General Service Unit (GSU) leap-frogged Nairobi Water at the summit of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) men’s league.
This was after they were awarded two walk-overs and a win against Co-operative Bank at the Voi Stadium, Taita Taveta County last weekend.
The champions laboured to beat a determined Co-operative 3-1 before being awarded six points against Bungoma County and Administration Police, who failed to turn up for the seventh leg, for the Gideon Tarus’ side to take their points tally to 30 and go top of the table for the first time this season.
Second placed Water, who only have one game remaining against Bungoma, beat Mount Kenya University (MKU) by straights sets (25-11,25-17,25-16) to take their points tally to 29.
Save for Kenya Prisons, Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya Defence Forces, the top two teams have already secured a slot in the national playoffs slated for November 25-27.
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But for Prisons, the former champions must not drop a set against KPA and KDF next month to progress to the play-offs, while KPA and KDF, who missed the Taveta leg, are set for a do-or-die fourth place battle next month.
Prisons though eased a bit of pressure off their chest with a hard fought 3-1(25-18,25-20,20-25,25-20) win over Mombasa Prisons as the dockers got a walk over against Bungoma to push their points to 24.
In the Women’s League, Prisons Kenya extended their stay at the top of the table after overcoming Kenya Commercial Bank by straight sets of 25-14,25-14,25-18 as champions Kenya Pipeline confirmed their playoffs slot by beating Nairobi Water 3-1.
However, Water also got a walkover against Bungoma and defeated KCB to move third on the table (13 points).
Meanwhile, Kenya Ports Authority (Men) and Prisons Kenya (Women) were crowned the champions of the inaugural Taita Taveta-Governors Cup after beating their respective opponents in the finals on Sunday.
KPA upset league champions General Service Unit by 3-2 in a thrilling five-set clash to hand their newly appointed coach cum player James Ontere a perfect welcome.
“I’m still recovering from the shoulder injury and I will only be able to make informed decision about the future of my playing career after full recovery. My main target right now is to build a strong team by recruiting young and quality players,” said Ontere, who is also a national team player.
Prisons also completed a Cup double over league champions Kenya Pipeline, beating them 3-2 for the second time in less than a month after Homa Bay triumph.
“I am pleased with the team’s performance, though we didn’t play as we did in Homa Bay. All the same, it’s a motivating show ahead of the play-offs,” said Prisons coach David Lung’aho.
Elsewhere, the Kenya Volleyball Federation Nairobi branch have received a Sh1m boost from Johnson and Johnson company for this year’s Savlon Tournament that serves off on September 17 at Eastleigh High School.
Unlike last year, where universities men and women’s champions were awarded Sh30,000 and the runners-up Sh25,000, this year’s winners and runners-up will bag Sh40,000 and Sh30,000 respectively.
