Kisumu Lakers hammer Capital Braves 15-0 to continue Africa Club Championship dominance

Lakers celebrate after beating Strathmore University during Africa Cup For Club Champions at City Park Hockey Stadium last February. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Lakers Hockey Club continued with their dominance at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup for Club Champions Tournament (ACCC) on Monday after thrashing Capital Braves from Malawi 15-0 at the National Hockey Stadium in Blantyre, Malawi.

The win saw the Kisumu County side scored 27 goals in two matches as they seek a maiden title in the 10-day tournament being played in round-robin.

Lakers captain Alice Owiti gave the Kenyan outfit a dream start after converting a penalty corner inside the opening four minutes before making it 2-0 two minutes later with a well taken field goal.

Former Kenya national team captain Gilly Okumu signed temporarily from Amira Sailors made it 3-0 in the 10th minute before reigning KHU Premier League MVP Aurelia Opondo and Lynn Mumbi made sure Lakers took a healthy 5-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Owiti completed her hat trick in the 15th minute to stretch the scores to 6-0 before passing the scoring mantle to Debra Achieng who scored a quick brace for a 8-0 half time lead.

In the final half, Agneta Nafula joined the party in the 33rd minute to make it 9-0.

Okumu made it a brace three minutes later before Achieng completed her hat trick, her maiden in the continental arena as Lakers led 11-0 at the end of the third quarter.

Pauline Ochieng and Elizabeth Awuor made it 13-0 with 10 minutes left on the clock before Mumbi stretched it to 14-0 in the 55th minute.

Okumu who won the 2022 KHU Women’s Premier League title with Strathmore University Scorpions completed her hat trick, her second in the tournament to round off the scores.

Okumu now has scored seven goals in two matches to lead Laker’s top goal scoring charts. Mumbi and Owiti follow with six goals and five goals respectively.

On Saturday, Okumu scored four goals as Lakers showed no signs of fatigue despite travelling 2227.6 kilometers by bus from Nairobi to Malawi to win 12-0 against Scorpions of Malawi.

Lynn Mumbi also scored four goals in the match as captain Owiti netted a brace. Aurelia Opondo and Yvette Kanyandong sealed the win.

Laker’s only draw in the tournament came on Sunday when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Blazers Hockey Club.

Lakers being led by Owiti could not sound the bar in the four quarters as they drew for the second consecutive time in the continental event.

In February, Lakers drew 1-1 against Blazers when they debuted at the delayed 2022 event.