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KAVC took the largely one-sided fourth set 25-15 to force a decisive, which they edged 15-11 to send their fans into wild celebrations.
KAVC needed a reaction after losing Game One of the National Volleyball League semi-final series against UCU Doves two weeks ago.
And that response came in the form of a hard-fought 3-2 win over the university side to level the series 1-1 and force a decider.
The five-time champions had to dig deep after a false start in the first set saw UCU leading 20-15.
Vincent Odeke’s jump service troubled KAVC’s reception as UCU cruised.
Unforced errors from the predominantly young UCU side had KAVC back in it to snatch the set 25-23 and set the pace in the game.
Whereas Gideon Angiro and Nixon Tumusiime excited the crowd with strikes through the porous KAVC block, it was Dube and her troops that kept scoring vital points and eventually took the day.
The Doves woke up in the second and third sets, taking them 25-20 and 25-17, respectively, to enter the driving seat.
KAVC needed to react to save their season, and Dube used her entire bench in a bid to get back in the set.
It was another tough start to the game for Geoffrey Onapa, who struggled to get going in the first three sets.
But when re-introduced in the fourth frame, the opposite found his rhythm, first, with good defence in the backcourt before growing into his offensive element to strike through the UCU block.
KAVC took the largely one-sided fourth set 25-15 to force a decisive, which they edged 15-11 to send their fans into wild celebrations.
The victory was a testament to KAVC’s experience at the highest stage and ability to find a way when the stakes are high.
For the Doves, it was a rude reminder of how cruel the game can be at this level when you don’t finish off an opponent that is there for the taking.
With the two sides set to meet in a decisive Game Three next weekend, momentum is with KAVC, and UCU head coach Elias Isiagi must find ways of getting past a KAVC side that has been handed a massive lifeline.
National Volleyball League
Game Two
UCU Doves 2-3 KAVC (23-25, 25-20, 25-17, 15-25, 11-15)
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