Action in the match between Nepal APF Club (right) and Hongwanji New Diamond Club during their fifth KNP National Women’s Volleyball Tournament match in Lalitpur on Monday. Photo: Naresh Shrestha / THT 

Kathmandu, April 29

Tribhuvan Army Club and Nepal APF Club advanced to the final of the fifth KNP National Women’s Volleyball Tournament here at the Nepali Army Sports Complex today.

TAC stunned Nepal Police Club 3-1 in the day’s second semi-final match to make it to their first final in national level tournaments. TAC lost the first set 21-25 before staging a comeback and levelled the scores at 1-1 by winning the second set 25-18. TAC then took the hard-fought third set 28-26 before sealing the famous victory with a 25-13 win in the fourth set.

TAC, coached by Kapil Shrestha for the last 16 months, has improved a lot in the recent tournaments and they also won two sets against women volleyball powerhouse, APF in the league round before going down in the fifth set despite having a 13-10 lead. TAC, however, had failed to make it to the knock out round in the fifth National Games in Nepalgunj earlier this month.

TAC will now face defending champions APF in Tuesday’s final.

APF registered a 3-0 victory over Hongwanji New Diamond Club in the first semi-final match. APF recorded a regular 25-16, 25-20, 25- 16 victory to make it to the final.

A total of six teams, divided into two pools, took part in the tournament organised by Sher Bahadur Khadka Memorial Foundation under the sponsorship of KNP Japan.

The winners will be richer by Rs 200,000, while the runners-up will receive Rs 100,000 and third-place team will get Rs 50,000.

Likewise, the best player of the tournament and Sher Bahadur Khadka Special Award winners will receive Rs 15,000 and Tissot watch worth Rs 30,000 each from Sulux Centre, while player-of-thematch will get Rs 5,000. Also, the best server, libero, quicker, defender, spiker and coach will earn Rs 7,000 apiece.

Apart from cash prizes, the organisers will also host a dinner party at Hotel Annapurna for the top three sides along with skippers and managers of other teams.

Also, the 15 members of the winning team will get a suit each from The Regal Inc, while the rising player and special award winners will receive mountain flight tickets from Buddha Air.