Haryana Hurricanes overcome Punjab AeroStrikers; Ayodhya Garjan sweep Tamil Titans in VCL Super 6

Text Size:

Haryana Hurricanes opened their Super 6 campaign in the Volleyball Champions League (VCL) with a 2-1 win over Punjab AeroStrikers, while Ayodhya Garjan produced a late comeback to defeat Tamil Titans 3-0 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday. 

Haryana started strongly, taking the opening set 21-17, but Punjab responded with an identical scoreline in the second to force a decider. The Hurricanes, however, regained control in the final set, overpowering their opponents 21-10 to secure the victory.

Chirag Yadav was named Player of the Match for Haryana, while teammate TR Kiranraj received the Impact Player award. Chirag received his award from Smt. Manju Sharma, Member of Parliament from Jaipur, Rajasthan, while Kiranraj was felicitated by Ramanand Chaudhary, former General Secretary of the Volleyball Federation of India.

Reflecting on the win, Chirag said, “It feels great to start the Super 6 stage with a win. Punjab AeroStrikers are a strong side, and they made a good comeback in the second set, but we stayed positive and focused on our game. We knew the third set was crucial, so we worked together, maintained our intensity and executed our plans well. This victory will give us confidence, and we will look to carry the momentum into our upcoming matches.”

In the other fixture, Ayodhya Garjan registered a straight-set victory over Tamil Titans, winning 21-14, 21-20, 21-19 in a contest that featured a dramatic turnaround in the third set.

Ayodhya appeared in control after taking the first two sets, but Tamil Titans threatened to extend the match after opening up an 18-12 lead in the third. Garjan mounted a spirited recovery to draw level at 18-18 before edging ahead. Tamil Titans restored parity at 19-19, but Ayodhya claimed the next two points to complete the sweep.

Pranav Kapil Dev earned the Player of the Match honour for Ayodhya Garjan, while teammate KM Fasil was named Impact Player.

Speaking after the victory, Pranav said, “It feels great to begin our Super 6 campaign with a win. Tamil Titans put us under pressure, especially in the third set, when they had a six-point lead. But we believed in ourselves and stayed focused on our game. The team showed great fighting spirit and supported each other throughout the match. We knew we had to take our chances when they came, and I am happy that we managed to make a strong comeback and finish the match in straight sets. We will look to carry this momentum into our upcoming games.”

More in Sports Arena