Kenya Prisons, KCB win openers in Africa Club Champs
Kenya Commercial Bank's Sharleen Maywa celebrates a point against Kenya Defence Force (KDF) during their Kenya Volleyball Federation National League match played at Nyayo National Stadium on April 30, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Kelibia headline pool ‘A’ which has Rwanda Revenue Authority from Rwanda, FAP of Cameroon and Volleyball Club La loi of Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Prisons were the last Kenyan team to win the title in 2013 in Madagascar after a hard fought 3-2 win over GS Petroliers of Algeria.
KCB Women’s Volleyball Team and Kenya Prisons won their respective matches as 2022 African Clubs Championship served off in Kelibia,Tunisia on Sunday.
The bankers swept aside Mimosa of Ivory Coast 3-0 (25-13,25-12,25-10), while Prisons defeated Chief Naval of Nigeria 3-0(25-9,25-18,25-20).
KCB are in a tricky pool ‘B’ that has also reigning champions Carthage of Tunisia and Ndejje University of Uganda. The Kenyans will on Monday battle Carthage.
Prisons in the meantime landed in a relatively easy pool ‘C’ that has National Alcohol of Ethiopia, Rwanda Patriotic Army of Rwanda and Naval of Nigeria.
They play National Alcohol in their second match on Monday.
Reached for comment, Prisons coach Josp Barasa said they have no choice but to emerge first in their pool to have an upper hand going forward.
“The pool is not bad but the system has changed and now all the participating teams qualify for the second round unlike the previous events where the top two in each pool proceeded to the quarterfinal. We therefore have no choice but to win all our matches and I’m happy we got off well,” said Barasa, who doubled up as national women’s team second assistant coach.
Barasa fielded setter Herman Kipyegon, left attackers Brackcides Agala and Meldine Sande, right attacker Emmacute Chemtai, middle blockers Lorine Chebet and Anne Lowem and libero Elizabeth Wanyama.
The East Africans easily bagged the first set 25-9 with Naval offering little resistance.
Barasa rested the experienced Agala for Pamela Masaisai in the second set. The West Africans improved in attacks and managed to improve on their set scores, but still lost the set 25-18 and the third set 25-20.
Kenya Pipeline are scheduled to play Customs of Nigeria on Sunday night.
Pipeline, who finished fifth in the last edition that was held at the same venue, were drawn in pool tricky 'D' alongside record champions Al Ahly of Egypt, Al Wak of Ghana and Customs of Nigeria.
Kelibia headline pool ‘A’ which has Rwanda Revenue Authority from Rwanda, FAP of Cameroon and Volleyball Club La loi of Democratic Republic of Congo.
Prisons were the last Kenyan team to win the title in 2013 in Madagascar after a hard fought 3-2 win over GS Petroliers of Algeria.
