Kenya Volleyball Federation : Champs GSU start title defense on a winning note

By Oscar Pilipili

Champions General Service Unit (GSU) lived up to their promise after they won their first two matches in the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) National Division One men’s league in Kericho last Friday.

GSU started their title defence on a promising note after they beat Oserian 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-23) in their first match of the league this season.

They would then beat  Prisons Kakamega 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-12) in their second match to bring their win-loss record in the league to 2-0.

Before travelling to Kericho, GSU coach Gideon Tarus had stated that their strategy  was to achieve clear victories at early stages of the league to qualify for the play-offs without much struggle.

“We’re going out for victory in our first two matches of the league because we don’t want a repeat of last year’s fate where we struggled to qualify for play-offs,” Tarus told FeverPitch before travelling to Kericho last Thursday.

And after the match, he said: “I want to congratulate my players for starting the league on a winning note. I hope we will maintain consistency to the last match of the league.”

Kericho was a perfect hunting ground for disciplined forces as Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) also won their two fixtures of the league.

The Laikipia-based soldiers beat Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) in their opening match of the day.

KDF would then achieve their second victory of the league following straight sets victory of 25-20, 25-16, 25-22 against Finlays of Naivasha.

Prisons Kenya who recently returned home after participating in the African Club Championships in Tunisia were forced to use every ounce of their energy to defeat Forest Rangers 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 27-25) in their lone fixture of the league.

Forest Rangers did not return home empty handed as they had beaten Kiambu County team 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-16) in their first match of the day.

Co-operative Bank recorded two inspiring victories beating Kenya Airways 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-20) and Mount Kenya University (3-0) 25-18, 25-18, 25-19) to return home unscathed after the second round of the league.

Prisons Mombasa who have had a great run in the league continued their fairy tale run after they beat Finlays 3-1 (27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17) in a four setter thriller.

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) defeated Kenya Airways 3-1 (19-25, 27-25, 25-11, 25-19) in the other men’s league match played.

In national women’s league, Nairobi Water defeated Mount Kenya University Eldoret 3-0 (25-6, 25-9, 25-13) and went ahead to outclass Kenya Commercial Bank in straight sets of 25-21, 25-20, 26-24.

KDF women also had a field day after they won all their two matches to occupy second position in the league’s table standings. —[email protected]