Big wins for champions Kenya Prisons, KDF and Trailblazers

Kenya Prisons players celebrates scoring a point against GSU during a past encounter at Kasarani Gymnasium. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Champions Kenya Prisons on Thursday trounced their Western Prisons compatriots in straight sets as the third leg of the 2024-2025 Kenya Volleyball Federation Men's National League got underway at Nyayo Gymnasium.

The victory saw Kenya Prisons, who are looking to successfully defend their title and extend their reign to three years in a row, stretch their unbeaten run to seven matches.

The Dennis Mokua coached-side made their intentions to carry the day from the onset even as Western Prisons showed some resistance.

However, their hopes of registering their first win were thwarted as experience and desire to remain in control saw Kenya Prisons carry the day 3-0(25-19, 25-21, 25-20).

Coach Mokua said that they prepared very well for the resumption of the league because every match is crucial.

"We trained well in preparation for the remaining part of the season, every match is important to us because the outcome determines how we finish the season," Mokua said.

Kenya Prisons will today take on the National Youth Service (NYS) while Western Prisons will make another attempt to seal their first win when they play Kenya Army.

Prisons Nairobi also had a bad day in office as they succumbed to their second loss this season. They put up a brave fight but Trailblazers outclassed them 3-0(25-20, 25-19, 25-20) to chalk their fourth win.

The victory cemented Trailblazers place in the top eight enhancing their chances of sealing a playoffs slot.

Trailblaers will entertain Prisons Rift Valley whereas Nairobi Prisons will hoping to redeem themselves when they play Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

In another encounter, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) overcame Administration Police Kenya (APK) in straight sets to make it two wins out of three outings.

The match was tightly contested with both sides alternating to score points in a neck-to-neck battle that saw the soldiers who proved that they were hungrier for victory overpower the police officer.

KDF fought to take the first two sets with an identical score of 26-24 before APK relented in the third set to allow the soldiers take the set 25-20 and snatch victory.

KDF will today take on struggling Mt Kenya Base Yetu which is currently second from the bottom while APK will not be in action.

Kenya Forest Services (KFS) added more misery to winless NYS trainees after subjecting them to a 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-19).

The victory enhanced KFS' chances of remaining in the top eight after third leg matches. They, however, face an uphill task today when they face off with former champion General Service Unit (GSU) in their fifth tie of the season.