THE first day of the inaugural Namaka Volleyball Tournament started on Friday with a positive turnout at Namaka Public School.

Despite initially targeting 24 teams, the event welcomed 20 teams, which organizers hailed as a milestone for the Namaka volleyball community.

Red Line emerged as a formidable contender for the quarterfinals after securing victories in both of their matches. They swept past Naisoso 2-0 and edged out Golden Jets in a thrilling 2-1 encounter. The Lions also delivered an impressive performance, defeating Unite 2-1 before cruising to a 2-0 win against Naisoso.

In Pool C, Votualevu and Royal Brothers solidified their status as tournament favorites, demonstrating strong form in their matches. Meanwhile, Army is also favourite in Pool D and is seen as the team to beat in their group.

Tournament organiser Biu Tadranu expressed pride and satisfaction with the event’s opening day.

“This is an emotional moment for us as it marks Namaka’s first volleyball tournament.

“We are privileged to host this event. Even though we initially targeted 24 teams, we are pleased with the participation of 20 teams. A lot of these teams are from the Western Division, while about 50 percent travelled from Suva. It’s exciting to see this level of interest,” Tadranu said.