Kada Kings of Kaduna state and Kwara United VC have emerged as respective winners of the men’s and women’s categories of the just concluded 2021 National Volleyball Division One League in Abuja.
Kwara United brought the curtains down on the tournament played at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in style as they inflicted a first defeat on the previously unbeaten champions Kada Kings in the men’s category.
Kada Kings first and only loss in the league was a keenly-contested thriller as they blew a two-set lead to lose 2-3 over five sets to Kwara United VC (25-13, 26-24, 21-25, 21-25, 13-15).
Despite the loss, Kada Kings still finished first with 40 points, Kwara United finished in second place with 33 points, Wikki Spikers of Bauchi were third with 31 points while Sparkans VC of Yola placed fourth with 27 points.
Kada Kings of Kaduna head coach David Jonathan blamed his players for losing focus after winning the first two sets.
“Kudos to Kwara United,” Jonathan said after his side’s loss, “they really fought well to win the game, this is the only match we lost in the league with that we are still the winners.
“My boys did well in all their matches, now we need to start preparing for the Premier League immediately,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kwara United VC head coach Adewale Gbadamosi praised his team for their grit in coming back from a two-set deficit to defeat the previously unbeaten Kada Kings.
“People have been calling Kada Kings unbeatable so we wanted to prove them wrong by defeating them which is what we did,” Gbadamosi declared.
“My boys were determined to win this match and they did. We camp for one month training morning and evening, my players were fit for the league.
“We will go back home and fortify the team with two to three players ahead of the Premier League next year,” he said.
In the women’s category, only two teams – Zamfara Queens and Kwara United VC babes featured in the tournament.
Kwara United VC women’s team emerged champions of the women’s league by defeating Zamfara Babes 3-0 (25-17 25-20 25-23).
Kwara United women’s team received N300,000 prize money as champions while Zamfara Queens took home N250,000 as runners up.
In the men’s category, Kada Kings received N400,000 as champions, Kwara United men’s team in second place were awarded the sum of N300,000, while Wikki Spikers of Bauchi who finished third took home N250,000.
A total of 10 teams participated in the league with eight in the men’s draw and two in the women’s category.
Kada Kings of Kaduna, Wikki Spikers of Bauchi, Kwara United, ABM of Kastina, Oluyole Spikers of Oyo, Spartans Spikers of Yola, Caliphate Spikers of Sokoto and Equity Spikers of Kebbi competed in the men’s category.
Kwara United and Zamfara Babes were the only women’s teams to participate in the tournament.
