COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Nepal stunned host Sri Lanka in four sets Wednesday, while Kyrgyzstan remained unbeaten with a straight-set victory over Maldives on Day 2 of the CAVA Women’s Under-19 Volleyball Championship at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.
Kyrgyzstan opened the day with a dominant 25–21, 25–9, 25–21 win against Maldives, maintaining their perfect record in the preliminary round. Captain Raiana Baiamanova led the charge with 11 points, backed by Saikal Amirakulova and Daiyana Toktosunova, who combined strong attacking with disciplined blocking.
Maldives showed improvement, particularly in the first and third sets, behind a 16-point effort from Minhath Ahmed. Aishath Liwa Ibrahim and Aishath Dheema Nadheem added defensive stability, but Kyrgyzstan’s control at the net and organized defense proved decisive.
With two straight wins, Kyrgyzstan sit atop the standings with six points and are in prime position to reach the semifinals.
In the day’s marquee match, Nepal delivered the tournament’s first major upset, downing Sri Lanka, 25–18, 26–24, 19–25, 25–20, in front of a lively home crowd of more than 1,500 fans.
Star spiker Jenisha Bishwakarma led all scorers with 21 points, while setter Anjila Pradhan controlled the tempo with sharp playmaking and consistent serves. Mina Sunar and Nisha Mahar added crucial support in attack, and libero Bhawana Tamang anchored Nepal’s defense with 10 excellent receptions that kept the visitors composed under pressure.
Sri Lanka’s Sulakshana Aberathna paced the hosts with 19 points, while L.K.M. Wijerathna added 12 and Apsara Kahadawa chipped in 9. After pulling one set back in the third, Sri Lanka faltered late in the fourth amid unforced errors.
“This was a very important win for us,” Nepal head coach Kumar Rai said. “The players showed great composure and teamwork. It gives us confidence going into the next matches.”
Standings after Day 2
Kyrgyzstan (2–0, 6 points)
Nepal (1–1, 3 points)
Sri Lanka (1–1, 3 points)
Maldives (0–2, 0 points)
Day 3 Schedule — Thursday, Nov. 6
- 2:00 p.m. — Nepal vs. Maldives
- 4:30 p.m. — Sri Lanka vs. Kyrgyzstan
All matches are being held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium and streamed live on the official CAVA YouTube channel. The CAVA Women’s U19 Volleyball Championship runs through Nov. 9 and features Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, and Maldives competing for regional honors.