Volleyball: Pipeline end league unbeaten
Triza Atuka (left) of Kenya Pipeline Women’s’ Volleyball team spikes the ball as Brackcides Agala (15), and Joan Chelagat of Kenya Prisons Women’s Volleyball block during the Inaugural Eldoret City Open Volleyball Tournament held at Eldoret Sports Club in Uasin Gishu County on December 04, 2022. Kenya Pipeline won 3-0.
What you need to know:
- Pipeline will be in the company of defending champions Kenya Prisons who fell to KCB Women’s Volleyball Team 2-3 (17-25, 25-20, 25-22, 17-25, 11-15) in another match played at the same venue
- Pipeline coach Gitau was happy with the emphatic end to the season
- KCB head coach Japheth Munala was elated after beating Prisons in the high-stakes encounter
Kenya Pipeline Friday thrashed Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) 3-0 (25-19, 25-22 and 25-19) to finish the regular Kenya Volleyball Federation Women’s National League unbeaten at Koitalel Samoei University College in Mososriot, Nandi County.
The win saw the side coached by Paul Gitau qualify for the play-offs scheduled for early next year.
Pipeline will be in the company of defending champions Kenya Prisons who fell to KCB Women’s Volleyball Team 2-3 (17-25, 25-20, 25-22, 17-25, 11-15) in another match played at the same venue.
DCI will also be in the mix despite falling to the Oilers.
At the end of regular season, the top four teams will book tickets to the play-offs.
Pipeline coach Gitau was happy with the emphatic end to the season.
“We started with a win in Mombasa against KCB before winning the Eldoret City Open Volleyball Tournament where we beat Kenya Prisons and today we have won our match against DCI. The girls have shown good improvement since we started training and we want to continue winning matches,” said Gitau.
Despite losing Belinda Barasa to an ankle sprain in the first set, the lionesses led by captain Edith Wisa and Mercy Moim claimed the first set before weathering stiff challenge from Prisons to win the ti-breaker.
KCB head coach Japheth Munala was elated after beating Prisons in the high-stakes encounter.
“We played against Kenya Pipeline in Mombasa where they managed to beat us but today we managed to beat Kenya Prisons. This has really helped us to study both teams and moving forward we are going to use that to work on our weaknesses.
“Kenya Prisons played so well today and they gave us a hard time but we managed to hold them. The match was so crucial ahead of the play-offs,” said Munala.
At the same time, Kenya Defence Forces beat Equity Bank 3-1 (20-25, 25-21, 35-33, 25-15) as the 2022/23 men's National League got underway at the same venue.
In the other results, former champions Kenya Prisons overwhelmed Administration Police 3-0 (25-19,25-22,25-20) as Trailblazers stopped Nyanza Prisons 3-0 (25-12,25-19,25-14).
Rift Valley Prisons beat Kenya Army 3-1 (25-22,25-16,20-25,25-21).
Meanwhile, the second edition of National Heroes Community Tournament serves off on Saturday at the same venue where up to 90 teams will be battling it out in the two-day event.
