Team Rivers head coach Adamu Ibrahim has shared his thoughts following his team’s narrow 3-2 defeat to hosts Ogun State in a thrilling volleyball encounter at the Gateway Games 2024.
Rivers took the first two sets but couldn’t hold off Ogun’s comeback, with the hosts winning the final three sets: 20-25, 18-25, 25-16, 25-22, 15-12.
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“Ogun is a very difficult team to play against. They’re strong and the support from the fans gave them a huge boost today,” said Coach Adamu.
Despite a strong start, he explained how injuries and inexperience affected the team’s performance. “We started strong, but along the line, fatigue and injuries affected us. My team is young and still developing.”
He also pointed to the crowd’s influence on the young Rivers side. “The distraction from the crowd also impacted their performance, but we’ll keep pushing. Hopefully, we’ll meet Ogun again in the semifinals or the final,” he added.
The team Captain, Sharon remains upbeat despite the loss. She said “It was a very good game, even though we expected to win,” she said. “We played against a more experienced side, and this was our first game of the competition. There’s a lot to learn and improve on. We need to stay more focused. Our target remains to reach the final and win the gold medal.”
Coach Adamu remains confident that his side can bounce back in the group stage and challenge for a medal at the competition.
