It is the mark of potential champions to improve not just in defeat, but also in victory. That is precisely what the Kolkata Thunderbolts, partnered by The Telegraph My Kolkata, did in the late game on Friday night by serving to pin-point precision in a comfortable 4-1 win against the Chennai Blitz in the Prime Volleyball League (PVL)
Indifferent service had been one of the few chinks in the Thunderbolts’s armour in their tournament opener against the Calicut Heroes. But in their second outing, Kolkata served big, wide and strong, with super-sub Rahul Ramesh K stepping up to the plate in style in the second and third sets.
The Thunderbolts have back-to-back wins with a commanding victory on Friday Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
Blitz let down by their own service
“We need to improve our serving,” said Naveen Raja Jacob ahead of the Blitz’s match against the Thunderbolts. It was a case of grim irony when it was Naveen himself whose faulty service in the fourth set sealed victory for the Thunderbolts.
Earlier in the fourth set, the Thunderbolts had won two crucial super points, first with the score at 9-9, and then again at 12-11, with the latter proving especially heartbreaking for the Blitz as their smash landed narrowly wide. Vinit Kumar then uncharacteristically botched his serve, before Naveen returned the favour to send the Kolkata players into ecstasy, handing the Thunderbolts the match-winning fourth set by 15-12.
The Rahul service show
Kolkata had begun the match on the right foot after managing to land a vital spike to end a fantastic rally at 1-1 in the first set in their favour. But Chennai bounced back instantly, establishing a healthy lead, before Naveen delivered a decisive spike to seal the first set for the Blitz at 15-10.
The Thunderbolts, who were determined and disciplined in equal measure, celebrate after their win Kolkata Thunderbolts
In the second set, a possessed Rahul Ramesh K, who had come off the bench, won a crucial point at 11-9 with arguably the best serve of the tournament so far — a bullet of an ace that landed in the undefendable no man’s land on the Chennai end. Solid blocking near the net from Kolkata allowed them to take home the second set at 15-10 and level the scores.
Super-sub Rahul continued his remarkable serving in the third set, nailing his serve to wrap up the first set point on offer and put Kolkata ahead in the game, with another set won by the margin of 15-10. On a night when captain Ashwal Rai was not his usual mesmerising self and Vinit Kumar looked patchy at best, it was the 23-year-old attacker from Kerala who stole the show with his spectacular man-of-the-match-level service.
A dead rubber of a fifth set initially swung Chennai’s way before Kolkata shook off any hints of complacency to close out the final set at 15-13.
The Thunderbolts play the Bengaluru Torpedoes in their next game Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
With the perfect start to their PVL campaign still very much intact, the Thunderbolts will have no time to rest on their laurels as they return to action on Saturday evening to take on the Bengaluru Torpedoes, who will also arrive with an impressive win under their belt.
