Windhoek
This year’s edition of the annual Bank Windhoek Namibian Volleyball Federation (NVF) Cup got underway in Windhoek recently, with nine women and 11 men’s teams registering for the tourney.
The first round took place at the Katutura Youth Complex sports grounds with matches played on five courts that were set up for adrenaline-pumping action outdoors, which added a new dimension to the game.
Traditionally strong teams such as SKW Ladies and NVF Cup newcomers Revivals from the Central Volleyball Association proved worthy of their status, with both teams demonstrating their dominance in domestic volleyball by slicing their way past their oppoents with ease in the opening round without losing a single match.
In the men’s league, last year’s winners Khomas Nampol and runners-up NDF showed their mettle by topping their respective groups, also coming off the first round unscathed.
The fight for the remaining three spots was a heatedly contested affair with a number of five-set matches taking place.
“This once again demonstrated that the level of play is progressing while improving in leaps and bounds in all regional associations,” enthused Gunter Rust, president of the Namibian Volleyball Federation.
Final results for the opening round of the Bank Windhoek NVF Cup reads as follows:
Men Pool A:
Namibia Defence Force
Eleven Warriors
Katima Youth
Navy B
Rundu
Otjozondjupa Nampol
Men Pool B:
Khomas Nampol
Navy A
Nakapele
Unam Katima Mulilo
Mukwe
Ladies Pool A:
SKW
Noordgrens
Erongo Nampol
Eleven Warriors
Otjozondjupa Nampol
Ladies Pool B:
Revivals
Oshana Nampol
Rundu Chiefs
Navy
The next round of the NVF Cup will be hosted by the Far Northern Volleyball Association on September 8 and sees the top four teams from each pool facing each other in the quarterfinals, with the semiis to played the next day at the same venue.
“Quarterfinal matches will be hosted for the first time this year. Last year, the draw went from the first round directly into the semis and finals. This newest development is due to the growing number of associations and teams registered with the NVF, competing in the NVF Cup,” Rust added.
Bank Windhoek has increased the total value of its sponsorship for the year to allow associations to conduct regional leagues that feed teams to the NVF Cup.
Winners of this year’s Bank Windhoek NVF Cup to be played in Swakopmund on the 1st of October will earn automatc qualifcation to represent Namibia at the prestigious Zone VI Club Championships in December.