Munchee National VB championship:

Ports Authority, Foreign Employment Bureau win

By Bernard PERERA

Sri Lanka Ports Authority grabbed the Munchee National Men's Volleyball Championship yesterday beating Sri Lanka Navy three sets to one at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

The Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage handing over the Munchee National Volleyball Championship trophy to Ari Lanka Ports Authority skipper Sameera Dissanayake, on right President SLVBF and Minister Dilan Perera giving away the Women' Champions Trophy to captain of Foreign Employment Bureau winner of the National title. Picture by Vipul Amerasinghe.

Ports Authority which is packed with few national players were in full control of the first set from the world go and won the set at 25-21 to take the lead 1-0. Sailors fought back strongly in the next to win 25-18 to level 1-1.

Portmen got their act together in the third set with a good start and maintained it though their opponents put pressure on them to finish the set in Ports favour at 25-23 (2-1).

The fourth set began with the Portmen at full swing and never allowed Sailors to get closer to them at any stage of the set.

The set ended with a huge margin 25-13 to give the match to Sri Lanka Ports Authority which also helped them take the Munchee National Volleyball Championship for the year 2011.

Sri Lanka Bureau for Foreign Employment on their debut to sports created history when they touched the top in volleyball yesterday to go away with the Munchee National Women's VB Championship title beating strong Air Force team three sets to one (21-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-12) at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

The spectators who filled the stadium to its capacity witnessed top class spiking throughout the game which went on for four sets. Air women had an easy victory in the first set at 25-21. This victory in the opening set did not help them in anyway as the girls from Foreign Employment Bureau cameback strongly to hold Air women at bay and went onto win the next set to be on equal terms.

The third set saw Air Force women take the lead in the early stage, but once again did not maintain the tempo and went down 20-25 and the match went on for the fourth set.

This was completely dominated by the Foreign Employment Bureau team. Though the Air Force women tried everything they had in store could not hold their opponents at bay. They got off to a flying start in this set and held on firmly to the lead. At one stage they held a eight point lead and moved smoothly to win the set at 12-25 and also the match to win the national title on their debut to Division I Sports.

Minister of sports Mahindananda Altughgamge was the chief guest at the final and distributed the main awards President of the SLVBF and Minister Dilan Perera, and Group marketing Director Ceylon Biscuits Nandana Wickramage were the guests of honour.