Day Two of the 3rd CGC Volleyball Premier League in Abuja delivered a mix of momentum swings and commanding displays as clubs chased valuable early points in the competition’s opening stretch.
The most eye-catching match unfolded in the women’s division, where Anambra Queens staged a comeback to edge Excelsior VC 3-2 in a thrilling five-set encounter. Excelsior grabbed the first set 25-21, but Anambra responded decisively in the second, winning 25-20 to level the contest. The third set went Excelsior’s way with a 25-22 scoreline, yet Anambra pushed back again to take the fourth 25-23 and force a decider. In the final set, they held their nerve to seal the win 16-14.
Anambra Queens head coach John Iwerima pointed to sheer resolve as the key factor, highlighting the tough trip his side endured before reaching the venue.
“Some players arrived at 3am and slept for just one hour before the game. They didn’t have enough sleep but we thank God for doing the unexpected,” Iwerima said.
Nigeria Customs Service continued to impress in the women’s category, extending their strong start with a convincing 3-0 sweep of newcomers VIP & Partners. The winners controlled the match with set scores of 25-20, 25-11 and 25-20.
Team Manager Samuel Onikeku acknowledged that his side had stepped up in quality compared to what was familiar before, while also remaining positive about what comes next.
“This is the first time they are coming to the Premier League — it is not the same as Division One. We had some challenges with the registration of some players. This would have given us better play,” he said.
Reigning champions CNS Spikers reinforced their status with another dominant showing, defeating Fire Service 3-0. Their straight-sets victory came with scores of 25-8, 25-15 and 25-14.
In the men’s competition, NSCDC needed resilience to overcome Ajase Ipo 3-2 in a tense five-set contest. NSCDC won the first two sets 25-16 and 25-23, but Ajase Ipo refused to drop off, taking the third 25-21 and the fourth 25-21 to force a decisive fifth. In the end, NSCDC edged the decider 19-17.
NSCDC head coach Sam Ajayi admitted he felt relief after securing victory following an opening-day setback.
“We were able to record a victory. I believe as the season progresses we will continue to improve,” Ajayi said. “On paper I may have the best team in the league but the reality is adequate preparation. Players are from different places and they must be groomed together.”
Elsewhere in the men’s division, COAS Spikers made sure of another solid result, beating Offa VC 3-0 with set scores of 25-15, 25-11 and 25-20.
