24 May 2016

BDF VI ladies coach Lee Tshipana says their victory over defending champions Kutlwano indicates that the team will challenge strongly for the Mascom Volleyball League title this season.

The army ladies produced a powerful all round performance to beat Kutlwano 3-2 in an intense match in Gaborone on Sunday and went top of the ladies log-standings with ten points from four matches.  The victory continued BDF VI winning streak which is now three successive matches.

 “I believe confidently that we can win the league this year.  We lost our first match (of the season) to Mafolofolo and that affected morale of our players. But I have been working hard on the psychological aspect of the players for the past three weeks,” Tshipana said.

BDF VI started the match confidently with attacker Ashley Harujezu playing brilliantly against her former team. 

She combined with setter Sesha Matswiri and Lorato Chizake to score important points for the army team.   BDF VI won the first set 25-22.

Kutlwano responded to the setback by winning the second set 25-17 with Tracy Chaba showing why she is regarded as the top player in Botswana. Chaba and veteran Lekedzani Bayi dragged the ‘Big House’ back into the match.

The match turned into a see-saw spectacle as BDF VI grabbed the initiative again in the third set. The army ladies rattled the Kutlwano defence and won the set 25-15 to lead the match 2-1.

Kutlwano attackers were in clinical mood in the fourth set and scored ten consecutive points midway through the set as Big House leveled the match again. They won the set 25-4, forcing the match to go into the deciding set where Harujezu grabbed the winning point as BDF VI won stole it 15-12 to secure a 3-2 victory.ENDS