Strong start for Sohar and Saham in first division

MUSCAT, OCT 5

Sohar started its journey in Group 2 of the First Division Volleyball League with a well-deserved 3–1 victory over Masirah in the match held at the Sohar Sports Complex.

Sohar began the match by taking the first set with a four-point margin (25–21), followed by another close win in the second set (25–23). Masirah managed to recover in the third set, winning comfortably by 11 points (25–14), but Sohar bounced back powerfully in the fourth set with an identical margin (25–14), sealing the match and preventing Masirah from forcing a decisive fifth set. The match featured strong technical performances from Sohar’s players, who displayed great coordination in both attack and defense. Meanwhile, Masirah put on a solid performance at times but suffered from weaknesses in blocking, which cost them the match despite winning one set.

MATCH STATISTICS

Official statistics showed Sohar’s superiority in most technical aspects, as the team collected 89 points compared to 83 for Masirah. Sohar recorded five ace serves versus only two for their opponent. Both teams committed eight service errors each, while Sohar led slightly in blocking with 10 blocks compared to 9 for Masirah. Sohar made 26 errors to Masirah’s 27, reflecting the closeness of the competition despite Sohar’s 3–1 victory.

KEY PLAYERS

From Sohar, Mohammed al Jabri stood out with an impressive performance, contributing effectively to his team’s win by scoring 20 points, including 17 attack points with a 53 per cent success rate, along with two blocks and one ace serve.

On the other side, Motasim al Harthy was Masirah’s standout performer, leading his team with 21 points, including 17 attack points with a 59 per cent success rate, and four blocks, showcasing his scoring ability despite his team’s defeat.

SAHAM DEFEAT AL SHABAB

In the second match, also held at the Sohar Sports Complex, Saham defeated Al Shabab by the same score of 3–1. The set results were 25–15, 25–12, 17–25, and 25–21. Saham started strongly, winning the first two sets by comfortable margins (10 and 13 points, respectively). Al Shabab responded in the third set, taking it by eight points, but Saham sealed the victory in the fourth set with a four-point difference.

The match was of an overall moderate technical level. Saham’s coach managed to utilize his players’ abilities effectively to secure the win, while Al Shabab was unable to maintain the momentum it gained in the third set.

MATCH STATISTICS SAHAM VS AL SHABAB

Statistics showed Saham collecting 92 points compared to 73 for Al Shabab. Saham achieved five ace serves compared to three, while both teams recorded eight service errors each. Saham also led in blocking with nine blocks versus eight. Additionally, Saham made fewer errors (22) compared to Al Shabab’s 35, which played a decisive role in securing the 3–1 win.

LEAGUE SYSTEM

The Oman Volleyball Association has adopted a new format this season, dividing participating teams into two groups, from which several will advance to the second stage of the league. Group Two includes Sohar, Masirah, Saham, Al Shabab and Majees.