Larbin score wins at volleyball tourney

 LARBIN men and women are the champions of the 3rd International Training Institute volleyball tournament played at the Murray Barracks court on Sunday.

The club is K8,000 richer for the double (K4,000 each) and players Pais Eka and Oskar Itoro bagged K500 for player of the match awards.

Witnessed by capacity crowd, the Kerema-dominated teams from Kila Kila village spoilt the parties for  Niukana (men) and Pahun (women) with identical grand final-winning scores of 3-2.

This was a good win and preparations in lead up to the National Volleyball championships in Port Moresby this month.

Eka, setter Peter Eka, Fred Miro, Max Aisi, Karu Jack and Tom Tore were able to absorb the best of Niukana’s Junior Taeri, Boga Charlie, Murphy Gebore, Walter Henao and Boio Kwari to steal an unlikely win.

Niukana  25-18, 27-25 and Larbin 25-13, 25-18 played off a deciding set after drawing level 2-2.

The decider was evenly contested as the experienced Larbin were stretched to the limit by the younger Niukana. Niukana succumbed to the powerful hitting near the net which saw Larbin clinch the final set 15-13. 

Larbin coach Ansalom Nambate played a role guiding his charges from the sideline to clinch victory.

“We had to prepared for this event and deserved it and at the same time it was a good run before for the national championships,” Nambate said.

ITI managing director Kumaran Sentheyval said his institution would back the competition again next year.