Patna, May 29: In a thrilling final match lasting over 75 minutes, Bhagalpur defeated Samastipur by 3 – 1 to clinch the prestigious Straight Drive Bihar Pro Invitation Volleyball 2024 Tournament Trophy on Tuesday.

Featuring talented young players, including a few national-level athletes and campers, both teams showcased remarkable serving, smashing, blocking, and placement skills throughout the intense contest held at TRC Grounds, Patna. The teams were evenly matched, but Bhagalpur emerged victorious in the best-of-five finals.

In the semifinals on May 27, Samastipur secured a 3 – 0 victory over Saran, while Bhagalpur defeated Patna by the same margin.

Anant Arora, Brand Ambassador of Rotary International Bihar and Jharkhand, graced the finals as the chief guest and presented the awards. Prem Nath Khanna, founder partner of Straight Drive, extended his gratitude to all participants, guests, media personnel, and ground staff. The tournament, a novel initiative based on a league format, marked a resurgence of league volleyball in Patna after nearly five decades.

Among the officials present at the finals were Uttam Talapatra, Prem Nath Khanna, Prem Ballabh Sahai, Gulraj Akhtar, Mehfooz Quamar, Ashish Ghoshal, and Prabhat Banerjee. Rama Sheesh Prasad Singh, Secretary of the Bihar Volleyball Association, also attended the event.