PVL 2025: Hyderabad Black Hawks Outshine Goa Guardians with a 3–1 Triumph

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 18: The Hyderabad Black Hawks showcased dominance at home, defeating the Goa Guardians 3–1 with set scores of 15–13, 20–18, 15–17, and 15–9 in the RR Kabel Prime Volleyball League powered by Scapia at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, on Thursday. Brazilian star Vitor Yudi Yamamoto was named Player of the Match as the Black Hawks climbed to sixth place on the points table with seven points.

The hosts came out firing, taking an early two-set lead as the Goa Guardians struggled to find consistency and committed costly unforced errors. Despite Prince’s strong showing at the net that helped Goa claim the third set, Hyderabad’s attacking trio of Yamamoto, Sahil Kumar, and Niyaz Abdul proved too much to handle, sealing a vital 3–1 win for the home side.

In the opening set, Yamamoto and Sahil dominated the attack, while Nathaniel Dickinson and Chirag Yadav fought hard to keep Goa in contention. A fierce spike from Sahil closed out the set in Hyderabad’s favour.

The second set saw both teams trade points evenly, with Goa gaining brief control through Dushyant’s sharp blocking. However, Niyaz broke through with crucial points before Sahil once again delivered under pressure to give Hyderabad a two-set cushion.

Goa showed resilience in the third set, riding on Dushyant Singh’s fiery super serve and coordinated plays from Prince and Gaurav Yadav, who helped them pull one back.

Hyderabad quickly regrouped in the fourth set, with Shikhar Singh’s excellent blocking and Yamamoto’s unstoppable spikes dismantling Goa’s defence. Continuous unforced errors from the Guardians widened the gap, allowing Hyderabad to cruise to a confident finish and secure a much-needed victory.

Kankanala Abhishek Reddy, Principal Owner of the Hyderabad Black Hawks, expressed his delight after the win:

“It was a crucial match for us to stay alive in the semi-final race, and the team rose to the occasion. Winning at home in front of our fans makes it even more meaningful. Hyderabad remains firmly in the hunt, and this win keeps the energy high for the rest of the season.”