The Nigerian women’s Volleyball team achieved a remarkable feat by winning the silver medal at the recently concluded 2023 CAVB U21 Beach Volleyball Championship in Morocco on Wednesday.
In a fiercely contested match at the Beach Resort in Casablanca, the host country, Morocco, triumphed over Nigeria with a score of 2-1 (13-21, 21-15, 18-16) amidst a massive crowd.
Nigeria started the first set strongly, defeating Morocco by 21-13 points in under 20 minutes of play.
However, Morocco rallied their home fans, whose tremendous support played a crucial role in motivating their team to win the second set.
In the third set, Morocco led Nigeria until the 14th point, but Nigeria managed to secure two vital points, leveling the score at 14-14.
Nigeria briefly took the lead with 16-15 points before Morocco clinched three consecutive points, becoming the champions of the women’s category.
This outcome guarantees Nigeria’s women’s Volleyball team a spot in the 2023 World Championship.
Following the game, John Iwerima, the head coach of Nigeria’s team for the tournament, expressed his admiration for the players, despite their inability to claim the title.
Iwerima stated, “I am incredibly proud of the girls and the way they played tonight, not only against the Moroccans but also against the crowd.”
He continued, “We had every opportunity to win. Unfortunately, we fell short.
“The chemistry within the team is exceptional. As long as we maintain that, we can defeat any opponent in no time.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s men’s Beach Volleyball team finished in fifth place at the recently concluded 2023 CAVB U21 Beach Volleyball Championship.
Consequently, both the men’s and women’s teams have secured qualification for the 2023 FIVB U21 World Beach Volleyball Championship in Thailand, scheduled for November.