KCCA hope to build on Nkumba Open success

KCCA women’s volleyball club has been all about heart breaks in the last few outings.

The biggest of them came last October when the team fell to Ndejje Elites in straight sets to lose the National Club Championship final in Kabale.

That led to the firing of head coach Johnson Kawenyera and the eventual hiring of Volleyball Cranes tactician Shilla Omuriwe.

Omuriwe’s first task was to win the league but that ended with another heartbreak despite the team starting the playoffs with victory over Ndejje in game one of the semifinal series.
They would later lose two straight games as Ndejje beat them to a finals ticket.

Back

Seven months into Omuriwe’s two-year contract, KCCA have landed their first piece of silverware.

They defeated Sport-S 3-2 to win the Nkumba Open over the weekend, a victory Omuriwe hopes will be a start of greater things to come to the club.

“I pray so,” Omuriwe told Daily Monitor when asked whether the victory was a sign of what more to come.

“There were many  takeaways. Still more work to do on the peripheral offense and our defense,” she added.

KCCA edged Sport-S in a nail-biting final that lasted all the five sets.

In the end, the Kasasiro Girls got their revenge having fallen to the same side at the Aporu Okol Invitational in Kumi last weekend. “We had two back-to-back five setters but generally the tournament was good for us.”

KCCA made light work of Espoir and Thunders in the group games before beating KAVC 3-0 in the quarters.

They defeated hosts Nkumba 3-2 in the semis before that win over Sport-S in the final.
“It (first title) feels good. These girls needed it. They’ve worked hard , made adjustments so I am happy for them.”

With the first piece of silverware in the bag, focus will now turn to the KAVC Invitational Tournament set for August.

This one attracts teams beyond borders and will give KCCA an opportunity to test the level they are at compared to foreign competition.

OBB still here

Orange Block Buster (OBB) were stunned by UCU Doves in the semifinals of the Aporu Okol Tournament but they only needed seven days to make corrections and return to winning ways.

Their 3-1 win over Sport-S handed them another piece of silverware, their second trophy since joining the top flight. The Iganga-based side started the final on the front foot and took the first two sets 25-18 and 25-22.

Sport-S bounced back to take the third 25-14 but OBB ensured there was no decisive by taking the fourth frame 25-23 to win their first Nkumba Open title.

The victory comes as a reminder that OBB’s league victory in their maiden top flight season was far from a fluke.

Nkumba Open Tournament 

Finals
M -OBB 3-1 Sport-S 
(25-18, 25-22, 14-25, 25-23)

W -KCCA 3-2 Sport-S 
(21-25, 26-24, 18-25, 27-25, 16-14)