Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) dominated Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KuHES) at the Mo626 Varsity Games Southern Region Championship, sweeping both the men's and women's football matches, while KuHES claimed victory on the netball court.

MUST Ladies registered a 2-0 win over KuHES in the women's football encounter, before the MUST men's side completed the double with a convincing 4-1 victory over their counterparts, played at MUST.

KuHES, however, had reason to celebrate in netball, edging out MUST 21-16 in a closely fought contest.

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KuHES netball captain Bakita Mkhula said the team was thrilled with the result, particularly as the win had not looked likely after they fell behind early in the match.

"They were leading us, but we managed to come back. We were trailing 5-2 in the first quarter, but we came back strongly in the second quarter and eventually won the game," said Mkhula.

Speaking on Saturday, National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Mphepo-Hiwa said the Bank was pleased with how the teams performed, describing the matches as a showcase of the talent and competitive spirit among students.

"We are pleased with how the games have gone today. We have seen exciting, competitive matches, with the students demonstrating talent, determination, and teamwork. We congratulate MUST and KuHES for their performances and, importantly, we encourage all the universities taking part to continue giving their best as the competition progresses," said Mphepo-Hiwa.

She encouraged participating teams to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship and use the tournament as an opportunity to sharpen their talent and build relationships beyond the sporting field.

"We would like to encourage all the universities participating in the Mo626 Varsity Games to remain focused, disciplined and committed. There will be wins and losses, but what is important is to enjoy the competition, learn from every game and continue representing your institutions with pride. As NBM plc, we are proud to sponsor this platform and wish all the teams the very best in the remaining matches," she said.

TESSAM General Secretary Henry Chiphaka explained that the games being played at this stage formed part of the process of completing fixtures involving KuHES, which was unable to participate in the first phase of the competition as its students were sitting examinations.

"This is the second phase, where KuHES is playing against each of the teams that played last time. Once these games are completed, we will tally the points to determine the teams that finish in first and second positions," said Chiphaka.

Meanwhile, Catholic University (CU), which had been scheduled to play KuHES in the men's and women's football and netball fixtures, failed to turn up for the matches and consequently forfeited the three points from each encounter in line with the competition rules.

The Mo626 Varsity Games, sponsored by National Bank of Malawi plc, bring together students from universities and colleges across Malawi, with regional qualifiers determining the teams that will progress to the knockout stages of the Top 8.