Debutants Kisumu Queens, Lakers hunt maximum points in Nairobi

Lakers Hockey Club players in a past action. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Women’s Premier League debutants Kisumu Queens will be looking to extend their good run this weekend when they clash with Sliders Hockey Club and Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) at Impala Club.

Currently second on the table with 14 points, four less than reigning champions Blazers Hockey Club, a double victory will spur them to the top of the standings.

Despite being first-timers in the top tier, Queens have an impressive record of winning four, drawing two, and losing one to their lakeside rivals, Lakers Hockey Club. They bounced back from a dull Premier League debut that saw them lose by a solitary goal to Lakers to position themselves as top contenders for this season’s trophy.

Tomorrow, they will clash with MSC ladies, who will be looking for victories to move them out of the relegation zone. MSC, who are second from the bottom with five points from six matches, will be hoping to regain their footing and revive their hopes of avoiding relegation. They will hunt for their second win of the season today against the third-placed Lakers, who also have a chance of topping the standings.

Lakers, just like Queens, have 14 points but are separated by the goal difference. Lakers, who are also having a great season, will clash with Amira Sailors in their last match of the first leg. Blazers, who have played eight out of their nine first-leg matches, will not be in action this weekend.

Former champions Strathmore University Scorpions, their United States International University (USIU-A) Spartans, Kenyatta University (KU) Titans, and bottom-placed Twinkle Hockey Club have no matches lined up this weekend. Twinkle, who were promoted to the Premier League alongside Kisumu Queens, remain winless after seven rounds of matches.

In the men’s Premier League title chase, defending champions Western Jaguars will be in Nairobi to play former winners Nairobi Sikh Union and Kenya Police today and tomorrow at Dashmesh Stadium.

Victories against Sikh Union and Police will see them leap into the top three for the first time this season. They are currently fifth on the table with 10 points from five matches, having won three, drawn one, and lost one.

A double victory will see Jaguars, who are determined to defend their title, narrow the point gap between them and leaders USIU-A Mashujaa as well as second-placed Butali Warriors. USIU-A, on the other hand, will be hoping to extend their lead to four points when they take on newbies Daikyo Heroes today.

USIU-A top the table with 19 points, and a win against Daikyo will see them end the first leg with 22 points.

Butali, who have played seven matches, winning six and suffering a humiliating 6-1 defeat at the hands of USIU-A students, will not be in action. Daikyo and struggling 2010 champions Strathmore University Gladiators will face off in a bottom-of-the-table clash tomorrow.