CHAMPS IN STYLE: Kenya Prisons bag 2016 men’s volleyball title

volleyball national league playoffs winner Kenya Prisons mens volleyball team players carry shoulder high their manager Hassan Jari as they celebrate after wining this year's Kenya Volleyball Federation National League playoffs at the KPA Makande GYM after beating KPA 3-0. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Kenya Prisons are the new national men volleyball champions after they finished the national playoffs unbeaten yesterday at the Makande Indoor Gymnasium, Mombasa.

The Prison warders proved patience and proper preparations pay, after waiting for three years in the cold.

The former champions wrestled the title from the immediate former champions General Service Unit (GSU) after they mercilessly clobbered Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20) in a nail-bitting deciding match watched by thousands of fans who included Speaker of the Senate Ekwe Ethuro.

Prisons started the match positively leading 5-0 before KPA called for a time out to reorganise themselves as the warders took an 8-4 lead in the first technical time out before extending the lead to 16-14 in the second technical time out.

Prisons coached by Gideon Chenje and keenly watched by Team Manager David Kilundu the new champions needed 27 minutes to win the set. In the subsequent two sets, Prisons led by Ibrahim Oduor and Kelvin Maiyo were lethal to win 25-20 and 25-20 within 21 and 26 minutes respectively.

Coach Chenje said. It was a must win match and we are happy our strenuous training and preparations have paid dividends at last.

KPA coach cum player James Ontere conceded defeat. “ We lost to a better side but we shall go back to the drawing boards and prepare adequately for next season,” said Ontere.
Prison who finished the playoffs with unbeaten run won with six points and will represent the country in next year’s continental club championships in South Africa.

In ladies, Kenya Commercial Bank filled the third position after they defeated Nairobi Water 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-16).

Coached by Vernon Khainga, KCB came from a set down to win the match and they should thank Linet Mukambi, Eunice Maiyo and Leah Ndeso for standing firm.
Nairobi Water handled by Joseph Waiganjo and through Rose Wangari and Lucy Jeruto gave their best but the bankers seemed well prepared for the match.

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