Title wait continues: Prisons beaten 3-1 by hosts Carthage in semi-finals encounter

Kenyan volleyball Violet Makuto of Kenya Prisons (R) strikes against Janet Wanja of Kenya Pipeline during their 24th Women's African Club Championship semi final match in Carthage, Tunisia, April 25, 2014. Kenya Prisons won 3-0. Photo/Stephen Mudiari/www. Pic centre.com (TUNISIA).

Hopes shattered Kenyan clubs shown dust in women’s volleyball club championship

Kenyan clubs will have to wait a little longer to reclaim the African Women’s Volleyball Club Championship title after Kenya Prisons fell to hosts Carthage 3-1 (25-21, 25-13, 24-26, 25-12) in Friday’s semi-final, at Mzali Hall, in Monistar, Tunisia.

Prisons, was the last Kenyan club to lift the title in 2013 when they beat GSP of Algeria to win their fifth continental crown in Madagascar.

A lot was expected from the wardresses after they had edged-out pre-tournament favourites and arch-rivals Kenya Pipeline 3-2 in a five set quarter-finals thriller the previous day.

But coach David Lung’aho’s side failed to live up to the expectations, falling to last year’s losing finalists in the last four.

“I think we were just out of the game, maybe fatigue from Pipeline’s game because we couldn’t move in the first two sets until I pulled out five players.

“We recovered in the third set but we couldn’t maintain the tempo at which Carthage was playing,” Lung’aho told The Standard Sports from Tunisia.

“We actually lost to a better team. Even Ahly have lost to Shams in the semis, sometimes things just don’t work out.”

Prisons took a 6-5 lead in the first set, but Carthage overturned the score to take a 13-11 lead thanks to their home support. However, Prisons capitalized on the Tunisians’ errors to draw level (14-14).

The Kenyan side went ahead 19-16 after the first technical time out, but Carthage fought back to get three points to tie at 19.

Once again, Carthage regained the lead after two technical time-outs and held their nerves to claim the first set 25-21.

The second set did not trouble the hosts as they took a quick lead at 6-3 after several errors from Prisons. Carthage went on to win it 25-13.

Prisons bounced back strongly to claim the third set 26-24 but just like the first set, the home fans pushed Carthage to easily win the fourth set 25-12.

Carthage will now clash with Shams, who pulled off a shocking 3-2 (25-19, 15-25, 18-25, 25-17, 15-8) victory over neighbours and record holders Al Ahly, in the final tomorrow as Prisons take on Ahly in a third place playoffs.