Pune, Mar 9 (IANS): Last year's runners-up Bangalore City University and third-place finishers VBSP University, Jaunpur got off to winning starts on the opening day of the 28th Nehru All-India Inter-University Hockey Tournament at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey stadium, Pimpri on Wednesday.
Bangalore City University downed Kurukshetra University 6-1, while VBSP University, Jaunpur beat Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 6-0 in their respective group matches on a day that overall saw 13 goals logged from two matches.
In the opening encounter, VBSP University, Jaunpur registered a shock one-sided win over North Zone winners Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 6-0 in a Pool-A encounter.
VBSP University, who finished third in the East Zone qualifiers this year, opened the scoring through Vejendra Singh (8th) off a penalty corner. Ankur Talwar (18th) converted a penalty stroke to make it 2-0 before Manish Sahani (34th) converted another penalty corner to take a comfortable 3-0 lead at halftime.
Changing ends, VBSP University netted three field goals in a span of eleven minutes. Arun Sahani (47th), Darmendra Yadav (55th) and Gagan Rajbhar (58th) scored to increase the tally.
In a Pool-B encounter, South Zone winners Bangalore City University Bengaluru rode on a two-goal-one-in-each-half effort by Mutagar Haresh Hs (30th, 58th) to down Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 6-1.
Gowda Pranam Ym (25th) opened the scoring for Bangalore University before Mutagar netted to make it 2-0 and end the first half.
Changing ends, Ashik Nr (33rd) made it 3-0 for Bangalore University, before Rahul Kumar (34th) pulled one back for Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (3-1).
Pavan Fm (49th), Punith R (56th) and Mutagar completed the tally for Bangalore University.
The tournament is being conducted in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), under the aegis of Hockey India and title sponsored by SNBP Group of Institutes, Pune.
Earlier the tournament was inaugurated by Nitin Karmalkar, Vice-Chancellor, Savitribai Phule Pune University and Dr. Vrishali Bhosale, President, SNBP Group of Institutes.