Pipeline out to recapture continental club title

From left: Pipeline Volleyball players Noel Murambi, Trizah Atuka and Esther Wangechi pose with their national league trophy yesterday in Nairobi. [Dennis Okeyo, Standard]

Kenya Volleyball Federation women league champions Kenya Pipeline have set their eyes on winning an eighth Africa Women’s Club Championship title in Cairo, Egypt on March 6-15.

The national powerhouse booked their ticket to represent Kenya after seeing off perennial rivals Kenya Prisons at the national playoffs last November to win a fourth consecutive national title.

In the process, the  team also scooped four individual awards with Violet Makuto crowned Most Valuable Player, team captain Trizah Atuka taking best attacker title, best libero was won by Agrippina Kundu while Janet Wanja was named best setter.

Yesterday the team, which is already training at Kasarani Gymnasium in preparation for the Africa Championships  were hosted for breakfast by their sponsors Kenya Pipeline Company.

“We are getting used to winning the local championships, its high time we aim bigger by winning the continental trophy once again,” said Atuka.

Atuka also praised the management’s decision to give the team medical insurance cover and upgrade their training pitch into state of the art gymnasium.

“We are grateful to receive the medical cover that will cater for in-and-out patient for the players and their families. Also over the years we have not had a good training ground, it’s a good thing for the company to construct a new facility for the team,” Atuka said.

Coach Japheth Munala admits the team will miss the service of Violet Makuto who is in Dubai.