Chennai Spartans must win their concluding fixture against Ahmedabad Defenders on Sunday to advance to the semifinals in the RuPay Pro Volleyball League after the Shelton Moses-led outfit went down 2-3 (14-15, 8-15, 10-15, 15-10, 15-10) to U Mumba Volley at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. Table toppers Calicut Heroes (11 points), Kochi Blue Spikers (8 points) and Black Hawks Hyderabad (4 points) have already qualified for the knockouts while Spartans, who have one win (2 points), are a step away from sealing the last available spot.

It was Spartans’ first match at home after action in the inaugural edition of the six-team competition shifted from Kochi and the Chennai franchise are playing back-to-back days.U Mumba Volley won the opening set by the slightest of margins but dominated the next two to register their first win in four outings and join the race for the last semifinal spot.

Spartans won the final two sets in comprehensive fashion that will surely come as a confidence booster ahead of their concluding league fixture. Spartans belong to the House of KALS, a passionate and committed corporate entity that has been involved in developing volleyball in Tamil Nadu for over three decades.