The Hindu : Sport / Volleyball : Kerala women make it eight in a row

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 07, 2007
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Sport - Volleyball

Kerala women make it eight in a row

Principal Correspondent

VATAKARA: There was an interesting duel between two captains, Kerala attacker K. Reshma and Tamil Nadu's tall blocker B. Raghavardhini, in the women's final of the ninth National youth volleyball championship here on Sunday.

Reshma took some time to read her opponent and after that she began jumping higher than the 17-year-old Raghavardhini to unleash a barrage of smashes at the Narayana Nagar courts here.

Reshma's brilliant show from her favourite left flank helped Kerala down Tamil Nadu in straight sets in 56 minutes and win the title for the eighth year in a row.

Later, Kerala defeated Karnataka 25-18, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19 in the men's final to complete a fine double.

"I knew the final would be tough... and it was," said Reshma, a former junior international who helped Kannur University to the National varsities title in Kottayam earlier this year.

Kerala, a lively bunch from Kannur, Mahatma Gandhi and Calicut universities, had a plan for Tamil Nadu's two danger girls. A three-woman block, with Sreevidya, Sumisha and Reshma doing the jumping job, kept Raghavardhini at bay, while two players had Poovizhi on a tight leash.

Sreevidya and Tiji Prakash supported Reshma well in the attack and setter Shanty Elias did her job commendably.

With Reshma sorting out Raghavardhini, Tamil Nadu — which included five girls who helped the State win the junior National in Vijawada early this year — brought in Packia Jeba Priya. Jeba Priya could not do much against the Kerala captain, but she was quite successful in thwarting Tiji in the second set which saw Tamil Nadu lead 16-12 at one stage.

The results: Men: Final: Kerala bt Karnataka 25-18, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19. Third place: Rajasthan bt TN 25-14, 25-11, 25-23. Semifinal: Kerala bt TN 25-21, 24-26, 25-15, 25-19.

Women: Final: Kerala bt TN 25-20, 27-25, 25-14. Third place: HP bt Karnataka 25-13, 26-24, 25-13.

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