Nkumba win 7th record title

Tough game. Akiror Grace of KCB Nkumba women set to spike towards KCCA during the Aziz Damani volleyball playoffs one that KCB Nkumba won 3-1 at the MTN Arena, Lugogo. Photo by Ismail Kezaala

Everything that could have humanly gone right for KCB-Nkumba University did as they beat KCCA 3-0 on Saturday at MTN Arena - Lugogo, to win a seventh Aziz Damani National Volleyball League title.
Nkumba had initially won Game One 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21) in a not so smooth match-up on Thursday.

The encounter promised a much more entertaining Game Two between the sides but the university side came out guns blazing (25-20, 25-14, 25-14) on Saturday to seal a third-straight league title.

Nkumba have now completed a domestic double that includes the National Club Championships for a second successive season but triumphs at the NSSF-KAVC International and Genocide Memorial make for an unprecedented season.

“We believe that we have gone up a certain level and the task for us is to maintain that,” coach Tonny Lakony said in the aftermath of the final, where he also praised his current side as the best he has coached from 2007.

“We have worked hard to raise our standard and everytime we do that, all teams step up and ultimately the game grows.
Fortunately, we have many young players that are still hungry so they will push the older ones to keep the fire.”

Lakony’s girls will take a two-week break before they resume training for the University Games then break off again till mid-January when they regroup to prepare for the Africa Club Championships expected in March.

“We definitely have unfinished business on the continent,” Lakony added as he thanked KCB Bank for their support and called on for more corporate support ahead of their preparations for the continent.
KCCA punched above weight
On the other end of the net, KCCA were graceful in defeat and their appearance in the final means they too qualify for the continent. That’s a huge consolation for a side that has seen no league title since 2006.

“At the start of the season, we were sent to be in the top three and we have managed that,” coach Nason Bwesigye said as he prepared to break it to his players that there was reason to keep in camp.

“We have City Council Games coming up probably in Dar es Salaam and we shall stay in camp for now as we urge the Authority to support us.”

As the club looks for the kind of exposure that will bring them closer to bridging the Gap between them and Nkumba, Bwesigye recognises that he will need reinforcements especially a receiver attacker and setter.
Nemo leave to die another day
In the men’s encounter, champions Nemostars recovered from 1-0 (25-23) down to lead 1-2 (22-25, 23-25) in Game Two and then from 12-9 down in the decisive set to force 2009 champions Sport-S into a decisive game due Thursday in Lugogo.