NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 4 – Tears of joy, jumps of delight and screams of relief rented the Kasarani Indoor Gymnasium Wednesday evening as Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) came from a set down to stun holders Kenya Pipeline three sets to one and quench a 15-year wait for the National Women’s Volleyball League title.
Head coach Japheth Munala was over the moon after the victory, saying they were finally rewarded for their patience, four years after he started the project.
“We started a bit low because we had some basic errors on service and we were losing a lot of points. But when we talked at the end of the first set, we rectified that and we ended up controlling the game,” Munala told Capital Sports.
He added; “I want to thank my players and the technical bench for the effort they put. Everyone worked extra hard and we have been rewarded.”
The tactician hailed the belief in his girls especially having started poorly to drop the first set 25-18, before winning the next three 25-19, 25-21 and 25-21.
Holders Pipeline had a good start to the duel and dominated from the word go, despite some nerves on either end leading to poor service and easy points.
KCB had struggled to get a good hold on the set, with some errors on backcourt defending seeing Pipeline take a six-point lead at 20-14, prompting the bankers to call in a time out.
Two errors at the net however couldn’t salvage their pride, as Pamela Adhiambo’s strong hit saw the oilers clinch the set 25-18.
In the second set, things seemed to roll down same way as Pipeline started well and commanded the game from the beginning. Trailing 14-10, KCB called a timeout and that was the change they needed to settle back into the game. They went on a 3-0 scoring run to tie the game.
From then on, they took control, improving on their reception and net defense and they levelled the tie, with Juliana Namutira striking a belter at match point to win them the set 25-19.
Like an old steam rolled train, KCB had now gathered some momentum and they were not about to let go. They were now using more of the shortballs in attack, Namutira, Mercy Moim and Belinda Barasa doing the famage.
They opened a six point gap, scores at 17-11 prompting Paul Gitau to call a time out on the Pipeline bench, but they couldn’t narrow the gap. At 21-12, Gitau sought to shift up his setters, skipper Ruth Magoi coming off for Faith Imodia.
They put in a shift to come back with Triza Atuka on the blocks taking the gape to four points at 22-18, but the bankers withstood the pressure to calmly win.
They were now one set away from victory but the fourth set was far more competitive. They toiled toe to toe until KCB opened a two point gap at 21-19 prompting a Pipeline time out. But it wasn’t to work much as KCB were on a roll, Edith Wisa making a brilliant block to win a point off Pamela Odhiambo for match point.
And it was the impressive 16-year old Marlyn Terry, a form three student at Kwanthanze Girls High School who would win the game for the bankers with a brilliant strike that pierced through the Pipeline block mounted by Atuka and Lydia Iswan.
