Shahi, Khadka take NPC 'A' into last eight

CHITWAN, May 31: Title favorite Nepal Police Club (NPC) ´A´ became the first team to reach the quarterfinals of the First National Women´s Beach Volleyball Tournament at the Rapti river bank in Sauraha on Tuesday.



NPC ´A´ topped the Group A with double victories on the opening day. NPC ´A´ defeated Central Region 21-5, 21-8 and eased past Nepal PLA Club ´A´ 21-8, 21-9.[break]



The duo of Neeta Shah and Chuda Khadka, who had won bronze medal from the second Asian Beach Volleyball Championship in 2009 in Bangladesh, made their experience count while almost all other teams struggled to cope up in an artificial beach.



In a Group ´B´ match, Western Region ´A´ that includes national stars Manju Gurung and Sipora Gurung from Pokhara beat Nepal APF Club ´B´ 21-16, 21-14. Manju Gurung said short practice sessions on Monday and Tuesday made their victory comfortable in the artificial beach.



APF ´B´ later thrashed Mid Western Region 21-10, 21-9,



In other matches of the day, Western Region ´B´ defeated Far Western Region 21-15, 22-20 before losing to APF ´A´ 22-20, 16-21, 15-13 in Group ´C´. Likewise, in Group ´D´, Nepal PLA Club ´B´ lost to NPC ´B´ 21-13, 21-6 but later won against Eastern Region 21-5, 21-12. The winners of the tournament will qualify for the first South Asian Beach Games to be held in Sri Lanka on August.

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