Lumbini’s girls and boys into finals of U19 Volleyball Championship

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, June 29: The girls and boys of Lumbini Province have secured a spot in the final of the 1st Sahana Pradhan U-19 Girl’s and Boy’s National Volleyball Championship after winning their respective semi-final matches on Friday.

Lumbini’s girls defeated Gandaki while the boys overcame Bagmati to reach the finals. The girls of Lumbini will face Bagmati in the final and the boys will face Gandaki at the covered hall in Dasharath Rangasala on Saturday. 

Bagmati’s girls reached the final after defeating Koshi and Gandaki’s boys defeated Sudurpashchim.

The performances until the semi-finals show that Lumbini’s girls have a higher chance for the Cup while the boys might have to struggle and fight more.

Lumbini’s girls’ team is equipped with volleyball players trained by the coach and senior players of the Everest Volleyball Club, one of the major challengers in the domestic tournaments of Nepal. As the Club only trains female players, Lumbini’s boys are on par with other provinces.

Nevertheless, Lumbini will not be taking the match against Bagmati in the girl’s division lightly. Bagmati defeated Koshi in three consecutive sets, with Koshi failing to reach the double figures in two sets (25-18, 25-6, 25-9).

Likewise, Lumbini and Gandaki’s first set extended after the deuce, but ended in favour of Lumbini (27-25). Lumbini won the second set with a good margin (25-12) and the third with some better challenge (25-20) from Gandaki.

On the other hand, Sudurpashchim tumbled to keep its play consistent and lost to Gandaki in the first semi-final in the boys’ division.

Sudurpashchim lost the first set to Gandaki (16-25) but bounced in the second set (25-20). However, Sudurpashchim was devastated in the third set as they lost it with a difference of 14 points (25-11). Despite the province holding its nerve in the fourth set, Gandaki emerged victorious (28-26) and entered the final.

Following the girls’ entry to the final and raising their chances of winning the cup in the 1st edition of the tournament, Lumbini’s boys did not leave them alone. 

Lumbini won the first set (25-17) against Gandaki but lost the second (31-29). Making a comeback in the third set (25-19), Lumbini assured its spot in the final by winning the fourth set by a score of 25-20.