Kathmandu, February 6

Hosts Shivam New Diamond Academy defeated Nepal APF Club 3-1 in the final of the first Shivam New Diamond Cup National Open Women’s Volleyball Tournament here at the Dhorpatan Sports Training Club courts today.

NDA came from a set down to beat APF and also avenged their loss in the last match of the Dhorpatan Doubles League Volleyball Tournament. NDA had finished runners-up behind APF after the 3-0 loss at the hands of the departmental team last Saturday.

APF took the first set 26-24 before NDA bounced back strongly and claimed three consecutive sets to win the title. NDA won 25-23, 28-26 and 25-23. NDA’s Pratibha Mali, who was named the best player of the tournament, contributed 50 points.

Meanwhile, Tribhuvan Army Club beat Tops HS School 25-16, 26-24, 25-21 to claim the third position. NDA and APF took home Rs 151,000 and Rs 101,000, while TAC and Tops got Rs 51,000 and Rs 21,000 respectively.

The best player of the tournament Mali received Rs 10,000, while her teammates LalitaNath (best quicker), PanamikaRai (best server), Sabina Shrestha (best libero) and KripaAdhikari (best setter) bagged the individual awards. Similarly, APF’s SaraswotiChaudhary was named the best spiker and TAC’s SangamMahato was adjudged the best blocker. The individual award winners got Rs 5,000 each. NDA’s Kumar Rai was named the best coach and he received Rs 10,000.

A total of four teams competed in the tournament organised by New Diamond Academy under the sponsorship of Shivam Cement.