MH-10 Kohima spiked their way to victory as the champions of the 17th Imchaba Master Memorial Open Volleyball Trophy 2024, after defeating archrivals Changtongya Volleyball Association (CVA) in the final match at the multi-purpose sports complex, Mokokchung, on Friday evening.
Organized by the Mokokchung District Volleyball Association (MDVA), this prestigious trophy has been a cornerstone event for the past two decades, drawing top teams from across the district and state. This year, a total of 19 teams competed in the tournament, with at least seven teams from outside Mokokchung district.
MH-10 clinched the title in straight sets, showcasing their dominance with scores of 25-17, 25-18, and a nail-biting 30-28 in the third set. The two sides had earlier met in the group stages, where the eventual champions defeated CVA with the score 28:26, 25:18.
Coincidentally, just last month, the two teams also faced off in the 13th Luke Sasong tournament, where MH-10 recorded a similar result. In that tournament, the two teams were also placed in the same group, with MH-10 prevailing in the group stage. Both teams reached the final again, with MH-10 emerging as champions on both occasions, perhaps settling the debate over which is the stronger team.
As champions, MH-10 Kohima claimed a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 along with the coveted Imchaba Master trophy and certificates, while the runners-up, Changtongya Volleyball Association, secured Rs 70,000 and certificates.
Individual awards were also presented, with each recipient receiving a cash prize of Rs. 5,000. The individual award winners included:
• Best Spiker: Watineken (MH-10)
• Best Setter: Tongpangsunep (MH-10)
• Man of the Tournament: Bendangtemsu (CVA)
President of the Nagaland Volleyball Association, Jacob Yanthan, graced the closing program as the chief patron. In his address, he expressed gratitude to all the teams for their enthusiasm and participation in this prestigious tournament.
Yanthan further urged the players to harness their God-given talents and push themselves to their full potential. He encouraged them to display their skills with determination and passion, highlighting the importance of unity among district volleyball associations to promote the sport. “One voice, one vision,” he emphasized, calling for collective efforts to take volleyball forward in Nagaland.
Earlier in the semifinals, CVA defeated Itovi Memorial Club in straight sets with scores of 25-15, 25-19, 25-17. In the second semifinal, MH-10 defeated defending champions Ozümi Volleyball Team in an epic match worthy of a championship final. MH-10 emerged victorious by a whisker as defending champions Ozümi nearly thwarted the eventual champions’ quest for glory. MH-10 eventually won the 5-set thriller 25-23, 28-26, 18-25, 25-22, 16-14.
After their valiant semifinal effort, Ozümi struggled to recover in the third-place decider, as Itovi Memorial Club defeated them 25-23, 25-18. The second and third runner-up teams were awarded Rs 30000 and Rs 20000 respectively.