Champions KCB Bank lock horns with Pipeline in Kenya Cup final

Prisons Kenya’s Elias Makuto spikes the ball against Omar Hassan and Trevor Omondi of Chema during Kenya Cup semifinal match at Kasarani Gymnasium on July 25, 2026. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

An epic showdown is in the offing on Sunday as defending champions KCB Bank battle it out with newly crowned league queens Kenya Pipeline in the finals of the second edition of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Kenya Cup at Kasarani Indoor Arena.

With stakes higher than ever before, the bankers who failed to recapture the league trophy they lost to Oilers in 2025 will have everything to fight for as they seek to firm their grip on their gong. However, they face an uphill task against Pipeline, who have been impressive throughout the season and will be looking to complete a double.

KCB will hope to carry their fighting spirit and momentum from the semi-finals duel, which saw them recover from second and fourth set jitters to beat the wardresses in a heart-stopping five-set thriller. Pauline Chemtai’s outstanding performance won her player of the match award in addition to anchoring the bankers to victory.

With fresh memories of their heartbreaking league semi-final eliminations at the hands of the wardresses, the bankers fought tooth and nail to win the tightly contested first set 25-23. Prisons responded by returning the favour in the second set, winning it 25-22 to draw level. KCB regained their footing to bag the third set 25-19 and take a 2-1 lead. However, the wardresses refused to let them have their way easily as they fought gallantly to take the fourth 25-22 and set the stage for the tie-breaker.

Knowing too well that their title was on the line, KCB remained calm even when they were trailing to come from behind, snatch the fifth set 15-12, and remain on course to defend their trophy. While the bankers had to dig deep to seal their play-offs slot, the Oilers had it easy with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) seeing them off in straight sets to set today’s explosive final duel.

Despite a grueling first set that the sleuths pushed them to the limits, Pipeline outlasted them to take it 29-27 to gain the much-needed advantage. They then dominated the second and third sets to carry the day in scores of 25-16 and 25-18. Today’s final and third-place play-offs matches are a repeat of the first edition, where KCB, Pipeline and Prisons secured gold, silver and bronze, respectively.

In the men’s title battle, Chema Volleyball Club dismissed Kenya Prisons 3-1 to secure their place in the final. They dominated the match from the onset, winning the first two sets 25-21 and 25-18. The warders delayed their victory by winning the third set 25-21, but they bounced back to kill off the game after grabbing the fourth set 25-22.