Ndejje start fight for places after Pipeline loss at African showpiece

Ndejje Elites failed to meet their set target of finishing in the top eight at the Women’s African Volleyball Championship after losing to Kenya’s Pipeline in their round of 16 clash Thursday afternoon in Tunisia.

Before the team departed for Tunisia, head coach Ronald Kitosi revealed that finishing amongst the top eight teams would be the team’s ultimate target.

Ndejje started on the front foot with setter Jesca Kaidu pacing the ball from the service box to trouble the Pipeline reception. They led 4-2 and went pound for pound with the Kenyans until the late stages of the set.

At 16-19, captain Belindah Jepkirui put her service in the net and Pipeline went on to conclude the set 25-20.

Perfect start

Moreen Mwamula opened the second set by twice attacking out wide and the Kenyans got the perfect start.
The Kenyans were dominant on the net and allowed Ndejje no room to execute their offensive plays.
On the other end of the net, both the diagonals and middle players found their way through the Ndejje block with relative ease. 

Kitosi’s charges led 11-9 in the third frame but when Pipeline called for a timeout, they limited the university side to just two points and took the set 25-13 to win the game in straight sets.

“They (Pipeline) were better than us,” Kitosi told Daily Monitor after the game. “Our target was to be in the top eight but now we have to focus on finishing ninth,” he added.

Ndejje will have no time to mourn the loss as their first classification game is today against Ethiopia’s National Alcohol and Liqour (NAL). 

The goal, now, is for Uganda’s representatives to finish as high as possible and the fight for ninth place starts today.

Africa volleyball championship 

Thursday Result - Round of 16
Pipeline     3-0     Ndejje 
(20-25, 12-25, 13-25)
Classification Games 
Ndejje     vs.     NAL