In a thrilling sporting event in Jeddah, Al-Hilal's first volleyball team secured the top spot in the Saudi Volleyball Premier League after a hard-fought and well-deserved 3-1 victory over their arch-rivals, Al-Ahli. The match, part of the twelfth round of the competition, was held at the Ministry of Sports hall in Jeddah, with a large and enthusiastic crowd in attendance, eagerly anticipating what is considered the pinnacle of Saudi volleyball.
This victory is of paramount importance in the title race this season, as Al-Hilal increased their points tally to 31, securing their place at the top of the table, while Al-Ahli's points remained at 27, dropping them to second place. Despite Al-Ahli's loss, the competition remains fiercely contested, as they have a postponed match from the tenth round, making the upcoming rounds crucial in determining this year's league champion.
In other matches of the round, Al-Nasr continued their strong performances, securing a decisive victory over Al-Ibtisam with a clean sweep of three sets in their encounter at Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Hall in Qatif. This win raised Al-Nasr's points tally to 18, narrowing the gap with fourth-placed Al-Ula to just two points, thus intensifying the competition for the top four spots. Meanwhile, Al-Ibtisam's struggles continued at the bottom of the standings with a single point.
In Jeddah, Al-Ittihad reaffirmed their strong presence in the competition with a 3-0 victory over Al-Khawildiyah at their home arena. This win allowed Al-Ittihad to maintain their third-place position with 24 points, continuing their pursuit of the top two teams, while Al-Khawildiyah remained in seventh place with 5 points. In Medina, Al-Fateh overcame Al-Ula 3-1, bringing their total to 12 points, while Al-Ula remained in fourth place with 20 points.
Saudi fans are eagerly anticipating a week packed with exciting matches, as the competition resumes on Monday, March 2nd, with the rescheduled games. Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad will clash in a highly anticipated Riyadh derby, while Al-Ahli will host Al-Fateh in Jeddah. The excitement continues on March 7th with the thirteenth round, featuring some heavyweight encounters, most notably the Western Derby between Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli, and the Riyadh clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, promising a thrilling spectacle for Saudi volleyball enthusiasts.
