KSEB claims womens's title in AI Volleyball Tournament

Chennai, June 9 (UNI) Fancied Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Trivandrum huffed and puffed before derailing Central Railway, Maharashtra, to annexe the women's title in the All India Volleyball Tournament here, this evening.

In a pulsating encounter that went down the wire, the powergirls from Trivandrum won 25-21, 25-15, 18-25, 25-27 and 15-9 in a marathon encounter to bag the title and the winner's purse of Rs 20,000.

The Central Railway, after waging a grim battle, finished on the losing side and had to be content with the runner-up purse of Rs 15,000.

Earlier, in a play off match for the third and fourth place, which also went the full distance, Western Railway, Mumbai, defeated Southern Railway, Chennai 3-2. The Mumbai outfit won 25-21, 24-26, 18-25, 25-22 and 15-12.

It was a fitting finale to the week-long tournament as KSEB called the shots initially, bagging the first two sets rather easily.

But the Western Railway women came back strongly, pocketing the third 25-18. In fact KSEB should have sewed up the match in the fourth itself. They failed to capitalise on the narrow lead and allowed their rivals to win the set at extra points. In the decider, KSEB led from start to finish and walked away with the title.

Priya Diwakar of Western Railway, Pratheesha of KSEB and Priyanka Dora of Central Railway were adjudged best players of the tournament and were given cash awards.

UNI