Defending women's hockey Premier League Champions Blazers are match fit and mentally prepared to take on USIU-A Spartans this weekend at the City Park Stadium.
The 22-time record champions will be without the services of experienced striker Jacqueline Mwangi due to injury. Eleanor Chebet is likely to lead the line-up in the absence of last season's top scorer.
Despite the financial challenges crippling the team, coach Josephine Ataro, said the girls are fired up. Ataro will handle the team in the absence of Jos Openda, who will be away on personal reasons.
"The girls are very much ready fitness-wise, technically and also psychologically. Part of the motivation is because we are starting afresh as Blazers having re-branded midway last season. Mwangi is out but we have quality replacements for her."
Serial winner Openda wished the team success and tipped them to once again dominate the fixture. "I hope that the lack of sponsorship will not have ripple effects on the girls. There's a reason for optimism because we beat this team many times previously."
Spartans will be without striker Vivian Esimi who is recuperating from an ankle injury. USIU coach Willis Okeyo earlier in the week asked his charges to bounce back from the losses they suffered last season against Blazers. The students were the runners up.
Elsewhere, Strathmore University Scorpions will take on newbies Wolverines. Wolverines coach Gordon Oduor reckons that the match will gauge the readiness of his charges for the season.
"This opening match will give us a bearing for the season because in the past three years or so Strathmore have performed well. The players have not bonded well but we will use our quality to get a positive result."
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology JKUAT will battle it out against Kenyatta University Titans in the women's Super League. Both sides were in the Premier League last season.
Nairobi Chapel, who lost 11-0 against Multimedia University MMU will try to redeem themselves when they face off University of Nairobi. In the men's Super League, Kenya College of Accountancy University KCAU welcome Nakuru while MMU play Wazalendo Masters.
