The RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23 Season 2 has reached its business end. With only four teams remaining in the competition, namely, Kolkata Thunderbolts, Ahmedabad Defenders, Calicut Heroes and Bengaluru Torpedoes, it is imperative that we understand the format of the playoffs.
To begin with, let us understand why Bengaluru Torpedoes qualified for the semi-final and Hyderabad Black Hawks did not despite finishing the league stage with equal points. Now, the format of the competition is such that if two teams finish the league stage matches level on points, they will be distinguished by the following parameters:
- Set Difference: This is the difference between total sets won and total sets lost
- Points Difference: Here, the difference between total points won and total points lost will be calculated
- Head-to-Head: The head-to-head count is a direct comparison of the result between two teams. The team with more wins against said opponent is considered to be the winner.
It must be remembered that the points distribution in the league stage was such that if a team walked out 5-0 victorious, they would be awarded three points. Any other win apart from that brought in two points. This means that each game in the league stage was played until the fifth set even if a certain team had already won three sets.
Playoff format
After the completion of the league stage matches, teams finishing within the top four spots will qualify for the playoffs. The team finishing at the top of the table will lock horns with the fourth-placed team in semi-final 1. Similarly, the second and the third-placed team will take on each other in semi-final 2.
The format of the semi-finals and the final is going to be different. With a direct elimination at stake, the first team to win three sets wins the match. This means if Team A wins the first three sets against Team B, there will be no need to play the remaining two sets.
Furthermore, it must be noted that each set will comprise 15 points. But in case the scores are tied at 14-14 (in any set), the first team to establish a two-point lead will win the set. However, if the score reaches 20-20, the first team to score the 21st point will win the set.
