Experience taking Ndejje Elites places
What you need to know:
Teams have dominated the regular season before and yet failed to replicate the same form in the playoffs to land the coveted prize.
Winning the National Volleyball League takes more than being in superb form during the regular season.
Teams have dominated the regular season before and yet failed to replicate the same form in the playoffs to land the coveted prize.
Whether that will be the same case for Ndejje Elites this season remains to be seen but for now, they are heads and shoulders above the rest of the field in the women’s Serie A.
Unbeaten in 14 games, the university side are top of the 10-team log with 41 points, three ahead of second-placed KCB-Nkumba, who have played two games more.
The team’s latest three points came against an on-form KCB-Nkumba last Sunday, and the performance sent a clear message that the Elites are intent on recapturing the trophy they surrendered last season.
Having lifted the trophy in 2022, Ndejje were destabilised by the departures of Moreen Mwamula, Faith Magole and Jesca Kaidu to OBB, the result of which was a semifinal series defeat to KCCA last year.
Experience
Mwamula and Magole have since returned to Ndejje following OBB’s dissolution at the start of the season.
The two, coupled with the return of Peace Busingye from KCCA, have greatly improved different aspects of the team.
Mwamula’s attack and Magole’s net defence were pivotal as Ndejje came from a game down to defeat Vision Volleyball Camp in the 2022 finals and they have returned like they never left.
Busingye’s performance against Nkumba was a reminder of how good a player she is. Her ability to receive the ball and present the perfect first pass is something Ndejje needed to cover for after losing Catherine Ainembabazi to Rwanda National Police.
With her experience, Busingye knows how to approach and use the block put before her to score points.
“Nice preparations and sticking to our gameplan,” Ndejje head coach Tadeo Winyi said when asked about what has helped the team to their 14-0 run this season.
He highlighted hard work, teamwork, maturity and focus as key pillars as the team fights to win back the championship that is now housed at City Hall following KCCA’s triumph last season.
Team captain Belindah Jepkirui, setter Phiona Naziite and libero Summayyah Ndagire are some of the other players making Ndejje a well-oiled machine in the title race.
KAVC next
The Elites will go up against KAVC early morning on Sunday with a goal of making it 15 wins in as many games.
Going by the performance against Nkumba, Winyi expects the same level of effort to ease past a KAVC side they brushed aside 3-0 in the first round.
“We served and received well last weekend,” Winyi noted.
“We also suffocated their main attacker with blocks.”
Ndejje and KAVC are in two different worlds at the moment, with Ndejje topping the log and focused on winning the league while their opponents, with a 4-12 record and 13 points, are just outside the relegation zone.
National Volleyball League
Saturday fixtures (Nsambya)
Women
UPDF vs. KCCA, 9am
Sport-S vs. VVC, 11am
Men
UCU Doves vs. KCCA, 1pm
Ndejje vs. Nemostars, 3pm
Sunday fixtures (Nsambya)
Women
KAVC vs. Ndejje, 9am
KCB-Nkumba vs. UPDF, 11am
UCU L. Doves vs. KCCA, 2pm
Men
Sport-S vs. Ndejje, 4pm
