PAYYANNUR: Cochin Port Trust (CPT) topped the Group II men's National Volleyball League, winning all its five games. In its last match, late on Saturday night at the GVHS Ground here, Port Trust beat Karnataka Police 25-16, 25-21, 18-25, 21-25, 17-15; it was the Kochi team's third five-setter in as many days.

Then, in the last match of the men's league, Indian Bank, Chennai, defeated South Central Railway 25-22, 25-21, 25-21. Port Trust finished with 10 points, a point ahead of its city-mate and reigning Super League champion BPCL Kochi Refineries. The two teams have qualified for the Super League, to be held in Kochi from March 7. Indian Bank finished third with eight points, followed by South Central Railway (seven), Karnataka Police (six) and ICF, Chennai (five).

In the women's event, Western Railway, which clinched the lone qualifying spot, scored six points, winning all its three games, ahead of Central Railway (five), SAI, Thalassery (four), and GKM Foundation, Chennai (three).

Western Railway

wins play-off

On Sunday night, the Western Railway girls also won the play-off, played between the top two teams in the league, making short work of Central Railway 25-17, 25-17, 25-17. The unofficial match, played before a packed house, wasn't anywhere as exciting as the game produced by the two teams 24 hours earlier; that game was decided in the fifth set.

"I would like to see my team win tonight's game in straight sets," K.J. Shibi, Western's inspirational captain had said a few minutes before the match got under way. Her teammates granted her that wish, as Western wrapped up the game in just 49 minutes.

For once, the team didn't rely too much on Shibi, though she did produce a few telling smashes in the third set.

It truly was a team effort by Western, as A.J. Sheeja, Anusha Mukesh, T.V.

Binila, Neethu Sibi and Anitta Mathew more than made up for the slight dip in form of Shibi, especially in the first two sets. They were well served by the libero, Priyamol Divakaran.

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