Nigeria’s under-20 women volleyball team on Tuesday in Brno, the Czech Republic, crashed out of contention for the top honours at the ongoing FIVB Women’s U-20 World Championship.
In their final group match played at the Vodova Sports Hall in Brno and monitored in Abuja by the News Agency of Nigeria, the Nigerian side lost 0-3 to Italy.
In the Pool D match, the Nigerians lost in three straight sets under 55 minutes to place fifth in the five-team group and failed to advance to the Round of 16.
They lost 6-25 in the first set, which went over 18 minutes, and came back brightly in the second set to lose 13-25 in 19 minutes.
Fighting gallantly in the final set, they held back the Europeans before losing 7-25 in 18 minutes.
The loss meant Nigeria finished with one point from four matches after four losses and winning only two and losing 12 sets.
They had earlier lost 0-3 to Turkey and Egypt on Friday and Saturday respectively, and 2-3 to Algeria on Sunday after leading 2-0.
The Nigerian side will however play in the classification matches scheduled to begin on Friday, which is a round-robin affair for positions 17th to 20th in the 20-team competition.
They will on Friday at the Kajot Arena in Brno take on Puerto Rico, who had also lost their four games in Pool A.
On Saturday, they will move across town to return to the Vodova Sports Hall to face the US, who had also placed fifth in Pool C.
The Americans had narrowly lost the fourth position and qualification to the Round of 16 from their group to Mexico in spite of one win and three losses from four games.
The Nigerian side will play their final match at the Kajot Arena on Sunday against Thailand, who finished last in Pool B, after the Asians had also lost four games in the pool.
NAN reports that the competition, which began on Friday, is scheduled to end on Sunday.
Trending
- Sanwo-Olu: We’ve fulfilled our promises
- Upholding Democracy: The imperative of credible party primaries in Nigeria, by Adebanji Dada
- FG revokes 924 dormant mining licences as minister decries racketeering
- Why I didn’t build schools as Anambra governor, Peter Obi replies Omokri
- Establish base in Sambisa forest, Zulum tells Army
- EFCC withdraws appeal against former Kogi Governor Bello
- Fidelity Bank commends Air Peace’s performance
- How AI, automation, and trusted data are shaping next-generation customer service, by Linda Saunders