First win lifts Ndejje spirits

After losing the first two games of the season, Ndejje Elites were in dire need of a win when they faced UPDF at the Sport-S Grounds in Nsambya.

What was expected to be a stroll in the park for the former champions turned into a proper contest when UPDF held on to take the first set 28-26 and draw first blood.

The Elites were in shambles, making unforced errors late in the set to allow the army side back in it. Ndejje led 18-14 and 21-18 later on but failed to close the set.

The university side served for set point but Pearl Akankunda’s straight went straight out to give UPDF another chance to fight, which they took to win the frame 28-26.  

“A win is a win and we wanted a win,” Ndejje head coach Ronald Kitosi told Daily Monitor after the game.  

“No matter how we have won, slowly by slowly we will get there,” he added.

Ndejje’s first game ended in a 3-0 loss to defending champions KCB-Nkumba while the second was a 3-2 defeat to the UCU Lady Doves.

“When you face such a team, players can easily get complacent and I think that’s what happened.

“They woke up late in the game and we had to fight hard to win in the end.”

When the Elites took the second set 25-23, many in the crowd believed it would be two more sets for the more experienced Ndejje to close the game and take home maximum points.

But it was UPDF that took the third frame 26-24 to guarantee themselves something from the match.

A dominant fourth set display (25-13) helped Ndejje force a decisive, which they won 15-10 to record their first points of the season.

Kauthar Kagoya, Irene Amoding and Grace Kamede added experience to the newly promoted UPDF side and posed tough questions for Ndejje throughout the match.

In the men’s category, Ndejje Sharks edged KAVC 3-2 in a tightly contested match later in the day. 

National Volleyball League

Serie A results

Women

Ndejje 3-2 UPDF 

VVC 3-1 KAVC 

Men

KCCA 3-0 SKY 

KAVC 2-3 Ndejje