Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium: Calicut Heroes came out on top in the Kerala derby in the third season of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, picking a 15-8, 15-12, 12-15, 15-12 win over the Kochi Blue Spikers, on Friday.
Player of the Match Jerome Vinith's spikes frustrated Kochi early on and Danial Moatazedi's blocks further presented a challenge. Chirag Yadav's pipe attack left the Spikers' defence scratching their heads and Calicut took complete control. Mohan Ukkrapandian provided plenty of options for Heroes with sensational passing and Kochi found it hard to deal with the aggression.
Calicut's onslaught continued as Jerome controlled the play from the right. In desperate need to reduce errors, Kochi tried to regroup but Krol Jan's erroneous serve did not help their cause. Ukkra's beautiful floater earned him a Super Serve, and Calicut maintained their momentum.
Erin Varghese kept fighting a lone battle to bring Kochi back with powerful spikes. With a comeback on the cards, Calicut started feeling pressure and began making unforced errors, opening the door for Kochi to get back in the game.
Changing tactics, Calicut brought back Danial to the field, and the Iranian, along with Chirag Yadav, launched simultaneous pipe attacks, and Heroes picked a comfortable win.