Hat-trick round and the champion's fall: the elite volleyball league begins with exceptional scenes!

Al-Ettifaq announced themselves as the most potent attack of the opening round, hammering 10 goals past Al-Tadamon. The match became a goalscoring festival from the opening minutes. Al-Ettifaq sent an early message about their firepower and their ambition to compete.

Read also: A festival of goals: Al-Ettifaq cut the ribbon on the new season with a historic win

That big win was not the only result to give the round an attacking flavour. Al-Ansar saw off Al-Fateh 6-0. Al-Najma beat Al-Taawoun two goals to nil, Al-Orobah edged Neom by the same score, and Al-Riyadh settled their match against Al-Wehda with a single goal.

Elsewhere, Al-Hilal overcame Al-Faisaly 2-1. The meeting between Al-Ittihad and Damac ended goalless, the only fixture in the round to produce no goals.

The opening round delivered more than a flurry of goals. It also produced three hat-tricks, launching the race for the golden boot early and in striking fashion.

Mohammed Al-Issa stole the show for Al-Ettifaq, firing a "super hat-trick" in the big win over Al-Tadhamon. Ziad Aba shone for Al-Ahli with three goals in the victory over Al-Fayha, while En Rass grabbed a treble for Al-Fateh despite his side's heavy defeat to Al-Ansar.

Such a start hands the goalscorers a real boost in a contest that promises fierce competition over the coming rounds, with more than one player already firing on all cylinders since day one.

Al-Jabalain pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the round, beating first-edition champions Al-Hazm 2-1. The holders opened the defence of their title with an unexpected defeat.

Al-Hazm had gone into the new season determined to cling to the crown they won in the tournament's first edition. Their start defied expectations. They failed to protect their lead and walked away with nothing, while Al-Jabalain sent an early warning to their rivals that they would be no easy touch.

Al-Hilal, meanwhile, made a winning start, seeing off Al-Faisaly 2-1. Al-Ittihad had to settle for a goalless draw with Damac, leaving both sides with a single point to open their campaign.

Six teams kept clean sheets this round: Damac, Al-Ittihad, Al-Fateh, Al-Taawoun, Al-Wehda and Neom. That tally points to solid defensive foundations at a number of clubs, even amid the flurry of goals in the remaining matches.

Two fixtures were pushed back to December. Al-Khaleej against Al-Akhdoud did not go ahead, nor did Al-Nassr's clash with Al-Watan. The full picture of the table must now wait until those games are played.

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Between the goal festival led by Al-Ettifaq, the hat-tricks that stole the spotlight and the shock fall of the title holder, the "Joy" Elite League has launched its second edition at a fast and thrilling pace. The very first round confirmed as much: the title race will be wide open, and the individual battle for top scorer may prove every bit as fierce as the collective one.