opposition, this came across in our last clash against the Chennai Blitz.”
Following his Player of the Match performance against Kochi, the middle blocker, Srajan Shetty who plays for the Torpedoes, also emphasized the importance of the upcoming clash against the Hyderabad Black Hawks.
“This is a crucial match for both teams as we are tied for points. We have rectified a lot of errors from our early defeats, and the quality of our service and reception has improved drastically. It is essential that we keep our winning streak alive as we head to Kochi and we are going to give it our all,” he said.
With regard to the team’s turnaround, Srajan expressed admiration for head coach David Lee and how he motivates the team. “He is always telling us to focus on the next moment and play for the next point. Whether we have lost two games, lost a set, or lost a point, he tells us to keep our head up and play hard.”
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