Volleyball: Nkumba Ladies win Genocide Memorial tourney

Genocide International Memorial Volleyball Tournament

Men
Gisagara (Rw) 3  REG (Rw) 0 (25-23, 25-19, 27-25)
Women
Nkumba (Ug) 3 KCB (Ky) 1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-20, 26-24)

Nkumba University Volleyball Club ladies team bagged sh4.5m after winning the Genocide International Memorial Volleyball Tournament in Kigali on Sunday.

Nkumba's victory came after the ladies team thrashed Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) 3-1.

Nkumba came from one set down to beat KCB 23-25, 25-18, 25-20, 26-24 in the final game of the tourney.

They were making their second appearance in the tournament having failed to make it out of the group stages in their first outing.

The annual tournament attracted 5 teams from Uganda and 12 from Rwanda while Tanzania, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo were represented by one team each.

Tony Lakony, the Nkumba ladies head coach, attributed their victory to players' consistency from the semi-final played against Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) which they won in the decisive set.

"The girls played well in the semi-final though they took it to the decisive set. We now look forward to winning the Aporu Akol International Memorial Volleyball Tournament on Saturday," said Lakony.

In the men's category, Gisagara of Rwanda convincingly won the final for their first time by beating Rwanda Energy (REG).

Kampala Armature Volleyball Club (KAVC) and Espoir Ladies' teams from Uganda as well as Sky and Nemostars men's teams graced the event.

Rwanda was represented by RRA, APR, University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies, REG, Gisagara, Kigali Volleyball Club (KVC), and Kirehe.

KCB ladies represented Kenya, Faru VC men represented Tanzania while Democratic Republic of Congo was represented by Espoir men.

The annual tournament is organized in memory of local volleyball players, coaches, administrators, fans and other Rwandans who were killed during the 1994 Genocide.

Winners in each category went home with sh4.5m each, the 1st runner-up took sh2.5m while the second runners-up bagged sh1.5m.