Chennai, February 15th, 2024: Bengaluru Torpedoes began their campaign in the third season of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 with a 16-14, 14-16, 15-13, 15-10 win over the Kolkata Thunderbolts at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium on Thursday. Thomas Heptinstall was named Player of the Match.
Rahul delivered his super serve special as Kolkata took early control. Skipper Ashwal Rai joined the party and Bengaluru found little answers for Kolkata’s aggressive serves. But coach David Lee showcased his tactical mindset, switching play to Srajan, who brought Bengaluru back with powerful serves. Showcasing his magic along the lines, Heptinstall nudged Torpedoes marginally ahead.
Kolkata turned to Vinit Rai, who served up solid gameplay to turn the tables again. The passing from Kolkata improved as the game went on, while Torpedoes hurt themselves with unforced errors. The topsy-turvy battle turned into contest between the outside hitters with Vinit going against Heptinstall.
Coach David’s high-risk, high-reward strategy paid rewards as Heptinstall made the most of his height advantage, splitting the gap between two Kolkata blockers. Vinit continued to remain a threat in Kolkata’s corner, despite blockers Srajan and Mujeeb trying to block attacks from the middle. Onur Cukur added more spark to Kolkata’s attacks with brilliant passing. But Torpedoes maintained their discipline in defence, and with a thrilling super point, picked a stunning win.
Following the success of the first two seasons, the third season of the ‘Asli Entertainer’ RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 will be aired on Sony Sports Network in five languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Fans can anticipate another thrilling season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 and experience the excitement of top-tier teams battle it out on the volleyball court starting 15th February 2024, 6:30 PM onwards, Live on Sony Sports Network and will be available to livestream on SonyLiv.
