KAVC ease past UCU, expect to improve in second round

The joy. KAVC hope to come good in the second round. PHOTO/Courtesy

What you need to know:

  • Losses to teams like Nemostars, Sport-S and Orange Block Busters might have been disappointing but were largely expected considering the depth of the opponents’  squads.

After squeezing into the top four with victory over UCU Doves on Sunday, KAVC will hope for a stronger performance in the second round of the National Volleyball League to keep a playoff spot.
The five-time league winners went into their final first round game in fifth spot but victory over UCU saw them leapfrog Nkumba into fourth.

Losses to teams like Nemostars, Sport-S and Orange Block Busters might have been disappointing but were largely expected considering the depth of the opponents’  squads.
KAVC has had to do without Allan Ejiet in some of the games due an injury while veterans like Joel Endra and Nicholas Dheyongera have also been in and out of the squad.
“Fourth place in the first round, we could not have asked for a better position as we continue to rebuild,” head coach Daniel Okwee told Daily Monitor after his team’s 3-2 win over UCU.
“We have picked vital lessons from the first round and the second round offers us a better opportunity to compete,” he added.

Only four teams make the playoffs and KAVC, who will take a 6-3 record into the second half of the season, will most likely have to tussle it out with KCCA, Ndejje and Nkumba for the fourth and final progression spot.
Nemostars, Sport-S and OBB remain favourites to take the first three positions on the log after the 18 games of the regular season.

Okwee will be encouraged by his side’s results against the other teams fighting to get into the plaoffs positions.
His troops beat KCCA, Ndejje and Nkumba and have only lost to the top three sides.
“We will focus on building the mental capacity to compete at the top level.”
Okwee also believes his side can beat any of the three top teams in the second round to further push for a strong end to the season.

National V-ball League

SUNDAy RESULTS - MEN
KAVC-A     3    21    25    25    25    15
UCU     2    25    27    21    18    10
Sport-S     3    26    25    25
Prisons     0    24    23    22
Nemostars     3    25    18    25    25
Nejje     1    17    25    19    23
OBB     3    25    25    23    25    
UCU    1    15    21    25    12
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