Hurricanes, NCS lift CVA pre-season titles
Namibian Defence Force (NDF) Hurricanes and debutants Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) were crowned champions of the Central Volleyball Association (CVA) pre-season tournament last weekend.
Held at the University of Namibia (Unam) main campus in Windhoek, the tournament featured 17 teams competing in a single round-robin format across the men’s (11) and women’s (6) sections.
The event served as a crucial preparatory platform for teams to test combinations, sharpen match fitness and build momentum ahead of the official league campaign, which begins in April.
Last season’s regular league runners-up, NDF Hurricanes, were drawn in Group C alongside Unam Kings, Afrocat E and Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) F.
Hurricanes’ only group-stage defeat came against Unam Kings, who progressed through the round-robin phase unbeaten in straight sets (2-0). Despite the setback, Hurricanes finished second to secure automatic qualification for the quarterfinals.
There, they faced an in-form Kudos side that had topped Group B unbeaten without dropping a set. Hurricanes responded emphatically, winning 2-0 to book their place in the semi-finals.
They continued their dominance with a 2-0 victory over City of Windhoek in the semi-finals before overcoming Afrocat D 3-1 in a best-of-five final to lift the title.
The bronze medal went to City of Windhoek, who defeated Unam Kings 2-0.
Hopes to continue dominance
Reflecting on their title run, Hurricanes head coach Ndafenongo Teofilus said their early defeat stemmed from limited preparation time.
“[The players did not have much time on the court] coming into the tournament, so they faced difficulties going up against Unam.
“We had to go back to the drawing board and make some adjustments, which led us to win all the remaining matches, including the final,” he said.
Teofilus added that their objectives for the season remain unchanged.
“We are aiming to [end in the top two position in the league] again and qualify for the NVF Cup [Namibia Volleyball Federation Cup] and ultimately the VNL [Volleyball National League],” he said.
The NVF Cup serves as a qualifier for the country’s top-tier competition.
Hurricanes competed in last year’s NVF Cup alongside league champions NamPower, who were promoted to the VNL. Also gaining promotion were Afrocat Ladies, the women’s league winners and NVF Cup runners-up.
Debutants eyeing VNL
In the women’s section, NCS stormed through the group stage unbeaten, recording straight-set victories over City of Windhoek and Unam Queens B in Group B.
With the women’s competition divided into two pools of three, the top two teams from each group advanced to the semi-finals.
NCS maintained their momentum with a straight-sets win over Nust in the semi-finals before defeating City of Windhoek 3-0 in the final to cap a flawless campaign.
The bronze medal went to Nust, who edged City Warriors 2-1.
NCS head coach Mutasa Kudakwashe did not shy away from outlining the team’s ambitions.
“The players trained with the VNL in mind. The team is made up of players from clubs in the VNL and individuals from the NCS who were in correctional service training last year. This is their first time playing together as a team,” he said.
Kudakwashe said the Bank Windhoek Doc Tournament, scheduled for 28 to 29 March, will provide another key test.
“It will be important for us to compete against teams from across the country, including those in the VNL.
“I am confident the players will maintain this momentum. We are targeting a top-four finish at the Doc Tournament, and then we take it from there [as we look forward to the CVA League next month],” he said.
Newly appointed CVA chairperson Salomo “Stray” Petrus confirmed that Revivals and Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS), who did not participate in the pre-season tournament, will also feature in the women’s section this season.
The men’s section will also see the addition of Afrocat Veterans and Khomas Nampol this season.
