PVL 2023: Mumbai Meteors face Kochi Blue Spikers to keep semi-final hopes alive

Both teams are in the bottom half of the points table.

Mumbai Meteors and Kochi Blue Spikers are set to face off in the final week of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) 2023, and the action is heating up as both teams aim for a victory. The match will take place at the Regional Sports Centre in Kochi, where the home team will be hoping to turn their fortunes around and end on a high note in front of their fans.

Kochi Blue Spikers have only managed to secure two points from six games so far, but they will be determined to upset Mumbai’s aspirations of a Semi-Final berth. On the other hand, Mumbai Meteors have four points from six games and will be looking to secure a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive. In fact, they need to win by five sets to stand a chance of making it to the next round, a difficult feat but not impossible.

Mumbai Meteors have had a mixed season so far, but they were the first team to win all five sets in a game this season. They will be hoping to replicate that form in this crucial match and secure a much-needed win. However, Kochi Blue Spikers will be no pushovers and will hope to use the home crowd to their advantage. 

Erin Varghese, who plays as an attacker for Kochi, anticipates a hard-fought encounter between the two sides, he said, “It is a crucial game for them and I am expecting them to come at us with full power."

With regard to their strategy against the Meteors, Erin added, “The way Mumbai plays, there are no stars in their team, their teamwork is very good and that is something we have had to prepare for when we play against them.”

Karthik A, who is leading the Mumbai unit this season, spoke about his side’s determination ahead of the encounter.

"It is a do-or-die match for us. So we are ready to give it our all. We have won all five sets in a match this season, so we are confident we can replicate that performance," he said.

Karthik also reflected upon the mixed season they had so far, praising his team’s tenacity. He said: “I think we have been a bit unfortunate this season, a lot of our negative results, could have easily gone the other way, but that is how the game is, especially in this format. We have shown great teamwork through the season and I’m proud of how we have come back and fought hard every single time.”

Where & How to Watch?

The Prime Volleyball League (PVL) 2023 will be telecast LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 (English), Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu) & Sony Sports Ten 2 (Malayalam) channels in India. The live streaming will be available on Volleyball World TV outside the Indian subcontinent, starting February 4, Saturday.