Bafia endure pain at the hands of Prisons

By Oscar Pipili

Champions Kenya Prisons beat Bafia of Cameroon 3-1 (25-9, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17) to register their second win at the African Clubs Championships.

Prisons’ Lydia Maiyo and Esther Mwombe showed good combination easily leading their side to 25-9 first set win.

Floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee, Maiyo and Mwombe disoriented the Cameroonians with powerful spikes to help Prisons take the second set 25-19.

Home fans expected Prisons to wrap up the match in the third set, but the wardresses dropped their guard.

Bafia led by Mantbana Ambassa dug deep technically and scored vital points to lead Prisons 8-3 and 16-11 at the first and second time out on the way to winning the third set.

The introduction of Mercy Moim and Elizabeth Wanyama restored Prisons’ tempo and with the support of home fans they piled pressure on their opponents to win the fourth set 25-17.

Coach David Lung’aho and team captain Catherine Simiyu conceded they lost focus in the third set.

Simiyu said: "We relaxed in the third set which was a grave mistake, we hope it will never happen again."

Kenyan teams recorded a clear round one after they won all their respective opening group matches.

Prisons showed the rest of the local teams the way beating Kutlwano of Botswana 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-14 in a second match of the event.

National champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) did not disappoint as they overcame Kampala Amateur of Uganda 3-0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-19).

Former continental champions, Pipeline maintained the winning streak for the local sides after they saw off Water Sports of Ethiopia 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-11).

Other round one results: Bafia (Cam) Les Les As (Bur) 3-0 (27-7, 25-7, 25-4), Injis (Cam) Jadida Morocco 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-19), APR (Rwa) Fed Prisons (Eth) 3-1 (25-10, 25-17, 20-25, 25-19, 15-9), Al Ahly (Egy) Canon (DRC) 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-17), Bajaia (Alg) VC Club (DRC) 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-21).