Defending champions Kenya Pipeline will face Kenya Prisons in the season opener of the 2017 Kenya Volleyball Federation League that serves off in Malaba March.PHOTO/courtesy
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 – Kenya Volleyball Federation women’s league defending champions Kenya Pipeline will begin their title defence against their bitter rivals Kenya Prisons when the domestic league serves off in Malaba in March.
Pipeline paired Prisons in the opening league match in a draw released Saturday during the technical meeting for club coaches, team managers and the federation official led by fixtures secretary Ismael Chege. The meeting also slashed the league transfer calendar by over 100 days in a bid aimed at professionalising the local league.
The transfer window has been slashed by close to four months, with the federation setting February 28 as the deadline for the teams taking part in the league to recruit new players. The window will open in November 30, immediately after the national playoff each calendar year and will run until the end of February the following year.
The changes were agreed on after most clubs decried the rampant poaching of players by other clubs arguing that the old system allowed players to turn up for two clubs in a single season contrary to Federation of Intetnational De Volleyball (FIVB) rules.
However, should a team sign a player after close of transfer window KVF says the player will not be allowed to turn up for his or her new club until the following season.
Pipeline never lost to Prisons in the regular season in the last campaign but they had the better of the wardresses in the final stretch when they beat them by three sets to two in Mombasa go retain the league for a third year running.
Both Pipeline and Prisons are set to play two matches in Malaba with Prisons taking on Mount Kenya University though Pipeline is yet to know their opponent.
-Men’s fixtures-
Kenya Prisons who beat General Service Unit (GSU) to the title last season in Mombasa drew Cooporatibe Bank and Administration Police in the opening leg of the seven legs of the league.
GSU will open their title quest against Nairobi Prisons while Nairobi Water who made their debut in the play off will face Forest Rangers.
Kenya Defence Forces (Ulinzi) missed their first play berth last campaign but the soldiers will have a chance to jump start the season on a strong foot should they neutralize Administration Police’s firepower in Malaba.
Fixtures
Women’s
Nairobi Water vs Mount Kenya University
Kenya Pipeline vs Kenya Prisons
KCB vs ***
Kenya Prisons vs MKU
Kenya Pipeline vs ***
Men’s
Mount Kenya university (MKU) vs Kenya Ports Authority (KPA)
KDF vs Western Prisons
Kenya Prisons vs Administration Police
Forest Ranger vs Prisons Mombasa
Nairobi Prisons vs GSU
Prisons Mombasa vs Prisons Nairobi
Nairobi Water vs Forest Rangers
Prisons Kenya vs Coop Bank
KDF vs Administration Police
KPA vs Western Prisons
KCB vs Nairobi Water.
