Sports

APF, NPC make winning starts

APF, NPC make winning starts

By Rup Narayan Dhakal

Ashu Rani (right) of Uttar Pradesh Volleyball Association looks for a placing as NPC spikers try to block the ball during their Shreejana International Volleyball Tournament match at the Pokhara Stadium in Pokhara on Sunday, February 5, 2017. Photo: THT

Pokhara, February 5 Departmental sides Nepal APF Club and Nepal Police Club won the women’s category matches of the Shreejana International Volleyball  Tournament here at the Pokhara Stadium today. APF thrashed Tribhuvan Army Club and NPC saw  off Uttar Pradesh Volleyball Association of India with identical scores of 3-0 to begin with wins. APF took the first set 25-9 comfortably and won the remaining two sets 25-17, 25-18 against departmental rivals. APF spiker Saraswoti Chaudhary earned crucial points for her team in the second set. NPC  were also dominant against the Uttar Pradesh team in the first set and claimed  it 25-7. NPC collected 11 straight points after both the teams were tied at 4-all. However, departmental team faced a tough fight in the second set before prevailing 25-20 and won the third set 25-16. With day’s results, APF and NPC accumulated three points each. On  Monday, APF will face Western Regional Volleyball Association, while NPC  play against New Diamond Academy in the women’s category matches. In men’s section, Help Nepal Sports will take on APF, and NPC will play against Western Region. A total of 12 teams — five from Nepal and one from India in  both the men and women’s sections — are taking part in the tournament  being jointly organised by Western Regional Volleyball Association and  Kaski District Volleyball Association. Top three teams in both sections will receive Rs 155,555, Rs 77,777 and Rs 33,333 respectively.