Birech challenges KDF to end GSU’s volleyball reign in playoffs

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) men volleyball team head coach Pius Birech is confident his charges will challenge the defending champions General Service Unit (GSU) for the title when the much awaited league play-off serve off at the Kasarani Indoor Arena on Friday.

The military side has in the recent past beefed up their squad with six young players helping them to qualify for the KVF Playoffs for the first time in two years.

Pius Birech, KDF head coach told Citizen Digital that his side will fight tooth and nail to edge GSU in the play-offs and clinch the championship.

“I have an ambitious young team and we are working very hard, correcting our mistakes before the kick off. We are determined to represent the country in the up coming clubs championships,” the soft spoken military man affirmed.

According to Willy Korom, Birech’s assistant, the young players in the squad have injected new tactics and skills in the team that will help them propel not only in the play-offs but also in the future.

“New energetic young players, new skills, that is what we have. We want to finish at the top and we will take each game at a time and we are also looking forward to next season,” Korom told .

In the women play-offs Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) will be looking to break the monopoly and dominance of the Kenya Pipeline who have won the title for five successive years.

However, the bankers have been hit with two injuries, Milderline Lituvula and Fosker Kasisi have been ruled out of the weekend play-offs.

Despite, the two injuries, KCB head coach David Muthui believes he have the best team to challenge for the 2018 title.

“We have studied keenly our opponents especially Pipelines and we know where their weaknesses are, we are prepared to take them on,”

“But there is no easy team here, these are the best four teams in the league and therefore we cannot underrate any opponent,” a confident Muthui said.

The much decorated team started the season on a low notch but the players and the management have worked together to be among the top teams according to the team’s captain, Gladys Wairimu.

“We are very excited that we will be playing at the playoffs, the morale is very high and everybody on the team is talking win win win,” excited Wairimu commented.

Other than Pipelines, KCB will lock horns with Kenya Prisons and Bungoma County Club while KDF men will take on GSU, Kenya Prisons and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the three-day play-offs that run from Friday to Sunday.

Gideon Tarus, GSU boss has admitted  it will be difficult for him to retain the title.

“We will do everything to retain the title but its not easy for us, this time we have great teams in the play-offs,” Tarus noted.

His sentiments were echoed by his main setter, Nicholas Kiprotich who hailed his mates for working as a team since the beginning of the season.

“We are working as a team to make sure that we retain the title which is not easy,” Kiprotich averred.

The winner of the KVF league will have a chance to represent Kenya in the African Championships.