Unbeaten Ndejje have eyes on ultimate prize

Ndejje Elites sent yet another reminder of their intentions to win back the National Volleyball League title by defeating holders KCCA Women’s Volleyball Club Saturday evening in Nsambya.

On a day games were severely interrupted by the on-and-off rain, the 2022 champions were on the back foot at the start of the game but kept coming back into it, eventually forcing a decisive set and edging it to win 3-2 and maintain their unbeaten run.

Tadeo Wunyi’s charges went on to defeat Kampala University Sunday morning to finish the regular season with a commanding 18-0 record. 

Comeback

KCCA started the game on the front foot, with Shamim Nalukabwe providing early offence as she destroyed the Ndejje block with relative ease. The Kasasiro Girls took the highly-contested set 25-23 to draw first blood.

Ndejje were forced to do some soul-searching against a highly-charged KCCA side and responded when Moreen Mwamula started firing through the net defence.

The university side levelled by taking the set 25-21 but fell 25-18 in the third.

With their backs against the wall, the Elites made some changes, introducing Pearl Akankunda in place of Peace Busingye to add some bite to the attack.

Backed by the full voice of the Ndejje Sharks, who had just finished defeating KCCA in straight sets, the Elites marched on to take the fourth set 25-19 and the decisive 15-12 to win the match.

“We can’t undermine KCCA because it’s a good team with mature players,” Wunyi said after the victory.

“We thought we would stop their main attacker (Joan Tushemereirwe) but we struggled in the first sets and only settled later in the game,” he added.

KCCA might have lost the game but head coach Shilla Omuriwe was impressed by the fight put up by her side against a tough opponent that had dropped just six sets prior to Saturday’s clash.

“It was a good game and we saw some positives on our end,” Omuriwe said after the match.

The defending champions ended the regular season with a 15-3 record and 45 points to maintain second place on the log, setting up a clash with KCB-Nkumba in the semifinals.

Ndejje, on the other hand, will face last year’s losing finalists Sport-S in the semis.

National Volleyball League 

Results 

Women

Ndejje 3-2 KCCA 

Men

Sport-S 3-0 Elyon