Photo: From (left to right):: Isha Chavan , Arya Songadkar and Meghana Karandikar, all members of the Nalanada Public School, Thane, Maharashtra won their semi-final match defeating top seeds Jermel’s Academy, North Bengal in a Junior Girl’s team championship semi-final match of the 2nd 11even Sports Inter-School Table Tennis National Championships 2016, at Sama Indoor Sports Complex, Vadodara on Monday.
Aarya, Meghna inspire Nalanda Public School to 11even Sports Inter-Schools TT National final
Vadodara, December 12: Aarya Songadkar and Meghna Karandikar came up with sterling performances as Nalanda Public School from Thane, Maharashtra registered a stunning 3-0 win against top seeds Jermel’s Academy, North Bengal in a Junior Girl’s team championship semi-final match of the 2nd 11even Sports Inter-School Table Tennis National Championships 2016, at Sama Indoor Sports Complex, Vadodara on Monday.
Both Aarya and Meghna were in a dominant mood and in total control and comfortably won their matches. In the opening rubber,Aarya defeated Rishita Nandy 9-11, 13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7 before Meghna won the second against Hiyashree Sarkar in three straight games at 11-9, 11-6, 11-5. The two then combined perfectly in the doubles and easily overcame the Bengal pairing of Rishita and Hiyashree at 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5 to seal their win.
In the final, the Nalanda girl’s will take on West Bengal’s Kalyani Public School, who defeated Scholars Rosary School from Haryana 3-1.
Meanwhile, fourth seeds Bhatnagar International School, Delhi produced some brilliant performances and held their nerves to carve out an upset 3-2 victory against top-seeds Jamnabai Narsee School from Mumbai, Maharashtra and in the Senior Boys semi-final.
The Delhi lads will now take on second-seeded Loyola High School from Goa in the final. The Goan schoolboys tamed the aspirations of Techno India School from North Bengal 3-1 in another tough semi-final.
In a match of fluctuating fortunes, Yashash Malik gave the Delhi lads a perfect start defeating Manav Mehta 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10 in the first rubber. But Jamnabai came back when Dev Shroff rallied to beat Payas Jain 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 and level the scores at 1-all. The Mumbai outfit grabbed the lead by winning the doubles tie with Dev and Manav getting the better of Yashash and Payas in five closely fought games at 13-11, 3-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8. However, the Delhi schoolboys showed sterner stuff and came roaring back by winning the next two rubbers to clinch the issue in their favour. Yashash beat Dev 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 in the fourth to tie the scores at 2-2. In the decider, Payas prevailed over Manav in three tough games 11-7, 11-6, 16-14.
The Jamnabai Narsee girl’s also crashed out going down rather tamely to the much superior Siliguri High School from West Bengal, by a 3-1 margin in the semi-finals. In the final, the West Bengal girl’s will take on SBOA School & Junior College girl’s from Tamil Nadu, who blanked Maharishi Vidya Mandir, Assam 3-0 in the other semi-final encounter.
Earlier, Cambridge Convent form UP defeated local team Navrachna School 3-1 and their boys will take on Sri Kumaran Children’s Home from Karantaka who downed Maharaja Agrasen School from Rajasthan 3-1.
Results (all sem-finals) – Junior Girls (Semifinals): Nalanda Public School (Mah) bt Jermel’s Academy (NB) 3-0 – (Aarya Songadkar bt Rishita Nandy 9-11, 13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7; Meghna Karandikar bt Hiyashree Sarkar 11-9, 11-6, 11-5; Aarya/Meghna bt Rishita/Hiyashree 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5).
Kalyani Public School (WB) bt Scholars Rosary (Har) 3-1 – (Dishiki Jordar lost to Suhana Saini 8-11, 11-13, 8-11; Prithoki Chakraborty bt Bishu Suhana Saini 11-7, 11-3, 11-2; Dishki/Prithoki bt Suhana/Bishu 11-8, 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-2; Prithoki bt Suhana 7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-8, 11-6).
(Quarterfinals): Jermel’s Academy (NB) bt SICA Senior Secondary School (MP) 3-1, Nalanda Public School (Mah) bt Bharathidhasanar (TN) 3-0, Kalyani Public School (WB) bt GM Donda (Guj) 3-0, Scholars Rosary (Har) bt DPS (Kar) 3-1.
Senior Boys: Semifinals: Loyola High School (Goa) bt Techno India (North Bengal) 3-1 -– (Wesley Do Rosario bt Samrat Chakraborty 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8; Jaeden Gomes lost to Siddhant Sur Roy 8-11, 3-11, 7-11; Wesley/Jaeden bt Abhirup Paul Roy/Siddhant 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5; Wesley bt Siddhant 11-4, 12-10, 11-8).
Bhatnagar International (Del) bt Jamnabai Narsee (Mah) 3-2 -– (Yashash Malik bt Manav Mehta 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10; Payas Jain lost to Dev Shroff 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 9-11; Yashash/Payas lost to Dev/Manav 11-13, 11-3, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11; Yashash bt Dev 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8; Payas bt Manav 11-7, 11-6, 16-14).
(Quarter-finals): Jamnabai Narsee (Mah) bt SBOA School (TN) 3-1, Bhatnagar International (Del) bt Rabindra Path Bhavan (WB) 3-1, Techno India (NB) bt LG Kakadia (Guj) 3-2, Loyola High School (Goa) bt St Paul Hr Sec School (MP) 3-1.
Senior Girls: Semi-finals: Siliguri Girls High School (North Bengal) bt Jamnabai Narsee (Mah) 3-1 -- (Nikita Sarkar bt Nidhi Shah 7-11, 11-8, 13-11, 13-11; Diksa Biswas lost to Mihika Rohira 6-11, 5-11, 8-11; Nikita/Diksa bt Vidhi/Mihika 11-5, 12-10, 12-10; Nikita bt Mihika 11-6, 11-7, 11-9).
SBOA School (TN) bt Maharishi Vidya Mandir (Asm) 3-0 – (V. Vaishnavi bt Shirley Baruah 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7; M. Yazhini bt Krishangi Kashyap 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7; Vaishnavi/Yazhini bt Shirley/Krishangi 11-9, 11-4, 13-11).
(Quarter-finals): Maharishi Vidya Mandir (Asm) bt Udgam School (Guj) 3-2, SBOA School (TN) bt Naihhiti Adarsh Vidya Niketan (WB) 3-2, Jamnabai Narsee (Mah) bt Learning Paths (Pun) 3-0, Siliguri Girls HS (NB) bt Sri Aurobindo (Kar) 3-0.
Junior Boys: Semifinals: Cambridge Convent (UP) bt Navrachana (Guj) 3-1, Sri Kumaran Children’s Home (Kar) bt Maharaja Agrasen (Raj) 3-1; (Quarterfinals): Cambridge Convent (UP) bt Jamnabai Narsee 3-1, Navrachana (Guj) bt Techno India (NB) 3-2, Sri Kumaran Children’s Home (Kar) bt DPS (Har) 3-0, Maharaja Agrasen (Raj) bt St Paul’s HS (Telg) 3-0.