Fed Cup Volleyball: AIU registers comfortable win over AP

AP showed promise in the opening set, southpaw K. Madhusudhana Rao making the most of some splendid on-side setting, from the front right, to pound the AIU half.

AP showed renewed resolve towards the close of the concluding set, which could only delay the inevitable. (Representational Image)

Association of Indian Universities (AIU) faced resistance in the last set, but, otherwise, had it easy, when subduing Andhra Pradesh 25-22, 25-20, 32-20 in its Federation Cup volleyball tournament, men’s group B match, at the Cosmopolitan Club court, on Friday evening.

The home side showed promise in the opening set, southpaw K. Madhusudhana Rao making the most of some splendid on-side setting, from the front right, to pound the AIU half. The varsities side’s forearm passing, especially when receiving serve, had flaws, as it trailed through most of the set. The student squad showed a penchant, to raise its game towards the end, its block and attack, synchronising well when it was most needed.

In the second, the host could only do the catching up, as its rival invariably inched ahead. AP’s blockers were unable to halt the blistering barrage from the AIU trio of skipper T. Sathriyan, Gibin Sabestian and Mujib M.C.

READ: Fed Cup Volleyball: Services register thrilling win over Haryana

AP showed renewed resolve towards the close of the concluding set, which could only delay the inevitable. With the teams level at 27, the AP ‘wall’ thwarted three smashes, on the trot, from Sabestian, which could only contain the AIU charge, as the universities side sealed the deal at 32-30.

Maharashtra women breezed through the first set against Andhra Pradesh 25-21, thanks largely to Hiteshi Chhikara, making the most of fine boosting from the front left position. In the second, AP shot off to an over 10-point lead, stretched it by two more at the finish.

M. Sri Priyanka stood out for the host, as her float serves deployed with unerring accuracy to the Maharashtra back court’s left side, a weak spot in the western side’s defence for some time, till it plugged that gap. So did the frail player show competence in backend operations, her ‘platform’ retrieving cleaning up the opponent’s spiking, that had evaded the AP block.

The results:

Men: Group B: AIU bt AP 25-22, 25-20, 32-30.

Women: Maharashtra bt AP 25-21, 13-25, 25-17, 25-23.