The 11th edition of the CAVB Zone 4 Clubs Championship wrapped up at the Japoma Sports Complex in Douala with familiar faces standing atop the podium, as Cameroon’s Litto Team and Port Autonome de Douala successfully defended their titles in what turned out to be a dominant display of home advantage.
In the women’s final, Litto Team swept past compatriots Nyong et Kelle 3-0, though the scoreline hardly tells the full story of a match that swung between comfortable control and nervous tension. The opening set was a statement of intent, with Litto racing to a 25-8 victory whilst their opponents struggled to find any rhythm. But Nyong et Kelle, refused to fold quietly.
The second and third sets saw the underdogs surge ahead, building commanding leads of five to six points at various stages. In the second set, they led 21-15 and later 20-15 in the 3rd set, appearing on the brink of extending the contest. Yet each time, Litto team clawed their way back, eventually closing out both sets 25-22. The young side from Nyong et Kelle showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately lacked the mental fortitude to see their advantage through, falling to their national rivals once again.
Litto team, champion of cavb zone 4 women
The men’s final brought together two Douala-based teams who know each other rather well. Port Autonome de Douala (PAD) faced off against Litto Team in what many anticipated would be a tight affair. Instead, the reigning champions produced a masterclass in experience, sweeping their city rivals 3-0 with set scores of 25-15, 25-20, and 25-16. Litto’s youthful exuberance proved no match for PAD’s seasoned expertise, as the champions reinforced their status as the undisputed force in Zone 4 volleyball.
In the third-place match, VC Espoir of the Democratic Republic of Congo claimed bronze in an all-Congolese affair against Service National. VC Espoir won convincingly in 3 straight sets, exacting revenge after losing to the same opponents during the group stage.
VC ESPOIR
The veterans’ category saw SCL overcome Bepanda 2-0, 25-20, 25-15.
Both Cameroonian champions have now won consecutive Zone 4 titles, having also triumphed at the 10th edition held in Brazzaville, Congo, last year.
