Kenya Pipeline captain Rose Magoi has challenged the team to reciprocate the company’s support by winning the Africa Club Volleyball Championships title.
The oil merchants are set to take on Egypt’s Zamalek in the final today as the curtains on the annual championship are brought down after 10 days of action.
Pipeline, who last won the competition in 2005, finished third last year. The Paul Gitau-coached side beat Tunisia’s Carthage in the semifinals in a five-set thriller on Saturday.
“The match against Carthage was one of our toughest so far, but the result swung in our favour because we were determined to go all the way,” Magoi said after their victory against Carthage.
“We are itching for the title that we last won almost 18 years ago. We have to return home with the title to repay the faith shown in us by the management.
“The players are psyched up because Managing Director Joe Sang will be cheering us from the stands,” Magoi added.
Magoi, who was feted as the best setter in the Kenya Volleyball Federation national league last season, said complacency will be Pipeline’s main undoing should they try to underrate their opponents who they have no information about the way they play. “We have neither played Zamalek for a while nor known their players. They look like a completely new outfit and we can only underrate them at our own peril. Winning the title calls for focus from the first whistle to the end,” she said.
The six-time African champions have finished either second or third on 13 occasions in the last 18 years. Pipeline remain unbeaten in the competition and have been a cut above the rest even on the local scene.
They won the league title in January unbeaten. Kenya’s other representatives in the women’s cadre, KCB, who are the defending champions, were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Mouloudia of Algeria.
