- Result: Ndejje 3-1 Sport-S (18-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21)
National ladies’ league defending champions Ndejje Elites started the season with a commanding 3-1 win over challengers Sport-S at Lugogo indoor stadium Thursday night.
Playing without Captain Belindah Jepkirui, Ndejje recovered from losing the first set and went on to win the first game of the 2017 season in which they plan to fight and defend the title.
Sport-S started the better side with Sharon Amito spiking off court for the first point of the season for the Nsambya outfit.
They maintained the lead until Johnson Kawenyera’s charges stepped on the pedal with the center pairing of Christine Alupo and Amito giving Ndejje a 6-3 lead.
Sport-S regrouped and never looked back. Peace Busingye, Astreed Agaba and Eunice Amuron started evading the Ndejje block and they led 8-7 at the first technical time out.
Kkawenyera’s charges fought back and leveled 13-all before dismally collapsing towards the end of the set.
Setter Shamim Makongoro went into the service box and helped Sport-S to a 5-0 run to give them a 23-17 lead.
Amuron escaped the Ndejje net defence to ensure the first set of the season goes to Sport-S.
The second set belonged to Ndejje as they looked to recover and level matters.
Maureen Mwamula and Joan Tushemereirwe started to bite on offence, giving the defending champions a quick 8-4 lead at the first technical time out.
The lead grew to 13-07 and Sport-S coach Benon Mugisha needed a time out to manage the rampant university side.
Ndejje widened the gap to 19-11 before completing the rout 25-15 to level the scores and hand themselves a chance in the game.
The third set was highly contested as either side looked to gain the advantage. The two sides were tied at 13-all and kept exchanging leads.
Ndejje lead 16-15 at the second technical time out of the game before stretching to 18-15 at the restart. Sport-S needed a time out to recover, and they did.
The score was tied again, at 19-all and Ndejje needed a time out of their own and Alupo blocked Amuron for Ndejje to lead.
They started breaking away (23-21) and Sport-S went into a time out to arrest the situation but it was too late as Mwamula and Alupo scored for Ndejje to take the set 25-23 and lead 2-1.
Johnson Kawenyera’s charges were in the driving seat in the fourth set and went into the first technical time out leading 8-7.
They limited Sport-S to only 2 points before the second technical time out as they led 16-09 eventually seeing off the set 25-21 to win the game.