By Aderonke Ojo
Volleyball Club La Loi of Democratic Republic of Congo’s bounced back in style to secure their first win at the ongoing African Volleyball club Championship, overcoming Senegal’s Sococim 3-1 (11-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17) in a thrilling encounter in Abuja .
Sococim, searching for their first win of the tournament, started the match on a dominant note, storming to a commanding 25-11 victory in the opening set.
Their strong offensive play and coordinated defence left La Loi struggling to find rhythm.
But the tide turned in the second set.
La Loi came out with renewed purpose, engaging their opponents in a series of intense rallies.
The Congolese side’s resilience paid off as they clawed back point after point, forcing Sococim into an early timeout.
The momentum shift was clear, and La Loi held firm to take the set 25-21 and level the match.
La Loi continued their resurgence in the third set, applying relentless pressure with powerful serves and a tight backline.
Sococim, caught flat-footed, struggled to contain the offensive surge and fell behind early.
Although they regrouped midway through the set, it was too little too late as La Loi sealed the set 25-15.
By the fourth set, La Loi were in full control.
Combining explosive spikes with disciplined defence, they dominated the court and wrapped up the match with a comfortable 25-17 win, taking the contest 3-1.
With the victory, La Loi get off the mark in the competition, while Sococim remain winless and under pressure as they proceeded to group stage on Tuesday .