COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Nepal and host Sri Lanka thrilled fans with straight-set victories on Day 3 of the CAVA Women’s U19 Volleyball Championship at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.
Nepal maintained its strong form with a dominant 25–7, 25–10, 25–11 victory over the Maldives on Thursday.
Outside hitter Jenisha Bishwakarma led Nepal with 10 points, while Mina Sunar and Pratibha Chaudhary provided solid support on both ends. Setter Anjila Pradhan orchestrated the offense effectively, and libero Bhawana Tamanganchored the defense with dependable passing.
Nepal allowed just 28 total points in the match, wrapping up the win in under an hour to move to the top of the standings with a 2–1 record.
For the Maldives, Minhath Ahmed and Aishath Liwa contributed offensively but struggled to match Nepal’s power and coordination. Despite the loss, the young Maldivian team continues to gain valuable experience.
In the evening match, Sri Lanka delighted the home crowd of over 350 fans with a 25–19, 27–25, 25–22 victory over Kyrgyzstan to strengthen its semifinal chances.
Captain Sulakshana Aberathna led all scorers with 16 points, while L.K.M. Wijerathna added 13 and dominated at the net with several crucial blocks. Setter E.A. Nethiy Edirisinghe kept the offense in rhythm with steady playmaking.
Kyrgyzstan battled hard, particularly in the second set, saving multiple set points before falling 27–25. Saikal Amirakulova scored 12 points, and Nurzhamal Bolotbekova added key attacks in the loss.
With three days of preliminary action complete, Nepal emerged on top of the standings with two wins and one loss for seven points, narrowly leading hosts Sri Lanka, who also carry a 2–1 record and six points. Kyrgyzstan, likewise at 2–1, sits in third with five points after Thursday’s defeat.
The Maldives, still winless in three outings, rounds out the table.
In the first semifinal at 2 p.m., Sri Lanka will battle Kyrgyzstan in a rematch of their thrilling preliminary clash. Later at 4:30 p.m., top-ranked Nepal faces the Maldives in hopes of securing a place in the gold medal match.
Both matches will be played at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo, where large home crowds are expected to turn out once again to support the host nation.