Haryana Hurricanes, Ayodhya Garjan Begin VCL Super 6 Campaign with Wins

Haryana Hurricanes edged Punjab AeroStrikers 2-1, while Ayodhya Garjan defeated Tamil Titans in straight sets to make winning starts to their Super 6 campaigns in the Volleyball Champions League (VCL) at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday.

Haryana Hurricanes overcame a second-set setback to register a convincing victory. They took the opening set 21-17, but Punjab AeroStrikers fought back with a 21-17 win in the second to force a decider. The Hurricanes responded strongly in the final set, dominating 21-10 to seal the match.

Chirag Yadav was named Player of the Match for his contribution to Haryana's victory, while teammate TR Kiranraj received the Impact Player award. Chirag received his honour from Manju Sharma, Member of Parliament from Jaipur, Rajasthan, while former Volleyball Federation of India General Secretary Ramanand Chaudhary presented Kiranraj with his award.

After the match, Chirag said the victory would boost the team's confidence for the remaining Super 6 fixtures. He acknowledged Punjab's strong response in the second set but said Haryana stayed focused, maintained its intensity and executed its plans effectively in the decider.

In the other match, Ayodhya Garjan secured a 21-14, 21-20, 21-19 victory over Tamil Titans, surviving a late challenge to complete a straight-set sweep.

Garjan established control by winning the first two sets, but Tamil Titans mounted a determined challenge in the third. The Titans surged to an 18-12 lead and appeared poised to extend the contest. However, Ayodhya fought back to level the score at 18-18.

Tamil Titans briefly restored parity at 19-19, but Garjan held their nerve to win the next two points and clinch the match without dropping a set.

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

Pranav praised his team's composure under pressure, particularly during the third-set comeback. He said the players continued to believe in themselves despite trailing by six points and capitalised on their opportunities to close out the match.

The two victories provided Haryana Hurricanes and Ayodhya Garjan with positive starts to the Super 6 stage, with both sides looking to build momentum in the race for a place in the next phase of the competition.

Advertisement