Rwanda Energy Group (REG) VC head coach Benon Mugisha has said the 2025/26 volleyball playoffs did not initially look to be in his team’s favour, but the doubts surrounding the club have instead motivated the players to prove their critics wrong.
REG secured a place in the playoffs in unexpected fashion after eliminating APR VC, a result that shocked many volleyball followers. APR had not missed the top four in more than a decade, making their exit one of the biggest surprises of the season.
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Before the playoffs, the race for the top four was very tight, with Gisagara VC already among the leading teams, leaving REG and Police VC fighting for the remaining spots.
Many observers believed REG would miss out due to the tough competition, but the team managed to qualify, while APR, a regular contender, suffered a historic setback.
The semifinals are being played in a best-of-five series, meaning a team must win three matches to reach the finals. REG is currently in a strong position after winning the first two games against Kepler VC.
When asked how excited he would be if REG secures the third win to qualify for the finals, Mugisha said the team is not surprised by its performance.
"I don’t think there is any surprise. My team has worked for this. Everybody said we wouldn’t qualify, but now we are here. In that situation, nobody else can give us a chance except ourselves,” he told Times Sport.
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In the past two seasons, REG failed to reach the playoff finals, but the club made major investments ahead of the current campaign following the departures of Gideon Angiro, Sylvestre Ndayisaba, and Ronald Muvara.
To strengthen the squad, REG signed experienced setter Crispin Ntanteteri, Merci Gisubizo, and Kenyan outside hitter Nicholas Matui, who joined the club after being named the Most Valuable Player of the 2024/25 Kenyan league season, among others.
Despite the reinforcements, REG had a difficult start to the season. In the first leg of the league, the team finished fifth after losing three of their eight matches. The second leg was also challenging, as they lost four games out of sixteen.
Mugisha admitted the start was not ideal but said the team remained focused on improving.
"Yes, we started badly, but we kept working. We are supported by the executive committee, which puts us in a position where we have no excuses. I also spoke to my players to remind them that bad days happen. Right now, our focus is to reach the finals,” he said.
ALSO READ: REG VC close in on finals after Game 2 win over Kepler VC
The playoffs resume on Saturday, March 22, with Game 3 of the semifinal series scheduled as follows:
women
APR WVC vs Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) – 12:30 pm
Kepler WVC vs Police WVC – 3pm
Men
Gisagara VC vs Police VC – 5:30 pm
Kepler VC vs Rwanda Energy Group (REG) – 8pm