Prime Volleyball League Final: Mumbai to face Bengaluru for crown on Oct 26
The two teams have been dominant throughout the season, finishing first and second in the league table. Mumbai topped the standings with six wins from seven matches and 17 points, while Bengaluru followed with five victories and 14 points.
HYDERABAD: The stage is set for an exciting finale to the fourth season of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL), as the Mumbai Meteors is facing the Bengaluru Torpedoes in Sunday’s grand final at Hyderabad’s Gachibowli Indoor Stadium.
The two teams have been dominant throughout the season, finishing first and second in the league table. Mumbai topped the standings with six wins from seven matches and 17 points, while Bengaluru followed with five victories and 14 points.
At a virtual press conference on the eve of the final, both camps spoke of mutual respect and readiness for what promises to be a fiercely contested clash.
Mumbai head coach Matt van Wezel praised Bengaluru’s organisation and discipline, saying his side would need to raise its level to claim victory. “They are very disciplined, so just avoiding mistakes is not enough to beat them,” he said.
Meteors captain Amit Gulia echoed that focus, urging his team to stay composed. “We don’t have to think much about the last point we lost. We have to think about the upcoming point,” he said, confident that the side had rediscovered its rhythm at the right time.
Statistically, the contest looks evenly poised. Bengaluru’s Joel Benjamin, with 103 points this season, leads Mumbai’s Shubham Chaudhary by just one point. The Torpedoes’ attacking duo of Benjamin and Joel Penrose will face a strong defensive line in Petter Alstad Ostvik and Chaudhary, both ranked among the league’s top five blockers.
Bengaluru will also rely on Sethu’s powerful serve, which has earned him 11 points – the joint-best record this season.
Head coach David Lee, who led the Torpedoes to the 2023 final, said the outcome would depend on execution rather than tactics. “It’s about how we play, not how the opponent plays. We need to be aggressive and win the serve and pass game,” he said.
Lee hopes to go one step further this time. “It would be icing on the cake to bring home a championship for Bengaluru,” he added, praising his team’s resilience.
Captain Matt West urged his players to embrace the moment. “Don’t change. If you are good enough that day, you win – and if not, that’s sport.”
For Mumbai, this marks its maiden PVL final, and for Bengaluru, a chance at redemption.