Ports pull the plug on CEB; Air Force dominate Casual Line to win Championships

Sri Lanka Ports Authority avenged their group stage loss as they came from a set down to defeat favourites Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) 20-25, 25-17, 25-21 & 25-19 and win the Munchee National Volleyball Super League Men’s Championship for the 4th straight year.

In the women’s final Air Force SC utterly dominated MAS Casual Line on their way to a 25-12, 25-10 & 25-19 win in the Munchee National Volleyball Championship Super League Women’s final at the National Youth Services Council Indoor Stadium, Maharagama.

Men’s Super League Final

Newcomers CEB, boasting of a few national players came into the final defeating Air Force SC 25-22, 22-25, 25-21 & 25-22 while Ports Authority defeated Army SC in straight sets, 25-20, 25-23 & 25-22.

Both CEB & Ports were draw in the same group where CEB won in four sets, 25-21, 25-22, 21-25 & 25-21.

Hence coming into the final giants of Sri Lanka Volleyball, Ports Authority had a point to prove against a star studded CEB side. However it was CEB, who had the likes of Ayesh Perera, Deepthi Romesh & Gayan Madushanka, who won the first set 25-20 after going into a four point lead mid-way into the set and maintained it.

The 2nd set saw Ports, led by Sri Lanka captain Janitha Surath, asserting authority early on and when CEB took their second time-out Ports were leading 18-12. CEB managed to close the gap to 19-16 but after a time-out Ports Authority racked up the rest of the six points giving away only one point to the opposition.

The 3rd set too proved to be an enthralling one as both sides exchanged points in the early going. At one time CEB led by as many as 3 points but Ports fought back to make it 16-16. With momentum on their side Ports went on a 9-5 run to bag the set and lead 2-1.

With the championship on the line in the 4th, CEB fused early in the set as Ports who had another good 5-0 run leading 11-4 at one time. From there onwards it was always going to be difficult to mount a come-back as Ports Authority played smartly always keeping the gap by at least 5 points and winning the Championship with a 25-19 4th set win.

Awards

Best Server – Janitha Surath (SLPA)
Best Receiver – T.Sagara (SLPA)
Best Setter – Nilanka Sanjaya (SLPA)
Best Attacker – Deepthi Romesh (CEB)
Best Blocker – Rumesh Dissanayake (SLPA)
Best Defender – A.W.Lakmal (CEB)
Best Player – Lasindu Methmal Wasanthapriya (SLPA)

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Women’s Super League Final

Air Force booked a place in the final with a 25-16, 25-23 & 25-17 straight sets win over Army SC while Casual Line too did the same against Navy SC 25-21, 25-15 & 25-20.  

Air Force led by Sri Lanka captain Dinesha Prashadini had no trouble in the first set as they romped to a 25-12 win. Air Force took the early lead and led 14-4 at one time before Casual Line made a mini-comeback with 4 straight points to make it 14-8 but the Air Women cut short the resurgence and continued towards a 1st set win.

The 2nd set was no different as Air Force, littered with Sri Lanka National players, raced to another commanding 25-10 win.

With the match on the line Casual Line started off the 3rd set well getting early points but the experience of Air Force was evident as they took a 10-3 lead going into a time-out.

It looked as if another easy set win but after the time-out Casual Line slowly but surely started eating into the Air Force lead and when another time-out was called by Air Force the scores read 21-17 with Casual Line trailing by just 4 points.

However the time-out broke the rhythm of the Casual Line girls as Air Force secured the 3rd set and another National Championship with straight sets win; 25-12, 25-10 & 25-19.

Awards

Best Server – Anusha Sandamali (Air Force)
Best Receiver – Thakshila Madurangi (Casual Line)
Best Setter – Ashani Chamodika (Air Force)
Best Attacker – Dinesh Prashadini (Air Force)
Best Blocker – Chathurika Ranasinghe (Air Force)
Best Defender – Shyama Madurangi (Air Force)
Best Player – Chathurika Ranasinghe (Air Force)