Navy women make it four in a row

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen, - Kandy Sports Correspondent

Sri Lanka Navy Women's A team clinched the Vijaya Sevens Hockey Championship for the fourth successive year when they defeated Sri Lanka Navy ‘B’ 3-0 in the all Navy women's finals of the hockey championship organised by the Old Vijayans Sports Club and played at the Nandmithra Ekanayake International Hockey Stadium in Matale on Sunday. At half time Navy ‘A’ led 3-0.

There was considerable delay in starting the finals following dance performances and when the finals started it was semi-darkness and the light conditions progressively deteriorated.

Navy ‘A’ first scored when centre forward Buddhika Gunaratne got past couple of defenders and sent a short pass to centre forward Chathurika Wijesuriya who sounded the boards.

Shortly afterwards Navy ‘A’ scored again when centre half Madura Dharmarathne sent a pass to centre forward Chathurika Wijesuriya who foxed the opposing defence with a reverse shot from an acute angle.

Navy ‘A’ put the issue beyond doubt when their hard working centre Madhushani Jayanetti scooped a pass to centre half Buddhika Gunaratne to sound the boards.

Indrawansa Herath and G. Ekanayake umpired.

Navy have won this title for four successive years and prior to that Seetha Devi Sports Club won it for seven successive years.

Navy ‘A’ team was captained by Pradeepa Nilmini and coached by M.A.M. Ashroff.

In the semi-finals played in the morning Navy ‘A’ beat Air Force 1-0 with centre forward Chathurka Wijesuriya scoring the deciding goal.

In the second semi-final Navy ‘B’ beat Sangmitta Sports Club 1-0 Centre forward Nisansala scored the winning goal.

Deputy Minister of Transport Rohana Dissanayake was the Chief Guest and the distributed the awards with Ms. A.K. Dayawathie Principal of Vijaya College, S. Razeek, Tilak Wimalasinghe and Eranda Gunwardena.