MH-10 Kohima players in action against Ever Green Club, Ungma during the opening match of the 14th Luke Sasong Memorial Volleyball Trophy 2026 at the Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium, Mokokchung on September 16. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Mokokchung | September 16
The 14th Luke Sasong Memorial Volleyball Trophy 2026 got underway at the Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium, Mokokchung on Wednesday, with eight teams competing for the championship.
Organised by the Luke Sasong Sporting Association under the aegis of the Mangmetong Students’ Union, the three-day tournament will culminate on September 18.
Eight teams have been divided into two pools for the tournament. Pool A comprises defending champions MH-10 Kohima, Ever Green Club Ungma, Savage Setters Volleyball Club Chungtia and Twin Brothers, while Pool B consists of Changtongya Volleyball Association, Pangti Volleyball Team (Wokha), United Brothers Chakpa and Longsa Sporting Association.
The league-stage matches are being played in a best-of-three format, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the semi-finals.
In the opening match, defending champions MH-10 Kohima recovered from losing the first set to defeat Ever Green Club Ungma 2-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-15).
Changtongya Volleyball Association then defeated Pangti Volleyball Team 2-0 (25-27, 25-16), while Savage Setters Volleyball Club Chungtia registered a 2-0 (25-16, 25-16) win over Twin Brothers.
In the fourth match, Longsa Sporting Association defeated United Brothers Chakpa 2-0 (25-22, 25-09).
The remaining league fixtures are scheduled to continue on Wednesday evening and Thursday. The semi-finals will be played on September 17 evening.
The closing programme and grand finale is scheduled for September 18 evening.
Yimkhiung calls for year-round sports training
S Keoshu Yimkhiung, Advisor for Youth Resources and Sports, Government of Nagaland, attended the inaugural programme as Guest of Honour and encouraged organisers, local bodies and students’ organisations to give greater attention to sports development beyond tournament seasons.
Yimkhiung highlighted Nagaland’s participation in various sporting disciplines and recalled the popularity of volleyball in the state during the late 1990s, when tournaments also drew teams from neighbouring states. He specifically recalled Longsa Sporting Association’s participation in the All Nagaland Volleyball Tournament and its encounters with teams from outside Nagaland.
He expressed concern over what he described as a seasonal approach to sports, stressing that talented players require consistent training and practice throughout the year to progress to higher levels.
The Advisor also highlighted initiatives under the Khelo India framework and other Sports Department programmes, including academies and talent-identification schemes. He urged sporting associations to identify promising young athletes and help them access available training, hostel and academy facilities.
He further pointed to sports quota opportunities in government employment and encouraged athletes and parents to make use of available schemes and policies.
