Malava reclaim volleyball title

Malava Boys High School with the East Africa secondary school games volleyball trophy which they won on September 3, 2016 in Eldoret. PHOTO: DENNIS OKEYO

Kenya's fortunes at this year's Brookside East Africa Secondary School games increased as Malava walloped APAPEN of Rwanda 3-0 to recapture their regional volleyball crown.

The Kenyan boys left nothing to chance as they battled their Rwandan counterparts in hunt for glory.

Carrying lessons from their failures of last two years they charged on attacking from the onset to snatch the trophy that eluded them last year as they suffered a 1-3 defeat to Rwanda's Rusumo in the finals.

Led by captain Abiud Chirchir, the homeboys comprising Elphas Makuto, Nicholas Matui, Elvis Kimutai, Emmanuel Kipkosgei, John Kipkemboi, Vincent Kipkosgei, Vincent Kirwa and Joseph Walukaya controlled the proceedings to take the first 25-16.

APAPEN seemed more composed in the second set not allowing victory-hungry Malava any chance to stretch the lead and break away but trailing them by one or two points and forcing a tie for the better part of the second set.

It was Makuto and Chirchir's strong attacks and defence at the back, blended with good blocking from Matui and Kipkemboi that gave them the second set 25-20.

With one hand on the trophy, there was no looking back for Malava as they pressed on to win the third set 25-18 and salvage the title they had lost to St Mary's Kitende of Uganda in 2013 and failed to recapture last year.

''It has been two years of so close yet so far for us but am glad we made it happen,'' an elated Malava Coach Shadrack Tovoko said.

He added that credit goes to his players who remained true to their cause through hard work, dedication, determination and discipline.

''I must commend my players because if it were not for them I wouldn't be the winning coach today. They remained positive and focused even the we lost the national crown they still believed that the East Africa title was within reach."

Malava who reclaimed their gong unbeaten avenged their 2-3 lose to local rivals Cheptil at the country finals that saw them relinquish the national gong. They beat Cheptil 3-1 in the semi-finals to secure a date with APAPEN who had dismissed last year's champions Rusumo 3-2 in the second semis.

National title holders Cheptil finished a distance fourth after falling for the second time in one Championship to Rwanda kings Rusumo.

However, Cheptil refused to go down without a fight stretching the Rwandans in a five-set thriller. But they gave into pressure succumbing to a 2-3 loss.