Air Force SC won the A Division Women’s Championship while Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala and St.Bridget’s Convent, Colombo won the U19 and U15 championships respectively in the 2017 ‘Eva’ All Island Open Netball Tournament at the Air Force Grounds, Colombo 2.
The tournament was conducted by the Western Province Netball Association and was sponsored by International Cosmetics (Pvt) Ltd for the 12th time. This was first time that the tournament was held as an ‘Open’ tournament.
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The tournament was played under four Divisions; A Division, B Division, Schools’ Division and the Veterans Division. A Division was comprised of Open Women’s & Open Men’s categories while the B Division was only comprised of Open Women’s category.
Schools’ Division was conducted under three age groups; U15, U17 and U19 and the Veterans Division was for ‘Over 40 Women’.
‘A’ Division (Women) – EVA Challenge Trophy
Sri Lanka Air Force defeated Sri Lanka Navy 45-36 to clinch the ‘A’ Division Women’s Championship. It was the Sri Lanka Air Force who dominated the game from the beginning, resulting in a comprehensive win for Air Force women.
Thilini Waththegedara of Sri Lanka Air Force was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the division while Samanthi Nilushika of the same club was crowned as the Netball Queen.
Schools’ Division (U19) – Western Province Challenge Trophy
Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala became the U19 Schools Division Champions as they defeated Visakha College, Colombo in the finals by 23-14.
Piyumi Sanjana of Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala who played well throughout the tournament was awarded as the Most Valuable Player of the age category.
Schools’ Division (U15) – Western Province Challenge Trophy
St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo came on top defeating Musaeus College, Colombo by 13-11 seizing the Championship of the U15 Schools Division.
Both the teams put forward a good display of Netball doing well in both offence and defense making the game open for both the teams. However, it was the girls from St. Bridget’s Convent who extend to lead in the end to win the championship by a whisker.
Sneha Dissanayake of St. Bridget’s Convent was adjudged the Most Valuable Player.
‘A’ Division (Men) – Malcom Andree Memorial Challenge Trophy
United Sports Club from Kurana defeated Net Fire Sports from Colombo in a hard-fought game to grab the Championship of the Men’s Division. The Scores were recorded as 14-13.
Buddika Sooriyabandara of Net Fire Sports Club won the award for the Most Valuable Player of the Division and Dinushka Madushanka of United Sports Club was crowned as the Netball King.
‘B’ Division (Women) – Ulrika bar – Kumarakulasingham Memorial Challenge Trophy
Kalutara Old Balikans SC won the ‘B’ Division Women’s Championship after a comfortable win over Cambell Park SC in the finals by 20-14.
Dewna Randini of Kalutara Old Balikans SC was awarded as the Most Valuable Player for her performances.
‘Veterans’ (Women) – Speed Birds Challenge Trophy
Speed Birds Sports Club won the Championship of the Veterans division after another close game defeating Sri Lanka Ports Authority SC in the finals by 8-7.
Somitha Alwis of Speedbirds Sports Club won the award for the Most Valuable Player of the Veterans Division.
Awards
Netball Queen – Samanthi Nilushika (Sri Lanka Air Force)
Netball King – Dinushka Madushanka (United Sports Club)‘A’ Divison (Women)
Champions – Sri Lanka Air Force
Runner up – Sri Lanka NavyMost Valuable Player – Thilini Wattegedera (Sri Lanka Air Force)
‘A’ Division (Men)
Champions – United Sports Club from Kurana
Runner up – Net Fire Sports from ColomboMost Valuable Player – Buddika Sooriyabandara (Net Fire Sports Club)
‘B’ Division (Women)
Champions – Kalutara Old Balikans SC
Runner up – Campbell Park SCMost Valuable Player – Dewna Randini (Kalutara Old Balikans SC)
‘Veterans’ (Women)
Champions – Speed Birds Sports Club
Runner up – Sri Lanka Ports Authority SCMost Valuable Player – Somitha Alwis (Speed Birds SC)
Schools’ Division (U19)
Champions – Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala
Runner up – Visakha Vidyalaya, ColomboMost Valuable Player – Piyumi Sanjana (Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala)
Schools’ Division (U15)
Champions – St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo
Runner up – Museaus College, ColomboMost Valuable Player – Sneha Dissanayake (St.Bridget’s Convent, Colombo)
