Pokhara, 30 January | The visiting Thailand Queens clinched the third-place title in the women’s category of the ongoing 6th Tiger Cup National and International Invitational Open Club Championship Volleyball Tournament. In a high-voltage clash held at the Multipurpose Covered Hall of Pokhara Stadium on Thursday, the Thai side defeated the departmental team, Armed Police Force (APF) Club, in a grueling five-set thriller. The match showcased exceptional resilience from both sides, keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats until the final point. Although Thailand Queens lost the opening set 23-25, they staged a dominant comeback in the second and third sets, winning them with impressive scores of 25-11 and 25-9, respectively.
The departmental side, APF, showed great character in the fourth set to secure a 25-23 win, pushing the match into a decisive fifth set. However, Thailand Queens regained their composure in the final set, winning 15-11 to secure their podium finish. With this victory, Thailand Queens received a cash prize of NPR 206,666. Despite missing out on the final, the visiting team demonstrated high-level skills throughout the tournament, especially in their recovery during the middle sets. The organizing body, Tiger Group of Pokhara Nepal, confirmed that the third-place prize money has been significantly increased this year to match the rising stature of the competition.
Following the conclusion of the third-place match, all eyes are now on the grand finale of the women’s category, scheduled for Friday, January 30. The championship match will feature an intense battle between New Diamond Sports Club and Nepal Police Club. New Diamond entered the final as the only undefeated team in the single round-robin stage, while Nepal Police Club secured their spot following Thailand’s earlier group-stage setbacks. Meanwhile, in the men’s category, Nepal Police Club secured a straight-set victory over the Maldives Volleyball Association on Thursday, and Tribhuvan Army Club edged past APF 3-2. The tournament, which features six men’s and five women’s teams, will conclude on January 31, with winners in both categories set to receive a whopping NPR 666,666 each.
