Lankan beach spikers going well

Bernard Perera in Patthalung Loma

The Sri Lanka Beach spikers who opened their campaign at the Asian Beach Volleyball Tour in Patthalung Loma city came up with fine performances winning all three games on day one here yesterday.

First it was the women’s team that came to the court to play against Laos team which they put up a better performance to beat the opponents comprehensively in two sets to nil. The team comprising of Thakshila and Sujeeva made a good start to the game taking an early lead 5-2.

This they maintained and moved ahead increasing the lead to have a good grip of the set.

The Lankan women never allowed the opponents to get closer to them at any stage of this set and finished it with the score reading 21-8.

The second set saw the Lankans go in front but with the score on four the Laosians equalized and were looking to make a strong comeback.

They were closely following the Lankans and once again equalized at 7 all. From there onwards the Lankan women got their act together collecting points easily and managed to end the set in favour 21-19.

This victory also put them to the last sixteen teams those will battle from today onwards.

Sri Lanka A win

The Sri Lanka Men’s A team which failed to qualify to the last eight three days ago in Khanom city made a good start here by winning against Philippines two to sets to one. Sri Lanka captain Dhammika Silva who sustained a spine problem during the tourney, played a good game though he has not yet fully recovered. They failed to win the first set 17-21 fought gallantly in the next set and won 21-14.

In the third set, Lankans played so well that the Philippines had no way to stop the attack that was posed to them by them. Infact the Philippines failed to reach the double figures and lost the set and the match 15-6.

Lankan B team which had a successful tourney in Khanom proved that they are in form when they overcame the Laosian men quite comfortably two sets to nil. Here the first was almost a one sided affair with Lankans winning the set 21-08.

In the second set too the Lankans were in front and were on course to finish the set early but with the Laosians showing some sort of fight back, the game extended until they reached the double figure to end the set at 21-10 in favour of the Lankans.

Other results at a glance

Australia beat Indonesia 2-0, Thailand beat Malaysia 2-0, India Beat Kazakhstan 2-0, India beat Philippines 2-0, Philippines beat Kazkhstan 2-1, India beat Bangladesh 2-1, India beat New Zealand 2-0, Thailand beat Hong Kong 2-0,China beat Bangladesh 2-0, Indonesia beat Laos 2-0, Australia beat Malaysia 2-0, China beat Hong Kong 2-0, Australia beat Japan 2-0.