After a brilliant performance in the 2014 FIVB Women’s World Championship qualifiers for Zone 6 held in Zambia last week, Botswana women’s national volleyball team secured themselves a ticket to Algeria for the last phase of the qualifiers which will be played on January 2014.
Botswana garnered gold after topping Pool R without conceding a set in all their games. When the qualifiers kicked off on Tuesday, Botswana trounced Namibia 3-0. The local ladies did not give their Namibian counterparts a chance, winning all the sets with 25-9, 25-16 and 25-13.
The following day the dominant Team Botswana went past Swaziland 3-0. Botswana ladies proved to be too hot for the Mountain Kingdom ladies by dominating all the sets by 25-9, 25-10 and 25-15. The hosts Zambia were also no match to Botswana ladies on Thursday, the Zambians receiving a 3-0 hiding in front of their own crowd. The sets were won 25-19, 25-13 and 25-11.
After gunning down Zambia, Zimbabwe was next on Botswana’s firing squad list on Friday. Botswana shot down Zimbabwe 3-0. The sets were won by 25-11, 25-17 and the last set Botswana drubbed Zimbabwe 25-4, which was quite a big margin.
The high flying Team Botswana which was already the tournament favourites finished off with dark horses Mozambique on Saturday. Though Mozambique was breathing heavily down on Botswana’s neck for a gold medal, the local ladies managed to overpower them, winning 3-0. The sets were won by 25-17, 25-15 and 25-17.
Both Botswana’s men’s and women’s teams have played impressively in the 2014 FIVB World Cup qualifiers since the journey started July this year in Mozambique. What can be observed is that it is not easy for the two volleyball senior national teams to concede a set.
Just like what their male counterparts did earlier this month, this week the women’s team kept a clean sheet, not allowing any of their opponents to win a set in all the games they played.
Speaking to The Telegraph Sport from Zambia, Botswana Volleyball Federation Senior Sports Development Officer Mission Mereyotlhe said that can be attributed to good technique, discipline and determination. He said the ladies team is well trained and that is what set them apart from their opponents.
“Our service keeps as apart from our opponents.┬á We always give them a hard time with a well technically balanced passing and attacking style.┬á We also have a very height advantage and good technique,” said Mereyotlhe.┬á
Mereyotlhe told this publication that they are going to continue with the same spirit and make sure they make the country proud by qualifying for the World Cup finals in Italy next year.
