Rwandan women a class act
VVC’s Josephine Nammanda (R) tries to spike past RRA’s blocks in the NSSF-KAVC International tournament final. Photo: Clive Kyazze
What you need to know:
Volleyball. Before defeating VVC 25-23, 25-15, 25-21, RRA had eased past KAVC-B and KCCA in the group stages, also in straight sets.
KAMPALA.
The recently-concluded NSSF-KAVC International tournament in a way proved that Ugandan women sides have a big gap to close on their Rwandan counterparts.
Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), the only women’s foreign team that took part in the tournament that ended on Sunday, defeated all the five local participating sides to lift the title. It was so easy for them that they rolled over Vision Volleyball Club (VVC) in three straight sets in the final. “They (Rwanda) take volleyball as a priority while we treat it as a part time activity,” VVC coach Hannington Nsubuga said after seeing his side fail to match the Rwandans. “They have an edge in terms of experience.”
Before defeating VVC 25-23, 25-15, 25-21, RRA had eased past KAVC-B and KCCA in the group stages, also in straight sets. Their quarter final date with 2013 winner Nkumba University was a convincing 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, and 25-23) rout.
That earned them a semifinal clash against two-time National League champions Ndejje Elites. It’s the league champions that put on a fight and snatched a set from the seemingly flawless Rwandans.
Having won the first set 26-24, Ndejje gave local fans some hope of victory when they took a 24-17 lead in the third. They, however, surrendered the lead to lose the set 30-28. With a 25-23 favourable score in the second, RRA wrapped up the match 25-15 in fourth set with Ndejje already out of legs. Uganda Volleyball Federation (UVF) technical director Tonny Lakony though argues that the Rwandans are not too superior.
Instead, Lakony reasons, Ugandan sides were let down by some minor errors in the tournament. “I can’t say we lacked the mental stability, we just lacked that killer punch to match them,” Lakony said. “Especially Nkumba and Ndejje games, they are games that would have gone either way.” “I was only disappointed that VVC were every lethargic, they should have put up a better show considering their previous performances.”
While Lakony believes the win was a one-off and that ladies volleyball in Uganda is on a higher level than that of Rwanda, Nsubuga disagrees.
“Even at their own Genocide Memorial in June they defeated us (VVC) in the semifinals before beating Nairobi Waters in the final. Without a doubt, they are taking big strides,” said Nsubuga.
