Calicut Heroes got back to winning ways in the RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23 Season 2 by beating Chennai Blitz 3-2 (13-15, 15-8, 15-14, 15-13, 8-15) in a compelling affair on Saturday, February 24 at the Regional Sports Centre in Kochi.

The win takes the team to third in the points table, level on points with second-placed Kolkata Thunderbolts and fourth-placed Hyderabad Black Hawks.

Powered by an all-round team effort, Calicut Heroes had to overcome an early setback to win the contest. After having lost the opening set 13-15 owing to a series of unforced errors, Calicut got into their rhythm to win the next three rounds.

Among all the players who put in a strong shift, a certain Jerome Vinith shone the brightest. The 30-year-old opposite striker, who was named the RuPay Player of the Match, outscored everyone to finish with 14 points under his name. He was one of the only two players who scored more than 10 points in the match.

Interestingly enough, all of Jerome’s 14 points on the night were tallied in the attack. He did make four errors during the game, which took his efficiency down to 34.48 percent, but his overall team play was more than commendable.

His combination play with Mohan Ukkrapandian from the middle was so threatening that it put a lasting dent in Chennai’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout round of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23 Season 2.

Jerome’s versatility was put to best use by Calicut after the 30-year-old was asked to switch positions during the game. This allowed them to win important duels against the opposition blockers. The tactic worked wonders as Calicut Heroes strengthened their position in the table to move a step closer to semi-final qualification.