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Hyderabad Black Hawks will take on the Kochi Blue Spikers in the opening match of the inaugural RuPay Prime Volleyball League season at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday (February 5).
Vipul Kumar will lead the home team with Amit Gulia as his deputy in the month-long tournament.
Venezuelan Olympian Luis Antonio Arias Guzman is a top international pick for the Hyderabad franchise. Speaking about his preparations for the tournament, the attacker said:
"The pandemic was certainly an obstacle. I faced difficulties coping with the COVID-19 restrictions. It was not easy to organize training and the gyms were closed as well, but I managed to prepare myself physically and mentally with the equipment that was available.”
Hyderabad Black Hawks head coach Ruben Wolochin said the unique 15-point system instead of the usual 25-point set required adjustments to training and tactics.
"The level of competitiveness would be very high because the games are very short. The players need to focus from the very beginning, which will always keep the sets very tight. Everyone needs to give a high level performance as long as the game is on," the head coach said.
Wolochin added:
"We have been adjusting to the training system as much as possible and we realize that in 15 points the amount of time each player serves is impacted as well as there is very little scope for making an error. By studying the game we have realized that attention, focus and planning strategically needs to be very intact to cope up with the fast-paced game. We do that during training, so that players do not see this as a threat and instead accept it as a challenge."
Luis Arias is excited about playing in the PVL.
"I can help the team not only in terms of strength but also through the experience I've gained over the years. I can also provide the team with the right balance of strength and skill to play the game," he said.
Head coach Ruben Wolochin on Luis Arias
Hailing Luis Arias as a wonderful addition to the team, Hyderabad Black Hawks head coach Wolochin said:
"The team can rely on players like Luis, with his experience he can score points not only using his strength but also help the team find solution during crucial moments in the game when compared to the less experienced players, who will be overwhelmed by the situation."
He added:
"Preparations so far have been interesting and the players have been taking it in a very positive way. Players are improving and learning about the new system."
Prime Volleyball League 2022: live streaming details
Watch Rupay Prime Volleyball League 2022 Live on SONY TEN 1 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi), SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) & SONY TEN 2 (Malayalam) channels from 5th February 2022
Watch Hyderabad Black Hawks vs Kochi Blue Spikers – Live on SONY TEN 1 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi), SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) & SONY TEN 2 (Malayalam) channels at 7:00 pm IST on 5th February 2022.
