KAVC outwit Omuriwe’s KCCA to get off the mark

KAVC head coach Daniel Okwee talked about expecting a much better show from his side than what they put up against Orange Block Busters (OBB) in their opening game of the season. His side lost to OBB in straight sets in the opener.

He got a response from his charges as they improved to defeat KCCA in a five-set thriller at Sport-S Grounds, Nsambya on Saturday.

The five-time league winners improved their net defence and outlasted KCCA in the decisive set to win their first game of the season.

The return to the team of Isaaq Mugabi improved the team’s reception and gave KAVC another option on offence.
Mugabi and opposite Geoffrey Onapa reduced the scoring burden on Allan Ejiet who was the man to watch going into the game.

“Our serve and net defense picked up and that helped us to convert the leads into sets,” Okwee told Daily Monitor.

Omuriwe upbeat in defeat
KAVC got off to a good start and limited KCCA to just 12 points in the first set.
KCCA, under new head coach Shilla Omuriwe, recovered to take a sea-saw second set 25-12. Momentum had shifted in KCCA’s favour and they capitalised to take the third 25-22 and 2-1 for the lead.

KAVC required a reaction and got going through to avoid a second straight defeat. Setter Martin Kalema fed Ejiet and Onapa early in the set and KAVC led 3-0.

When the lead stretched to 19-12 for KAVC, Omuriwe chose to plan for the decisive set by resting her best players.
Gideon Angiro, setter Chris Kambere and Muhammed Iga were all given a breather to freshen up for the fifth set.

KCCA started well in the decisive with both Angiro and Iga tearing through the KAVC net defence to lead  4-1. Onapa and Mugabi pulled KAVC back in it and Okwee’s charges led 8-6 at the switch of sides.

A tense finale awaited and KCCA wiped out the KAVC lead to level at 14-all but Ejiet, who had struggled to impose himself on the game, nailed the last two points of the game and KAVC took the set 16-14 and the game 3-2.

Omuriwe might have lost her first game of the season but she is confident the team will get better with time.
She said: “I can say the boys were okay. Looking forward to seeing them grow.”

National V-ball League
KAVC     3    25    22    22    25    16
KCCA     2    12    25    25    16    14
Sport-S     3    25    25    18    25
Ndejje    1    22    11    25    15
Women
Espoir     0    05    20    20
KCCA     3    25    25    25
Sport-S     1    16    25    21    19
Ndejje     3    25    19    25    25

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