Sport-S, KAVC rise to big occasion

At the start of the National Volleyball League Playoffs, not many gave KAVC a chance to eliminate Nemostars in the semifinals.

Nemostars finished top of the log with a 15-1 record and beat KAVC in both games played during the regular season.

KAVC, on the other hand, had joined the playoffs' conversation on the back of a humble 9-7 record.

But the beauty of sports is in the unpredictability. The five-time champions defeated Nemostars 3-2 on two occasions to win the best-of-three series 2-0 and return to the finals for the first time since 2014.

In the finals, Memory Dube’s charges go up against defending champions Sport-S, who eliminated UCU Doves in two games to further emphasize their might. 

And yet nothing can be taken for granted at this stage. KAVC are in the finals on merit and while they will undoubtedly be the underdogs, that has already worked in their favour this season.

“We expect that the game will be fully charged. We anticipate that after these past two weekends, Sport-S has watched how resilient we are, so I assume they will definitely come in harder,” Dube told Sunday Monitor. 

The last time KAVC were in the finals, they went on to lift the title at the expense of Sport-S.

The tide has, however, changed greatly since then, with KAVC struggling to impress and only making the finals for the first time in ten years.

Dube added: “I expect my boys to be calm and play strategically. The thing is, we have no pressure. We are not the defending champions. We were third last year from fifth the previous season then finals this year so clearly, this is a normal graph for a team.”

Since losing receiver-attacker Allan Ejiet to Rwanda’s Gisagara Volleyball Club, KAVC have often struggled for offense. 

Their options have been limited to opposite Geoffrey Onapa and receiver-attacker Innocent Ayo. 

Whether the team will be good enough to handle the Sport-S threat remains to be seen. 

Benon Mugisha’s charges are looking to defend their title from last season but will have to work for it.

“KAVC is a good team. They serve well and have good defense,” Mugisha revealed. 

Sport-S only lost to Nemostars and UCU in the regular season. They defeated KAVC the two times the sides met and go into the series as overwhelming favourites. 

But Mugisha is cautious: “When a team reaches finals, it means the team is strong.”

Opposite Jonathan Tumukunde, middle blockers Samuel Engwa and Emmanuel Okia and setters Moses Odeke and Marino Oboke will be expected to lead the charge.

The Nsambya based outfit also has the experience of Malic Damulira and Dickens Otim to rely on when the going gets tough. 

National Volleyball League 

Sunday at Old Kampala Arena 

Finals (men) 

Sport-S vs. KAVC, 5pm

Semifinals (women)

KCB-Nkumba vs. KCCA, 1pm 

Ndejje vs. Sport-S, 3pm