By Irene Best Nyapendi
Kampala University’s (KU) hopes of volleyball glory were dashed today after a stunning defeat by the UCU Lady Doves in the finals. The Lady Doves soared to victory with a 3:1 scoreline, leaving KU reeling from a missed opportunity.
KU blundered by failing to prepare for UCU’s speed, ultimately leading to their defeat in the Association of Uganda Universities Sports (AUUS) volleyball finals.
Muhamud Nepo Angiro, the KU coach, attributed their loss to UCU’s strategic shift from their previous encounter.
“UCU’s speed was too much; we couldn’t match their speed,” Angiro admitted. “UCU had an upper hand because in the first game we played with them, the speed was low, so we didn’t have the fast speed they had today.”
Angiro, however, extended his gratitude to the UCU coaches for their exceptional performance.
Regardless of the loss for KU, their coach, Muhamud Angiro Nepo, commended his players for making it to the finals. While commending his players for reaching the finals for the first time, he acknowledged KU’s unpreparedness for UCU’s pace.
Soaring high above the net, the UCU Lady Doves were awarded gold medals, while KU received silver medals. Meanwhile, Makerere University took third place, grasping bronze medals.
Throughout the tournament, the UCU Lady Doves didn’t lose any games. They always won 3:0, except for today, when they won 3:1.
They showcased exceptional teamwork and self-motivation, evident in their constant communication and unwavering spirit.
Despite a close 12-12 tie at one point, UCU maintained their momentum and capitalized on their strengths. Captain Sandra Ikiring expressed her elation over the win, which was her first time participating in the AUUS games.
“I’m so happy. The team we played with was good, but we were better,” Ikiring said. “We focused on our reception and defense, which helped us win, and our services were so good, which gave the opponent a challenge.”
UCU’s dominance extended beyond women’s volleyball, with the Doves team securing a 3-2 victory against Busitema University.
Under the category of men’s basketball, UCU took the gold medal from Ndejje University with a victory score of 109:78. In women’s basketball, UCU won Makerere University of Business School (MUBS) with a score of 70:45. In the netball finals, UCU lost by a score of 52:51 to Victory University.
