UR Huye Goalball Girls Take Lessons From Narrow Defeats in phase one

The University of Rwanda (UR) Huye Campus women's goalball team remains optimistic about its championship campaign despite suffering two narrow defeats in the opening phase at Kimisagara Youth Center in Kigali over the weekend.
UR Huye played two matches, facing Nyamagabe on Saturday and Ngororero on Sunday. Although the team did not record a victory, both matches were closely contested, with UR losing each game by just one goal.
The first match against Nyamagabe was competitive from the opening minutes. Both teams fought for every opportunity, with neither side immediately taking complete control of the game.
The competitive nature of the first half kept the players and supporters engaged, as the teams exchanged attacks and defensive efforts. The excitement from the sidelines reflected the closeness of the contest, with fans following every goal and waiting to see which side would gain the advantage.
After the break, however, the game became more difficult for UR Huye, and Nyamagabe managed to hold on to its advantage to win 10–9.
The narrow defeat did not discourage the UR Huye players. Instead, it showed them that they were capable of competing closely with their opponents and that small improvements could change the outcome.
The same pattern was seen in the team's second match against Ngororero on Sunday. The first half was again marked by competition rather than one team completely dominating the game.
The intensity continued as the players fought for every goal, while supporters remained excited by the closely fought contest.
As the match progressed after the break, Ngororero gained the advantage, and UR Huye eventually lost 8–7.
For UR Huye captain Grace Mujawayesu, the two defeats have not ended the team's hopes. Instead, she believes the first phase has shown the players exactly where they need to improve.
“It was only the first phase, so everything is still possible. We lost both games, but the difference was only one point in each match. That means we were very close to winning. We have seen that we can compete with these teams, and we just need to work on the things that made us lose those small margins.”
Mujawayesu said the team is now able to look back at the matches and identify the mistakes that prevented them from turning their performances into victories.
“We now know what we missed to lose. We have seen the things that we need to correct, and we know where we have to put more effort. The first phase has taught us a lot, so we are going to take those lessons and work on them before the next games.”
She said the players remain determined to improve rather than allow the two defeats to affect their confidence.
“We still believe that everything is possible because this was only the first phase. We have more phases ahead of us, and we are going to put much more effort into the next games. We want to improve what we did not do well and try to change the results.”
The atmosphere at Kimisagara Youth Center also added energy to the competition. Players from both sides were visibly engaged in the matches, while supporters followed the action with excitement. The closeness of the scores made the games particularly tense, as a single goal was enough to separate the teams at the final whistle.
For UR Huye's women, the two defeats therefore offer more than disappointing results. They provide a clear picture of how competitive the team can be and what needs to change before the next phase.
Goalball is played by athletes who are blind or visually impaired. A team has six players, with three players on the court at any one time. All players wear opaque eyeshades to ensure that athletes with different degrees of visual impairment compete under equal conditions.
UR Huye's women therefore leave the first phase without a win, but with two closely contested games that have exposed the small gaps they need to close. With the next phases still ahead, the team now has the opportunity to turn those lessons into stronger performances and, ultimately, victories.