UZ, Hre City start on good note

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe and Harare City men volleyball teams had a smooth take off in the 2018 Zimbabwe National Volleyball League at the University of Zimbabwe courts at the weekend.

Bulawayo sides, National University of Science and Technology (men), had a false take off, while Hurricanes (women) won one game and lost the other at the same venue.

UZ Wolves began their season by beating Nust Vikings 26-24, 25-19, 25-10 and followed it up with a 3-1 set win over Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT). UZ Wolves came from a set down to beat CUT 23-25, 25-16, 25-13, 25-13.

Harare City got the better of CUT in all the three sets, winning 25-16,25-22, 25-22. Their second and last game of the day was against Naba, which was decided after four sets. Harare City won 3-1, having cruised to wins in the first two sets by identical 25-19 scores before Naba came good in the third set, winning 22-25. However, Harare City claimed the last set 25-15.

Nust Vikings were paired against Black Rhinos in their second match of the day and they lost 1-3, with scores of 26-28, 19-25, 25-23, 12-25.

In the ladies’ games, Harare City beat CUT 3-0, winning their sets 25-9, 25-18, 25-8, while UZ beat Bulawayo’s Hurricanes 3-1 with scores of 25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23.

The Hurricanes, however, came good against CUT in a closely fought affair that eventually went 3-2 in favour of the Bulawayo-based side, which registered scores of 23-25, 25-23,16-25, 25-11, 15-11 to salvage some pride.

Zimbabwe Volleyball Association head of corporate affairs Nothanda Magwaza said the next league matches will be held at the end of August at a venue yet to be decided.

“This is how the league is run and remember that the start of the season was brought forward due to the national general elections on July 30,” said Magwaza.

ZNL table

Men
P     W     L     Pts
UZ Wolves     2     2     0     6
Hre City     2     2     0     6
Black Rhinos     2     1     1     4
Naba     2     1     1     2
Nust Vikings     2     0     2     0
CUT     2     0     2     0

Women
P     W     L     Pts
Hre City     1     1     0     3
UZ Wolves     1     1     0     3
Hurricanes     2     1     1     2
CUT     2     0     2     1