November 3, 2001	Saturday	Shaba’an 16, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: Pakistan Air Force were made to work hard by a stubborn Navy before eventually winning 25-20, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23 in the quarter-final league of the 37th Royals National Volleyball Championship on Friday.

In other matches of the last eight league, defending champions Wapda sailed past NWFP 25-22, 25-21, 25-18 to continue their unbeaten run in the competition while Army too stayed on track with a 25-13, 25-17, 25-20 defeat of POF. In another game, Police faced a tough challenge from Punjab but won 26-28, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18.

On the second day of the quarter-final league Saturday, Navy are pitted against POF while Punjab are up against NWFP. Army will face off PAF in the day’s third tie with Police playing Wapda in what promises to be a mouthwatering clash.

As they did in the match against Army on the opening day Tuesday, Navy fought bravely to make their intentions clear at the very outset. Although they lost the first two sets, they gave their rivals a run for their money.

PAF, inspired by their captain Mushtaq, were always ahead in the first two sets but Navy kept taking points off them regularly and did not yield without a fight.

But just when PAF thought they had the match all wrapped up, Navy gathered all their energies to bounce back into the game by taking the third set, much to the surprise of the rival camp. In their efforts, captain Mushtaq Ahmed, libro Tariq, Azhar Mahmood and Azam Mukhtar shone with their skills.

In the tense fourth set, Navy played with renewed spirit and were in a class of their own as they pulled level each time they fell behind and even took the lead at least twice in this set. So nail-biting were the exchanges that the set was delicately poised, first at 19-19 and then at the fag end at 23-23. But it was not to be Navy’s day as PAF with some intelligent play by quick attacker Saeed, setter Iftikhar and Alamgir clinched the set and the match.

It was PAF’s fourth straight win in the competition while Navy suffered their second defeat here, their first being against Army.

The Police-Punjab match was another interesting affair as the cops, who are among the title favourites here, dropped the set for the first time in the tournament in three matches.

Punjab gave their rivals a scare by taking the first set at 28-26 after a hard fight but then Police got their act together to take the next three on the trot. However, in doing so they were given a tough challenge by the Punjab boys.

Results:

Wapda bt NWFP 25-22, 25-21, 25-18; Army bt POF 25-13, 25-17, 25-20; Police bt Punjab 26-28, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18; PAF bt Navy 25-20, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23.

Saturday’s fixtures (quarter-final league):

Navy v POF at 1100 hrs, Punjab v NWFP 1200 hrs, Army v PAF 1600 hrs, Wapda v Police 1730 hrs.