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Last year’s runners-up Uttarakhand came close to being shown the championship exit door but they rallied splendidly to outduel 13-time champions Railways 25-27, 18-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-11 to sneak into the men’s semifinals of the 61st National Senior Volleyball Championship at the Sawai Man Singh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur.
Uttarakhand, who had won the won the national crown only once in 2022 and grabbed the eyeballs at the 2012 Nationals with a scintillating performance which saw them knock out reigning champions Tamil Nadu in the semifinals, looked a disjointed outfit in the first two sets but looked a transformed side after they won the third set at 25-23.
They won the crucial points consistently and won the next two sets at 25-22, 15-11 to seal their berth in the last four stage.
Lalit Kumar dazzled for Uttarakhand with his robust serves.
Uttarkhand would now meet 2011 champions Tamil Nadu in a repeat of last year’s nationals.
Tamil Nadu, whose bid to complete a hat-trick of national wins were thwarted by Uttarakhand last year, brought the hopes of hosts Rajasthan to an end, pipping them 25-16, 25-20, 25-14.
Meanwhile, defending champions Kerala had an easy day in office, outplaying five-time champions Services in straight sets 25-14, 25-21, 25-21.
Skipper Y. Manu, Tom Joseph, K.S. Ratheesh, P. Rohith and T.S. Ajesh exhibited solid blocks, robust smashes and nifty drops to outsmart their opponents.
Kerala meets Haryana in the other semifinals. Haryana got the better of Punjab 25-21, 25-23, 25-22.
In the women’s section, reigning champions Railways and runners-up Kerala posted facile quarterfinal wins. Railways humbled last year’s third-placed team West Bengal 25-13, 25-18, 25-12.
Kerala were also emphatic in their 25-19, 25-18, 25-12 win over Haryana.
Tamil Nadu ousted Uttar Pradesh 25-11, 25-18, 25-23, while Andhra Pradesh defeated Himachal Pradesh 25-21, 25-22, 25-9 to book the other two semifinal slots.
Results (Quarterfinals)
Men: Tamil Nadu bt Rajasthan 25-16, 25-20, 25-14; Uttarakhand bt Railways 25-27, 18-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-11; Kerala bt Services 25-14, 25-21, 25-21; Haryana bt Punjab 25-21, 25-23, 25-22.
Women: Railways bt West Bengal 25-13, 25-18, 25-14; Andhra Pradesh bt Himachal Pradesh 25-21, 25-22, 25-9; Tamil Nadu bt Uttar Pradesh 25-11, 25-18, 25-23; Kerala bt Haryana 25-19, 25-18, 25-12
