African Volleyball Championship: Nigeria defeat Senegal, advance in Classification battle
Nigeria overcame a spirited Senegal side 3-1 on Monday in Nairobi to advance in the classification matches for positions 9-15 at the ongoing championship.
The Nigerian team made a strong start, claiming the opening set 25-17, but Senegal responded in the second set, edging a closely fought contest 26-24 to level the match.
Nigeria regained control in the third set, cruising to a convincing 25-12 victory before completing the job with a 25-20 win in the fourth set.
The statistics further underlined Nigeria’s dominance. The team recorded 10 aces to Senegal’s one and produced 12 blocks compared with five by their opponents. Nigeria also registered 44 kills against Senegal’s 36 and capitalised on 34 errors committed by the Senegalese.
Nigeria head coach Elishama Elam described the victory as a significant confidence boost for his players as they continue their campaign.
“The victory means a lot to the team. It gives us confidence and motivates us to continue improving so that we can put ourselves in a very good position. That is our prayer,” Elam said after the match.
The coach also praised Senegal for their progress since the group stage, highlighting the experience being gained by the young team.
“Of course, they have improved. They are a very youthful team, and they are picking up experience as they progress in the competition,” he said.
Elam noted that while both teams have similar average ages, Nigeria’s greater experience contributed to what proved to be a highly competitive encounter.
“That is why we had a very good and competitive match. However, we give glory to God for giving us the victory,” he added.
The Nigerian coach also expressed his gratitude to Kenyan supporters for the warm reception given to his team throughout the competition.
“They are actually in love with the Nigerian team, and we also give that love back to them. We appreciate the Kenyan people with all our hearts. Thank you,” Elam said.
The 3-1 triumph keeps Nigeria’s classification campaign on course as the team targets a top-10 finish at the championship.
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