SCHOOLS: Champions Kesogon off to a flying start

Kesogon Secondary School volleyball team players play against Kwathanze. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

National girls volleyball champions Kesogon Secondary School from Rift Valley on Sunday made their intentions to retain their title known with a straight sets win over Nairobi Region champions Soweto Academy at Cardinal Otunga High School Mosocho.

Kesogon settled in the match to easily take the first and second sets 25-13 and 25-17. Soweto would stage some resistance in the third set but Kesogon who are eyeing their second national gong proved to be stronger to take it 25-21.

Today, Kesogon will be out to book their place in the semi-finals when they take on Senior Chief Adano from North Eastern in their second Group A match.

In another Group A tie, home girls Nyakongo will play against Soweto who are still in hunt for their first win. Nyakongo beat Senior Chief Adano 3-0(25-7,25-12, 25-5).

In the boys contest, former national champions Hospital Hill from Nairobi returned to the nationals with a bang.

Hospital Hill, who returned to the nationals after a four-year absence, beat North Eastern's County High 3-0(25-8, 25-14, 25-8) in their opening Group A match.

Hospital Hill who are looking to recapture the title they last won in 2013 will today take on Nyanza's Nyabondo. A win for Hospital Hill will see them secure the last four slot. Nyabondo who dismissed Central champions Kiaguthu High School 3-0(25-20, 25-19, 26-24) are also yearning to be the first side from Group A to reach the semis.

Going into today's tie, Hospital Hill coach Andrew Bahati said that their aim will be to qualify for the semis. "We have waited for so long to be here and we are determined to make the best out of it. We want to win our second match so we can seal a place in the semis-finals with a match at hand," Bahati said.

At Kisii School, netball champions Oyugi Ogango edged out Western region's Bumala AC 46-36 in their Group B opener. Former winners Kaya Tiwi from Coast chalked a narrow 37-33 victory against Eastern's Syumile Secondary.