Kutlwano dish lacklustre performance in Madagascar

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Staff Writer | Friday April 12, 2013 00:00

The local girls lost all their pool games and failed to win a single set.Kutlwano met giants of African volleyball and winning was always going to be difficult. 

Kutlwano were pooled alongside Africa's number one and four-time Africa champions, Kenya Prisons and Algeria's GSP as well as Water Sport of Ethiopia.

Prisons and GSP went head-to-head in the final.  The local side however, got a consolation in the position nine to 16 play off where they beat Les AS 3-0. But the team lost to Stef Auto of Madagascar in the position 11 to 12 play-off. At the time of going to press, Kutlwano was to play their last game of the tournament.

Speaking in a telephone interview, coach Isaac Samuel said there were unfortunate to be paired against the toughest in the pool stages. He said their aim was to reach the semi-finals, but that dream went down the drain.'We have never reached semi finals in this competition and we thought this was our time,' he said.

Samuel further explained that judging by the team's performance at the championships, it was clear they hadn't prepared enough. He further said that women's volleyball in Africa has developed significantly- this is a lesson the team is bringing home.  'These days, women are even doing jump serves, something that we never experienced in the past,' Samuel said.

Kutlwano qualified for the competition by winning the Zone VI Club Championships held in Zambia last year. The tournament winners will represent the continent at the Club World Championships scheduled for Switzerland in October.