Sports

APF, NPC to fight for title

By HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

APF’s Saraswati Chaudhary jumps for a spike against Hongwangji NDSC during their PM Cup Women’s Volleyball Tournament match in Nepalgunj on Monday. Photo: Udipt Singh Chhetry / THT

NEPALGUNJ, MARCH 8

Defending champions Nepal Police Club and Nepal APF Club recorded victories in the Sagarmatha Cement seventh Prime Minister Cup Women's Volleyball Tournament here at the Nepalgunj Stadium covered hall today.

NPC defeated fellow departmental side Tribhuvan Army Club, while APF beat Hongwangji New Diamond Sports Club by identical 3-1 scorelines. Both the winning teams dropped first set before winning three consecutive sets to maintain their top two positions in the five-team table.

NPC faced a 12-25 loss in the first set against TAC before bouncing back strongly. They levelled the scored at 1-1 by winning the second set 25-18. TAC gave tough fight in the third set but NPC won 27-25 to take the 2-1 lead. NPC then sealed the victory with a 25- 23 win in the fourth set. Manisha Chaudhary of NPC was named the player of the match.

In another match, APF fell 23- 25 behind against spirited New Diamond in the match but they took the next two sets comfortably winning them 25-13 and 25- 17. New Diamond put up a strong show in the fourth set but APF proved too strong snatching the match-winning 25-22 victory. APF skipper Binita Budhathoki was declared the player of the match.

After the day's matches, APF maintained their lead at the top of the table with nine points after their third straight victory, while NPC accumulated eight points from three matches to remain at the second position. New Diamond Academy earned four points and TAC accumulated three. Lumbini United are already out of the contention with three straight defeats.

APF and NPC will face each other in the last league match of the tournament and the winners will claim the title. A total of five teams are taking part in the round robin league tournament organised by Banke District Volleyball Association.

Top four teams will receive Rs 500,000, Rs 200,000, Rs 100,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 09, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.