Pro Volleyball League: Chennai Spartans come up with excellent plans to upset Calicut Heroes (In Numbers)

Chennai Spartans have registered themselves as the champion of maiden Pro Volleyball League. However, the highly anticipated final between the two most consistent teams ended in a one-sided affair. Calicut Heroes, the team which dominated throughout the season and was the table toppers of the tournament could not replicate the same gameplay on the night of finals. The five-setter match ended with a straight-set win in favour of Chennai Spartans (3-0).

A detailed analysis would help us to understand the game and strategy which helped Chennai Spartans clinch the title.

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SET 1

Performance	Calicut Heroes	Chennai Spartans
Set Score	11	15
Spike	5	9
Block	1	1
Serve	0	1
Opposition Errors	5	4

Chennai Spartans won the first set 15-11. In this set, Spartans produced more spike points. While, Calicut's main strength lied in block points and serve points - Spartans gave away no points in serve and only one block point for Heroes throughout the set.

Heroes were able to create error opportunities on Spartans to get the first set but lost it by a close margin. Naveen Raja Jacob and Rudy Verhoff scored four points each from Chennai Spartans and were the highlight performers of the set.

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SET 2

Performance	Calicut Heroes	Chennai Spartans
Set Score	12	15
Spike	8	8
Block	1	1
Serve	0	0
Opposition Errors	3	6

The second set was also a close encounter but Chennai Spartans edged past the Heroes to make it 2-0. Calicut Heroes were able to improve their game compared to the last set where they lost the set 12-15.

In this set, again Spartans didn’t allow Heroes to score block and service points. On top of it, Heroes got a little advantage from error points, this time in that area also Spartans scored more points.

Calicut Heroes were facing a stern challenge in the game, the only reason being their inability to block and serve to win points. This was their main weapon throughout the tournament.

Rudy Verhoff scored 7 points alone to help Chennai Spartans get closer to the victory.

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SET 3

Performance	Calicut Heroes	Chennai Spartans
Set Score	14	16
Spike	9	6
Block	1	2
Serve	0	2
Opposition Errors	4	6

It was a do or die set for the Calicut Heroes. The loss in this set meant Chennai Spartans would have been crowned champions of Pro Volleyball League.

Heroes had to take some stern tactical decisions to turn the match in their favour. The set went down to the wire but in the end, Chennai Spartans held their nerves to win the set 16-14 in their favour - thus clinching the match with a straight-set win of 3-0

In this set, Heroes looked to get back in their old mojo as they won three more spike points. But their inability to score block and serve points in the third set once again was the reason their loss.

The strength of Heroes became the strength of Spartans in the night of finals. In the final set, two service points, two block points and six opposition error points tilted the historical moment in Chennai’s favour.

The duo of Naveen Raja Jacob and Rudy Verhoff once again starred to make Chennai Spartans the Champions of Pro Volleyball League inaugural season.

The overall analysis shows clearly that Chennai Spartans dominated in all the areas of the game. Most importantly, block points and serve points which were strength areas for Heroes throughout the tournament turned out as their low key point of the match.

Hard luck for Calicut Heroes as they played consistently throughout the tournament but couldn’t put their best step forward in the nights of the final.