Gisagara Volleyball Club captain Gloire Niyonkuru has warned his teammates against complacency when they take on rivals APR VC in Friday’s Volleyball league clash at Petit Stade Indoor Gymnasium.
Gisagara currently sit in second place with 10 points, just one point clear of APR VC who are in fifth position.
Niyonkuru emphasized that the slim margin separating the two teams in the standings adds pressure to deliver.
"This one-point difference motivates us to fight harder to retain our position and solidify our standing in the league," he told Times Sport.
"They’ve had a challenging start to the campaign this season, but that doesn’t mean the game will be easy. They’ve restructured strategically, making them a formidable opponent.”
Both Gisagara and APR suffered shock losses to newcomers East African University (EAU) in round 3 of the league. Niyonkuru admits he and his teammates were surprised by the shock result but promised to quickly bounce back in round 4.
"Losing to EAU was surprising, but volleyball is unpredictable. EAU has proven to be a promising team with talented young players, as shown by their victory against APR as well,"
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Elsewhere, in women’s league, Police women and Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) promises to be the game of the weekend.
The crunch encounter, also scheduled Friday at 4pm at the Petit Stade Indoor Gymnasium, brings together two of the league&039;s fiercest rivals battling for the top of the table.
Currently, RRA lead the table with 15 points, edging out Police, who trail in second place by a single point at 14.
Despite both teams boasting five straight victories recently, the standings differ due to the set wins, with Police needing five sets to overcome APR in one of their matches. This has cost them the edge in points, but their captain, Judith Hakizimana, is optimistic ahead of Friday’s test.
"We know the stakes are high, and we absolutely need this win against RRA," Hakizimana told Times Sport.
ALSO READ: REG dominate EAUR as RRA edge RP Huye
The absence of Kenyan opposite attacker Sande Meldina who is ineligible to play due to lack of license, poses a major blow for Hakizimana who revealed his team will miss her services throughout the first phase. Her license will be valid in the second phase.
The coach, however, said the team can carry on and perform well without her.
"Losing Meldina is unfortunate, but we are not letting it become an excuse for failure, we have what it takes to compete and win, even under challenging circumstances. We are ready to fight for it," she said.