Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) dominated Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KuHES) at the Mo626 Varsity Games Southern Region Championship, winning both the men’s and women’s football matches, while KuHES claimed victory in netball.
MUST Ladies registered a 2-0 victory over KuHES in the women’s football match, before the MUST men’s side completed the double with a convincing 4-1 win over KuHES played at MUST.
KuHES, however, had something to celebrate in netball after beating MUST 21-16 in a closely contested encounter.
KuHES netball captain Bakita Mkhula said the team was excited with the victory, particularly because they did not expect to win after falling behind early in the match.
“They were leading us, but we managed to come back. We were trailing 5-2 in the first quarter, but we came back strongly in the second quarter and eventually won the game,” said Mkhula.
Speaking on Saturday National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Mphepo-Hiwa said the Bank was pleased with the teams’ performances, describing the matches as a demonstration of the talent and competitive spirit among students.
“We are pleased with how the games have gone today. We have seen exciting, competitive matches, with the students demonstrating talent, determination, and teamwork. We congratulate MUST and KuHES for their performances and, importantly, we encourage all the universities taking part to continue giving their best as the competition progresses,” said Mphepo-Hiwa.
She encouraged the participating teams to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship and use the tournament as an opportunity to develop their talent and build relationships beyond the sporting field.
“We would like to encourage all the universities participating in the Mo626 Varsity Games to remain focused, disciplined and committed. There will be wins and losses, but what is important is to enjoy the competition, learn from every game and continue representing your institutions with pride. As NBM plc, we are proud to sponsor this platform and wish all the teams the very best in the remaining matches,” she said.
TESSAM General Secretary Henry Chiphaka said the games being played at this stage were part of the process of completing fixtures involving KuHES, which was unable to participate in the first phase of the competition because its students were writing examinations.
“This is the second phase, where KuHES is playing against each of the teams that played last time. Once these games are completed, we will tally the points to determine the teams that finish in first and second positions,” said Chiphaka.
Meanwhile, Catholic University (CU), which was scheduled to play KuHES in men’s and women’s football and netball, did not turn up for the fixtures and consequently forfeited the three points from each scheduled encounter in accordance with the competition rules.
The Mo626 Varsity Games, sponsored by National Bank of Malawi plc, bring together students from universities and colleges across Malawi, with regional qualifiers determining teams that will progress to the knockout stages of the Top 8.
