Prime Volleyball League: Debutants Mumbai to face Calicut in opener

BENGALURU: Debutants Mumbai Meteors will open their campaign in season 2 against Calicut Heroes and Mumbai Meteors on the second day of the Prime Volleyball League on Sunday.

Calicut Heroes, who were placed fourth in the previous season, will be eager to get their campaign started with a victory, While the Mumbai Meteors are playing their debut season, their squad boasts an exciting mix of youth and experience.

The match, to be played at Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru, is expected to be a thrilling encounter between two evenly-matched teams, with the captains eager to get the season off to a winning start. The presence of fans in the stadium after last season's absence due to the pandemic will add to the atmosphere and make for a memorable opening match.

Speaking ahead of the exciting contest, Karthik A, the Mumbai Meteors' captain said, "The squad is really excited for the first match and we cannot wait to get started."

"We are feeling pretty confident, and the inclusion of fans in the stadium should add to the energy levels," he was quoted as saying in a release on Saturday.

Karthik went on to praise Meteors head coach, Sunny Joseph and explained how his presence has boosted the camp ahead of what promises to be a cracking encounter.

"It is a completely different experience for our training under Sunny Sir. He really believes in all of us and is confident in our abilities. It really helps in keeping the squad motivated."

Calicut Heroes captain Matt Hilling, a USA veteran with vast experience, is also playing his first season in RuPay Prime Volleyball League. He shared his satisfaction with their preparation and overall experience.

"It has been an amazing experience in India. We have been training hard as a unit since January 15th, and hopefully, the performances will reflect that. Communication has been smooth and efficient between all of us as well," Hilling said.

When asked about his expectation from their encounter against the Meteors, he expects a hard-fought game. "I think we can expect all games to be very competitive, the shortened format and the Super Point and Super Serve mean you cannot afford to let your guard down."

The league will be telecast LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 (English), Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu) & Sony Sports Ten 2 (Malayalam) channels in India and will be streamed on Volleyball World TV outside the Indian subcontinent