Kolkata Thunderbolts cruise to semi-finals
Kochi, 28th February 2023: Defending Champions Kolkata Thunderbolts confirmed their spot in the semi-finals of the second season of the Prime Volleyball League with a superb 15-12, 15-9, 15-14, 15-13, 10-15 win over Chennai Blitz at the Regional Sports Centre, Kochi on Monday. Vinit Kumar, who plays as Universal, was named the player of the match for his power-packed performance.
Speaking after the match, Kolkata Thunderbolts middle-blocker and Captain Ashwal Rai lauded his team performance. He said, “It’s a nice feeling that we have secured our place in the semi-finals. Our focus is now on the next match. These two points were crucial for us as it gives us boost to everyone in the team.”
“I have played a lot of matches in Kerala. It was nice to play in front of such an amazing crowd. The fans were so passionate and enjoying every minute of the game. It also encourages us also to give our 100%,” he added.
As the match started, Kolkata’s defence was rock solid and put the pressure on Chennai early on with ease. Vinit started making powerful spikes to trouble the Blitz’ defence. Blocker Jose Verdi and hitter Cody Caldwell combined superbly in the middle to block Jobin Varghese spike to give the team a good lead. Janshad kept setting up the balls on the platter for Vinit and the Thunderbolts took control of the game.
As the game progressed, Vinit stood tall and strong to deny Moyo’s spike and ensured Kolkata maintain their lead and pressure on Chennai.
A timely review from Cody helped the defending champions a crucial point. Defensive errors from Chennai Blitz did not help their cause. Abhilash Chaudhary impressed with his performance as he added an extra flair to Kolkata’s attacks.
Janshad and Vinit’s pairing continued to trouble Chennai’s defence, while Abhilash’s block helped the Thunderbolts in tackling Jobin’s attacks. Towards the end of the game, a combination play started by Cody ended Chennai’s resistance and the Thunderbolts picked up an easy win to confirm their spot in the semi-finals.
