Prisons defend womens volleyball league title

Kenya Prisons on Sunday successfully defended their Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) National Women’s League title after topping the playoff standings at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Makande Social Hall in Mombasa.

The Warderess edged out money bags KCB by 3-1 sets in the final match to finish a top of the four-team playoffs on eight points, with the win their third in a row since they snatched the title from Kenya Pipeline in 2018.

KCB settled for the runners up position with former champions Pipeline sealing the podium finish above DCI, who finished last on one point, as the curtains fell on the three-day volleyball league climax.

In the epic final match, Prisons were the first to come off the blocks winning the first set with 25-22 but the star studded KCB quickly restored parity in the second set with a 25-13 sets win.

The third set started on a high note with Prisons leading with 8-7 in the first technical time out in the neck-to-neck affair but they held on to win 25-21, and then clinched the fourth and the ultimate set with 25-17 as the Bankers fizzled out.

Prisons had defeated DCI 3-2 and Kenya Pipeline 3-1 Friday and Saturday respectively.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Prisons head coach Josp Barasa said after dominating the local league for three years, he is targeting the African glory next year even as he shifted focus to the next season which starts October.

“KCB is a very strong team and I knew they’ll have a big challenge but we were prepared. They’ve star players who were in the national team during the Olympics but we were on only one mission, to defend the title.

“We’d weaknesses in serving and reception but that didn’t overshadow the performance in all the sets. Now, as I focus on next season we want to reclaim the African title next year because we need to prove we’re strong not only in Kenya but also in the continent,” Barasa, who is also the Malkia Strikers assistant coach, told Citizen Digital.

His opposite number Japheth Munala rued unforced errors and poor reception for their defeat.

“We’d some unnecessary mistakes which cost us the win and also our reception was not good. We’re still rebuilding the squad and we’re still on course and soon we will click,” he said.

Prisons and KCB  booked tickets for the next year’s African Club Championships for finishing first and second respectively.