- UCU 3-2 Espoir (25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-10)
Uganda Christian University will play for positions 9-12 at the 2019 Men’s African Club Championship.
The UCU Doves, who are making their debut at the continent, overcame a tough battle to beat Espoir of DR Congo in an epic five-set thriller 25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 21-25 and 15-10 in the playoffs for positions 9-16.
The 2018 National Club Championship winners will now to play for positions 9-12, while Espoir will fight for 13 to 16 places.
The teams competed right from the first serve switching leads a couple of times before UCU came out top in the first set.
Solid blocking from Espoir coupled with a series of block outs from UCU put them well in front in the 2nd set, eventually taking it 25-20.
However, UCU Doves who had a superb local season last year used their strength – defence – thereafter to topple the Congolese.
UCU will face Kenyan side GSU in the playoffs for positions 9-12 on Monday.
Meanwhile, Nemostars, the other Ugandan representative at the tournament fell to Libya’s Ahly Tripoli in the quarterfinals.
