Kathmandu, June 9:Tip Top Help Nepal Sports Club and Nepal Police Club have lifted the 8th PM Cup: NVA Volleyball League in men’s and women’s categories respectively. Help Nepal triumphed against undefeated Gandaki while Police defeated Everest Volleyball Club in the final matches played on Saturday.

On the same day, two more matches were played to decide the third and fourth-placed teams in both categories. Armed Police Force (APF) Club defeated Tribhuwan Army Club (TAC) to finish third in the women’s category while Nepal Police’s men’s team finished third in the respective category by outperforming TAC’s men’s team. Army finished fourth in both categories.

In the first match of the day, APF defeated TAC in the women’s category with wins in three consecutive sets (25-19, 25-20 and 25-19). Meanwhile, the match for third place in the men’s category was played till the fifth set.

Police won the first set by 31-29, but lost the second and third by 13-25 and 22-25 respectively against Army. Nevertheless, Police bounced back in the fourth set with a score of 25-23 to take the match to the final set. Police then won the final set by 15-8 to finish third.

Winning teams

Nepal Police Club won the League by defeating Everest Volleyball Club, the winner of the 8th RBB-NVA Championship. Everest also had three Indian players. 

Police won the first two sets in the final, but Everest, with experienced players, bounced back in the third and fourth sets with scores of 25-20 and 25-20 respectively. However, Everest could not win the final set as Police clinched the 15-point set with a score of 15-12. “I am very happy to have won a third title with the team. I really wanted to win one more title with the club. I am proud of my team,” Nepal Police’s coach Rupesh Bista told The Rising Nepal.

On the other hand, Gandaki, who had not lost a single match in the league, lost in the final and was deprived of the cup. Gandaki had defeated Help Nepal in the league stage but could not repeat it in the final.

Help Nepal won the first set by 25-22 and Gandaki replied in the second set with 25-20. However, Help Nepal returned the favour and won the third and fourth sets (25-20 and 25-20) to win the final and lift the Cup.

“We won the earlier Championship. However, this tournament felt tougher. Yet, we gave our best and won the trophy. Extremely proud of my team,” Help Nepal’s coach Utsav Khadka told The Rising Nepal.

The winning teams received medals, trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 800,000 each. 

Best performances

The most valuable players in the men’s and women’s categories were Help Nepal’s Mubashir Raza, a Pakistani national, and Nepal Police’s Usha Bhandari respectively.

Similarly, in the men’s category, Help Nepal’s Top Bahadur Thapa, Adnan Khan and Utsav Khadka were adjudged as the best libero, setter and coach respectively. Likewise, Gandaki’s Raman Kumar and Santosh were the best server and spiker respectively; Nepal Police’s Safal BK was the best defender.

In the women’s category, Nepal Police’s Shanti Kala Tamang and Kamala Pun were awarded as the best libero and setter respectively. Two Indian players of Everest Volleyball Club, KP Anushree and Soorya S. were adjudged the best spiker and blocker respectively. Meanwhile, APF’s Niruta Thagunna was the best server and Nepal Police’s coach Rupesh Bista was the best coach.

Transformation required

Every year, the PM Cup volleyball tournament and other tournaments throughout the country showcases the shortage of basic infrastructure for the national sport. The 8th PM Cup: NVA League also struggled to accommodate all the viewers who came to see the match. 

Likewise, the tournament also saw a need for digital technologies required to review some difficult decisions. On the day of the final, coaches and players were frustrated with several decisions from the officials.

Meanwhile, regarding infrastructure, National Sports Council’s member-secretary Tanka Lal Ghising informed that the government, for the next fiscal year, had allocated a budget to install air-conditioners at the covered hall in Dasharath Rangasala alongside the construction of a training centre for volleyball.

Concluding the tournament, Nepal Volleyball Association’s President Jitendra Bahadur Chand also expressed positive hopes from the government. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister failed to attend yet another tournament christened after the PM’s post this year.