Nigeria Maintain Unbeaten Run at U18 Beach Volleyball Development Cup

Posted : 11 August 2026

Nigeria's Joy Lawrence and Ifechukwu Odoh continued their impressive run at the 2026 African U18 Beach Volleyball Development Cup in Saly, Senegal. The Nigerian pair defeated Cape Verde 2-0, winning both sets by an emphatic 21-7 scoreline.

Lawrence and Odoh controlled the match from the opening exchanges. They established a strong advantage in the first set before maintaining the same level of pressure to complete another straight-set victory.

The result keeps the Nigerian duo unbeaten in the competition. Their latest performance also underlines Nigeria's growing strength in youth beach volleyball, following strong results at recent African age-group events.

Lawrence is no stranger to success at continental youth level. At the 2025 CAVB U18 African Beach Volleyball Championship in Abuja, she won the girls' gold medal alongside Pamela Miyoum Bawa after defeating fellow Nigerians Faustina Ifechukwu and Blessing Anebi in the final.

That Nigerian pair completed a flawless six-match campaign without dropping a set. The achievement also helped Nigeria secure a strong position in the African youth beach volleyball programme, with the top five teams in each category earning places at the 2025 FIVB U18 Beach Volleyball World Championships.

The current campaign in Senegal provides another opportunity for Nigeria's young players to gain valuable international experience. The development competition is part of the continent's wider effort to strengthen the next generation of beach volleyball athletes.

Nigeria's recent performances also reflect the wider development of the sport in the country. The Nigeria Volleyball Federation has continued to emphasise youth development and competitive opportunities as part of its broader mission to build the sport at grassroots and elite levels.

Lawrence and Odoh will now turn their attention to the next stage of the tournament. Their priority will be to maintain their consistency and convert the strong opening into a deep run in Saly.

The Cape Verde victory was particularly convincing because Nigeria conceded only 14 points across the entire match. With both sets ending 21-7, the Nigerian pair showed strong control in serving, attacking and defensive exchanges.

Further victories would strengthen Nigeria's hopes of challenging for honours at the continental youth event. Lawrence and Odoh will also be aiming to build on their unbeaten start and add another strong performance to Nigeria's growing record in African youth beach volleyball.

Nigeria Maintain Unbeaten Run at U18 Beach Volleyball Development Cup

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