Despite not having the best of results in Bengaluru, Hyderabad Black Hawks led by SV Guru Prashanth came back strongly in the home leg to get three consecutive wins.
Now, with one game left to be played in Kochi against Mumbai Meteors, the Hawks will look to cement their position in the top four with a win.
Mumbai, on the other hand, have not been able to get a win since their 5-0 drubbing of the Chennai Blitz and will need to get past the Black Hawks to remain in the hunt in the spot for the playoffs.
"Kochi is a good place as there are a lot of fans here for volleyball. We are hoping to have a good game here as well to entertain fans," Hyderabad's SV Guru Prashanth said.
Guru also insisted that Mumbai Meteors are a strong team and the Hawks will not be taking their opponents lightly. "Mumbai Meteors are also a tough team. They might have lost but they are not easy opponents. They will be fighting for sure. So, we are not going to take it easy. We will see this match as every other game," he said.
"It's a crucial game for us because if we win, we will not have to care other results. It is crucial for us to maintain our position in the table," he said.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Meteors' Brandon Greenway stressed the importance of the encounter and said that his team's chances in the playoffs are on the line in the next game.
"With this game our season is on the line. We know we have to beat Hyderabad. We still have a decent chance of playoffs with how tight the league is right now. In our head as a team, every set is important, and every point is important. We cannot make any mistakes. We do not have to just win matches, but now have to win every point," Brandon said.
On being asked to reveal his team's plans, Brandon said Mumbai will be focusing on their own strengths.
"With Hyderabad coming up, it is a very important match for both of us to have a chance for the playoffs. It will be firing on all cylinders for both teams. We are focusing on our game - and defending the way we want to and maintaining our attack systems," he said.
"We are also keeping a close eye on Guru and Trent and how we can counter them defensively. We have been putting a lot of work of how we can shut them down," he signed off saying.
( With inputs from ANI )
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