In the ongoing 2023 Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Nigeria’s women’s senior volleyball team secured their second triumph in Group Stage Pool A. The Nigerian contingent emerged victorious in their third encounter, facing Burundi on Friday at the Palais Polyvalent des Sports de Yaoundé.
On this pivotal day, Nigeria vanquished Burundi with an impeccable 3-0 scoreline (25-17, 25-14, 25-09), marking their second achievement in the tournament. Their opening set stood firm at 25-17, demonstrating their unwavering determination to succeed after a 0-3 loss to Cameroon on the previous day.
Burundi valiantly attempted to contest the second set, but Nigeria’s unwavering prowess secured a 25-14 triumph. The Nigerian team showcased their mettle in the third set, concluding with a resounding 25-09, thus clinching an overall 3-0 victory.
Samuel Ajayi, Nigeria’s head coach, expressed his contentment, praising his players’ exceptional performance and acknowledging the progress they’ve achieved thus far. “I anticipated their recovery after the loss to Cameroon, a more seasoned team and the reigning champions with Olympic experience and multiple World Championships appearances. Our women’s national team is currently undergoing rejuvenation,” he stated.
Ajayi affirmed his aspirations for forthcoming matches, asserting, “I have unwavering expectations for triumphs in the upcoming confrontations against Egypt on Saturday and Algeria on Sunday. Our approach remains resolute, with no team taken lightly.”
Captain Comfort Amaonwu echoed the sentiments of determination, emphasizing Nigeria’s commitment to making a notable impact. “We arrived with a mission to effect change. Anticipate an enhanced performance from us in the upcoming matches against Egypt and Algeria,” she proclaimed.
Other Group Stage outcomes showcased Algeria prevailing over Mali 3-0 (25-10, 25-07, 25-17) in Pool A. In Pool B, Rwanda displayed dominance against Burkina Faso with a 3-0 victory (25-08, 25-07, 25-14), Kenya triumphed over Uganda 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-15), and Morocco secured a resounding 3-0 win over Lesotho (25-09, 25-11, 25-11).
The 2023 Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship, which commenced on Wednesday, is scheduled to conclude on August 29th. A total of twelve teams are participating, with Nigeria competing in Pool A alongside Cameroon (the host nation), Burundi, Mali, Algeria, and Egypt.
This 21st edition of the Women’s event is a biennial international volleyball tournament organized by the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB). A notable incentive for the participants is that the top three teams will earn qualification for the 2025 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Volleyball Women’s World Championship.
Nigeria, having achieved a fourth-place finish in the 2021 African Nations Championship held in Kigali, Rwanda, seeks to solidify their presence on the regional volleyball stage.
