Kerala pip Rajasthan

VISAKHAPATNAM, Dec 16: Last year's runners-up Kerala came from behind to pip fighting Rajasthan 15-5, 14-16, 15-6, 9-15, 15-10 in the 46th ...

VISAKHAPATNAM, Dec 16: Last year’s runners-up Kerala came from behind to pip fighting Rajasthan 15-5, 14-16, 15-6, 9-15, 15-10 in the 46th senior National volleyball championships men’s league at the Vizag Steel Plant, here on Monday. In the women’s league, Indian Railways opened their campaign, thrashing lowly Himachal Pradesh 15-2, 15-0, 15-1.

India player Tomy Mathew, coming good with excellent cross court smashes, spurred Kerala to an easy first-set win. Kerala, however, lost the second and fourth before rallying to quell Rajasthan’s challenge.

In another Group A match, Tamil Nadu scored over Services 15-5, 15-7, 15-13 in a tough encounter. With two losses from two, Services are out of the reckoning.

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Earlier, Railways predictably crushed Andhra Pradesh 15-5, 15-2, 15-8 in little under an hour.

Also Tamil Nadu defeated Services 15-5, 15-7, 15-13 in 74 minutes. With this win, Tamil Nadu are assured of knock-out berth from their group. Punjab prevailed over Karnataka 15-11, 15-12, 15-11. Andhra Pradesh women suffered a reverse at the hands of fancied Tamil Nadu 15-11, 15-10, 15-9. AP, fighting hard, surged ahead with a 5-3 lead. But Tamil Nadu fought back well with RP Sripriya coming to TN’s rescue. At the newly built VMC Indoor Stadium, the defending champions Railways women got off to a brilliant start with a runaway win over Bihar, 15-0, 15-0, 15-3 in a Group A tie. In the other match played at the same venue, Rajasthan overcame a fighting Himachal Pradesh 15-2, 12-15, 15-3, 15-7. Maharashtra’s women beat Orissa 15-2, 15-3, 15-8 in another match of the same group.

Madhya Pradesh men defeated Manipur 15-10, 15-6, 15-2 in a Group C match while Maharastra swept past Gujarat 15-8, 15-13, 15-6.

RESULTS Men: West Bengal bt Bihar 15-13, 15-9, 15-9; Indian Railways bt Andhra Pradesh 15-5, 15-2, 15-8; Tamil Nadu bt Services 15-5, 15-7, 15-13; Karnataka lost to Punjab 11-15, 12-15, 11-15; Orissa lost to Delhi 5-15, 14-16, 12-15; Kerala bt Rajasthan 15-5, 14-16, 15-6, 9-15, 15-10; MP bt Manipur 15-10, 15-6, 15-2; Maharashtra bt Gujarat 15-8, 15-13, 15-6; UP bt Himachal Pradesh 15-5, 9-15, 15-8, 15-13; Chandigarh bt Pondicherry 15-3, 15-4, 15-5.

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Women: Tamil Nadu w/o Assam; Gujarat lost to AP 1-15, 3-15, 2-15; Uttar Pradesh lost to Delhi 8-15, 2-15, 6-15; Punjab w/o Goa; Manipur lost to West Bengal 9-15, 0-15, 1-15; Karnataka bt Chandigarh 15-10, 10-15, 15-2, 15-10; Tamil Nadu bt AP 15-11, 15-10, 15-9; Railways bt HP 15-2, 15-0, 15-1; Maharashtra bt Orissa 15-2, 15-3, 15-8; Kerala bt Bihar 15-0, 15-0, 15-3; Rajasthan bt HP 15-2, 12-15, 15-3, 15-7.