Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 23: Hyderabad Black Hawks stunned the Bengaluru Torpedoes in the RR Kabel Prime Volleyball League powered by Scapia at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, on Saturday, winning the match 13–15, 15–10, 18–16, 14–16, 15–11. Deepu Venugopal was named the Player of the Match. With the win, the hosts reached the fifth position in the points table with 9 points from six games.
Jalen Penrose became the target man for Bengaluru captain Matthew West at the start of play. Jishnu and Mujeeb made crucial blocks. Sahil’s super spike earned the Hawks a super point, cutting the deficit between the two teams. But Athul’s service error helped the Torpedoes get a set ahead.
Joel Benjamin started finding his rhythm in attacks. With Sahil’s all-round display, Hyderabad kept the pressure up on the Torpedoes. Shikhar Singh’s presence added depth to Hyderabad’s defence. A risky super serve from Hyderabad paid dividends as Niyas blocked Penrose, much to the delight of the jam-packed home crowd.
Preet Karan’s distribution was on point, helping Hyderabad maintain their momentum. A misfired shot from Sahil helped Bengaluru secure a super point. However, libero Deepu’s sensational defensive play made it hard for Penrose to find gaps, and Hyderabad took the lead.
Vitor Yudi Yamamoto’s beautiful cross-body spikes earned the hosts crucial points. But West’s smart serve cost the Hawks a super point, and the Torpedoes managed to push the game into the fifth set with Jishnu’s super block against Sahil.
Yudi used his power and clever acrobatic skills to keep the Hawks ahead in the decisive fifth set. Shikhar led a solid two-man block line that halted the Torpedoes on multiple occasions. Sethu’s service error cost Bengaluru an important super point, and Hyderabad scripted a thrilling 3–2 win.
Speaking after the match, Abhishek Reddy Kankanala, Principal Owner of the Hyderabad Black Hawks, said, “Bengaluru were the table-toppers, and we knew this was going to be a test of character. The boys played fearless volleyball and proved that when it counts, Hyderabad always rises. I couldn’t be prouder of how they handled the pressure.”
