KCB coach: Valiant display gifted us Eldoret tourney title

KCB Women’s volleyball team dismantled arch-rivals Kenya Pipeline 3-1 to be crowned Eldoret City volleyball champions at the Eldoret National Polytechnic on Sunday.

The bankers won the opening set 25-17 before the oil merchants restored parity by bagging the second set 25-22.

The Ruaraka-based KCB then rode to victory by clinching vital wins in the second and third sets (25-23 and 26-24) to ease to a 3-1 win.

“I am full of delight with our win. The girls played their hearts out and deserved to win after their valiant display," KCB coach Japheth Munala said.

"We celebrate before resuming training as we plan for the third leg of the Kenya Volleyball Federation League set for early next year.”

On their way to the final, KCB trounced a stubborn Post Bank 3-1 in the highly contested semi-final duel.

The bankers claimed the first set 25-18, before losing the second 23-25. They would then go ahead to clinch the subsequent sets 25-17, and 25-21.

Youngster Pauline Chemutai who recently joined the Munala-led side from Kwanthanze Secondary School was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament and Malkia Striker’s Esther Mutinda scooped the Best Setter of the Tournament award.

Earlier in the day, KCB had to dig deep to win 3-2 against Kenya Pipeline in the last match of the group stages.

It was a rip-roaring encounter as KPC clinched the first set 25-20, and KCB came back to win the second and third sets by an identical scoreline of 25-23. Their rivals would claim the fourth set 25-19 before KCB won the decider 15-7.

Captain Edith Wisa lauded the young players- Pauline Jemutai, Faith Cherotich, and Sheila Wabwile who performed well against top teams in the competition.

KCB will resume action on January 8, 2024, in the third round of the KVF League.