Head Coach of Kwara volleyball team, Wale Badamasi has expressed optimism that his team would finish among the top four from the ongoing National Division One Volleyball League and gain Premier League promotion.Badamasi said this in a chat with journalists on Wednesday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, the venue of the championship, after his team fought hard to subdue Spartans spikers of Yola 3-2.“Our target is to qualify for the Premier League.
We camped for two months and improved on our bronze win at the National Sports Festival.“We are optimistic of qualification to the Premier League. We still have a clean sheet. We are taking all the teams as the same, we are not underrating any team. We keep improving with each game we play and they are yet to see our best,” he said.Badamasi said he was happy and felt great after the win against Spartans spikers of Yola and in spite of the fatigue that hit his team, after playing two games on Tuesday.“Yesterday’s game was tedious because we played two matches and our opponents in today’s game took advantage of that,” he said.“
We are playing Kada on Saturday at the finals and we believe we can beat them. We are not scared of any team,” he added.In the match against the Spartans, Kwara took the lead and consolidated with the second set to make it 2-0 (22-12, 25-15) though the Spartans came back stronger in the third set and pulled one back at 25-10 making it 2-1The fourth set was keenly contested by both teams, however, thirsty Spartans put in extra efforts to end it 2-2 (22-12,25-15, 10-25, 13-23).In the fifth and deciding set, Kwara brimmed up to a warm start, by taking a five-point to zero lead, before Spartans found their way to get their first point, eventually Kwara won the set to triumph at 3-2 (22-12, 25-15,10-25,13-23,25-12).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyo state, Kwara United, Bauchi spikers, Sokoto United, Spartans Spikers of Yola, Equity spikers of Kebbi, Katsina United and Kada kings of Kaduna, are vying for honours in the male and possible qualification to the Volleyball Premier League. (NAN)
