KCB's captain Mercy Moim in action during their match against DCI/ HANDOUT
Kenya Pipeline defended the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Women’s National title after recovering from a game down to beat Kenya Prisons 2-1 in the bbest of three series.
Prisons drew first blood on Friday, winning the opening encounter 3-1 (25-23, 16-25, 29-27, 25-23) at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
However, Pipeline recovered on Saturday to level matters in a straight-set win (25-12, 25-21, 25-18) to leave Sunday’s encounter a winner takes all afiar.
Pipeline kept their momentum to claim the match and championship title in straight sets (25-22, 25-23, 25-22).
Meanwhile, Mercy Moim, who steered KCB to a third-place finish following a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 20-25, 25-21) win over DCI, believes they have what it takes to launch a better challenge next year.
Moim said the team’s unity and fighting spirit remained key throughout the playoffs, with the bronze medal providing motivation as they shift focus to their Kenya Cup title defence.
“Every player gave their all. We knew it would not be an easy match but we stayed focused on our game plan and fought for every point. Finishing with a medal is important for the team because it reflects our fighting spirit and gives us motivation heading into the next season,” said Moim.
Against DCI, KCB started strongly, using disciplined defending, effective blocking and clinical attacking to take control of the match and build a two-set advantage.
DCI responded by claiming the third set, but the bankers regrouped in the fourth to close out the contest.
Head coach Japheth Munala praised his players’ resilience, saying the bronze medal was a reward for their commitment during a demanding season.
“The players showed great character after a demanding campaign. We wanted to finish the season strongly, and they delivered exactly that. Winning the bronze medal is testament to the hard work, discipline and resilience the team has demonstrated all season. We will build on this performance as we prepare for the next campaign,” said Munala.
The bankers, who last won the KVF league title in 2022, will now turn their attention to the Kenya Cup.
In the men’s division, Kenya Ports Authority were crowned champions after defeating newcomers Chema VC 2-0 in the series.
Meanwhile, clubs will enter the new season with an added incentive after KVF secured a Sh17.3 million partnership with betPawa that will introduce the Locker Room Bonus (LRB) programme.
The deal will see players and technical officials in the men’s and women’s leagues receive Sh4,000 winning bonuses paid directly to their mobile money accounts.
A total of 494 beneficiaries, including 14 players and two technical staff from each team, will be covered under the initiative.
