April 24, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 23: Riaz Khan and Ismail Khan, the hard hitting pair of Pakistan Airforce outclassed their rival pair of Pakistan Navy, Abdur Razzaq and Asif, in the final of the first Sand Men’s National Volleyball Championship as PAF clinched the game 2-0 at the Pakistan sports complex.

Despite soaring temperatures, the PAF pair were in firm command from the very outset Incidently the pair are part of the National squad also.

Confident from their victory in the semi-final, PAF proved to be a formidable challenge as they easily won the first set 21-15.

It was 3-3 in the second set when Navy struggled hard to make a comeback in the game but they could not block some good smashes from PAF spiker Ismail Khan.

Some slow drops by Navy’s Asif, could not make any impression as PAF kept the pace by gaining points 14-9, 18-10 to win the second set 20-12.

Speaking later to Dawn, PAF’s smasher Riaz Khan remarked that despite scorching heat, they used their experience and technique to lift the tournament trophy.

He said they got a clear advantage against the Navy team which was without any smasher and they were more dependent on hitting slow drops.

President PVF Chaudhary Muhammad Yaqoob told Dawn that the event was a preparatory tournament for a beach volleyball tournament scheduled to be played in October this year at Bali, Indonesia.

He said that PVF would try to create new grounds so as to promote sand volleyball in Pakistan. In September, PVF will also organise a beach volleyball tournament in Karachi.