APR Volleyball Club of Rwanda has etched its name into African volleyball history after advancing to the semi-finals of the CAVB Club Championship, currently taking place in Misrata, Libya.
The Rwandan military team pulled off an impressive 3-1 victory over Libyan side Al Itihad in a thrilling quarter-final encounter.
The match didn’t start in APR VC’s favor, as nerves seemed to get the better of them in the opening set, which they lost 25-17. However, the Rwandan champions bounced back brilliantly in the second set, with standout performances from players like Gisubizo Merci and Paul Akan leading them to a 25-19 win.
Building on that momentum, APR VC clinched the next two sets 25-21 and 25-19, sealing a historic 3-1 triumph.
This victory marks APR VC as only the third Rwandan team to ever reach the semi-finals of this prestigious continental tournament, following in the footsteps of the University of Rwanda (2011) and Gisagara VC (2022).
APR VC returns to the court on Monday at 7:30 PM to face another Libyan powerhouse, Asswehly, in the semi-final. Meanwhile, Tunisia’s ES Tunis will clash with Egypt’s AL Ahly in the other semi-final.
Elsewhere, Rwanda’s second representative, Kepler VC, was eliminated in the Round of 16 after falling to Espoir VC of DR Congo. They are now competing in classification matches for 9th to 16th place.
The tournament final is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, 2025, marking the end of this year’s competition.