Hockey: Scorpions look to sting Lakers away in Kisumu

Strathmore University’s Scorpions coach Meshack Senge is wary of sleek Lakers ahead of their Kenya Hockey Union women’s Premier League match at the Sikh Union Club in Kisumu on Sunday.

Senge said he was left with  a sour taste after they lost to Lakers last season and they are eager to make amends this weekend.

Last season, Scorpions lost 3-2 to Lakers in the first leg in Nairobi before drawing 1-1 away.

Senge says these were fixtures they should have won were it not for players’ laxity and poor officiating.

Strathmore Scorpions, are unbeaten and lead the standings with 12 points from four matches.

Strathmore Gladiators have a date with Western Jaguars on Saturday at the Eregi Teachers College in the men’s Premier League.

Lakers and Strathmore provided four players each in the Kenya team that participated in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August.

On form Strathmore had national team captain and speedy forward Gilly Okumu, Tamunai Kipsang, Nicole Odhiambo and Awino Osare while Lakers who are second last with four points from three matches contributed twins Maureen and Alice Owiti, Millicent Onyango and Vivian Onyango.

Senge was the Kenya video coach.

Strathmore will watch out for  Lakers goalkeeper Onyango, who put up a good show in the match against Ghana where Kenya won 3-2 on post penalty shoot-outs to finish ninth out of the 10 participating teams.

It’s a match that could go either way.

“Lakers is a good side with quality players and they will be playing at home. But we have prepared well and I hope that the officiating will be fair,” said Senge, doubles up as the Gladiators coach.

Commenting on the clash against Jaguars, Senge said third position on the standings was at stake and therefore they will go all out for the three points.

At the City Park Stadium, Nairobi, champions Blazers will play Dutch Group Flowers Wolverines on Saturday before they take on Amira Sailors on Sunday.

Blazers are third on the table with seven points from four matches, same as United States International University Africa (USIU-A).

Blazers coach Josephine Ataro has called on the players to start the second leg with a bang.

“We have been away for some time now since some of our players were with the national team but we have settled. We want to start afresh”said the former national team goalie.

Fixtures

Saturday:

Jkuat v Vikings (W)(12pm, City Park), Western Jaguars v Strathmore (M)(1pm, Eregi Teachers College, Kakamega), MSC v Nairobi Chapel (W) (2pm, Mombasa Sports Club), Daikyo Heroes v Thika Rovers (M) (2pm, Aryans ground), Sikh v Mvita XI (M) (2pm, Sikh Union), Kitale Hockey Club v Blue Pirates (M) (2pm, St. Anthony Kitale), KCA v Parkroad Tigers (M) (2pm, City Park), Mombasa West v Nairobi Chapel (M) (4pm, Aryan), Wolverines v Blazers (W) (4pm, City Park), Greensharks v Sailors (M) (6pm, City Park)

Sunday

Mombasa West v Thika Rovers (M) (8am, Aryans ground), Lakers v Strathmore (W) (9am, Sikh Union), Wazalendo Masters v Mvita XI (M) (9am, City Park), Daikyo v Nairobi Chapel (M) (10am, Aryan), JKUAT v KU (W) (11am, City Park), Parklands Sports Club v Jkuat (M) (1pm, City Park), Blazers v Amira (W) (3pm, City Park), Wazalendo v Butali (M) (5pm, City Park)