Mumbai Meteors earned themselves a lifeline in the second season of the Prime Volleyball League with a 14-15, 15-9, 15-12, 15-11, 15-8 win over the Hyderabad Black Hawks at the Regional Sports Centre, Kochi on Sunday. Hiroshi Centelles was named the 'Player of the Match'.
Hyderabad's defence was on the mark from the get-go with Trent O'Dea blocking Mumbai Meteors' skipper Karthik. Guru's special spike stunned Hiroshi and Hyderabad took an early lead.
Hiroshi's presence added a new flair to Mumbai's attacks. But Sujan involved Trent and Vignesh in the attack, freeing up Guru to make moments of magic and Hawks took control of the match. Brandon Greenway started showcasing his aggressive streak and with his help, Hiroshi turned it around for Mumbai.
But when the going got tough for the Hawks, Guru kept hitting smashes. A three-man block from Mumbai finally put a halt on Guru, and combination play involving Abdul Raheem allowed the Meteors to employ a wave attack and maintain their hold. Unforced errors and over-reliance on Guru did not help Hyderabad's cause.
As Guru took time off the field to recuperate, Arun Zacharias and Hemanth took the attacking responsibilities for Hyderabad. But Hiroshi, with his offensive play, kept breaking down Hyderabad's defence. With his powerful play from the service line, Karthik closed out the game and won the match for the Mumbai Meteors to keep them in the hunt for the playoffs.
Kolkata Thunderbolts will be up against Chennai Blitz at the Regional Sports Centre (Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium) on the fourth day of the Kochi leg of the Prime Volleyball League at 19:00 hrs IST on Monday.
( With inputs from ANI )
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