NAIROBI, Kenya, June 10 – Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) ladies volleyball team showed the mark of champions when they beat Kenya Prisons 3-0 to successfully defend their national league crown in their tiebreaker match at the Kasarani Indoor Arena on Sunday evening.
The bankers triumphed in sets of 25-22, 25-17 and 25-21 to clinch their second league crown in two seasons, following last year’s dethroning of Kenya Pipeline at the same venue.
Coach Japheth Munala was a mighty relieved man, admitting their journey to the top was paved with tough opponents who stretched them to the limit.
“It was very hard, starting with Kenya Army in the quarterfinals. Then we met DCI in the semi-finals and had to go through five sets before we were able to beat them. Prisons beat us in the first leg of this final. It wasn’t easy as you can see but credit goes to players for their composure and for bringing the trophy back home,” Munala said.
The tiebreaker was always poised to be a firecracker after coach Josp Baraza’s charges had flipped the script on Friday with a straight sets (26-24, 25-16, and 25-17) victory over the defending champions.
However, the 2022 African Club champions steadied themselves to win by the same scoreline on Saturday – in sets of 28-26, 26-24 and 25-21.
The bankers also had to make do without dependable attacker Sharon Chepchumba – who walked away limping in the first leg – as well as national team captain Mercy Moim.
In their absence, Munala was forced to turn to outside hitter Juliana Namutira who gave a good account of herself after a jittery start on Friday.
The gaffer waxed lyrical about his new find.
“I have coached her since Form 1 when she was at Soweto then I brought her to KCB as well as the national team. She is a player who has grown with me and I’ve monitored her all through. I am not surprised she has been crowned the best player,” he said.
Munala, also the national team coach, will now turn his attention to preparations for this month’s Challenger Cup in the Philippines and the Paris Olympics in July.
He admits it is a race against time.
“These playoffs had delayed our preparations…we ought to have started last month. We begin preparing tomorrow afternoon until we head to the Philippines for the Challenger Cup. Afterwards, we will be off to Miramas for the residential training camp before we go to Paris. There are players who have impressed in the playoffs and will definitely get a chance to train with the national team and if they do better, become part of the team to the Olympics,” Munala said.
Africa Club Championships bronze medalists Kenya Pipeline finished third after trouncing Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in straight sets of 25-17, 25-16, and 25-22.
