Kenya Prisons captain Joy Luseneka/ HANDOUT
Kenya Prisons' captain Joy Luseneka has challenged her teammates to bounce back from their Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) National League final disappointment by mounting a strong challenge for the Kenya Cup title.
The wardresses begin their knockout campaign against KCB this weekend at the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi.
Prisons lost the National League final to defending champions Kenya Pipeline on Sunday, extending their wait for a league title that dates back to 2021. Pipeline retained the championship following a dominant season that re-established them as the country’s top women’s side.
Despite the setback, Luseneka believes the lessons learned during the high-pressure league playoffs will fuel the team’s drive for silverware in the second edition of the Kenya Cup.
“We have to put the league final behind us and focus on what is ahead. Losing the final was painful, but it has also shown us the areas we need to improve. The Kenya Cup gives us another opportunity to compete for a trophy and we have to approach every match with determination,” Luseneka said.
Still searching for their first title in the competition, the wardresses face defending champions KCB in Saturday’s semifinal at Kasarani.
Prisons earned their spot in the last four and maintained their unbeaten tournament run with a commanding 3-0 (25-22, 25-10, 25-5) quarterfinal victory over Nairobi Prisons at the Nyayo Stadium gymnasium.
Their clash with KCB renews a fierce rivalry. The bankers were crowned champions in the inaugural Kenya Cup edition after defeating Kenya Pipeline in last year’s final.
The three-day tournament runs from Friday to Sunday at Kasarani, featuring quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place playoffs, and finals across both men’s and women’s divisions.
Prisons will rely heavily on their key standout performers, including Lorine Chebet, who was named the tournament’s Best Server, and Mercy Cherono, who earned the Best Outside Hitter award.
However, they will also need to neutralize KCB’s attack, led by Best Opposite Hitter Terry Tata, who remains a central offensive threat for the bankers.
The women’s semifinals kick off Saturday at 10 pm with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) taking on Kenya Pipeline, followed by the KCB vs. Prisons match at 12 pm. The women’s third-place playoff takes place Sunday at 10 am, leading into the final at 2 pm.
In the men’s competition, Friday’s quarterfinals open with Prisons facing the Administration Police of Kenya (APK) at 10 am, followed by Chema against the Kenya Airport Police Unit (KAPU) at 12 pm.
Defending champions General Service Unit (GSU) take on Equity Bank at 2 pm, before Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) battle the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) at 4 pm.
The men’s semifinals will be held on Saturday, with both the men’s and women’s finals concluding the tournament on Sunday.
