Carthage assault: Prisons, Pipeline win CAVB African Women’s Club matches

By Oscar Pilipili

Janet Wanja. [PHOTO: FILE/FIVB]

Defending champions Kenya Prisons and Kenya Pipeline were in bullish mood after they won respective opening matches in the CAVB African Women’s Club Championships in Tunisia.

Pipeline needed just 48 minutes to dismiss Rwanda Patriotic Army (APR) 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-17) in Pool ‘D’ encounter that opened the competition in Carthage last Saturday.

Prisons started their title defense promisingly after they rallied to defeat Bafia of Cameroon 3-1 (20-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-11) in a four setter Pool B match.

According to a statement sent by Pipeline’s manager George Kasujaa, international setter Janet Wanja scored 12 straight points on service after the second technical time out to steer the oil merchants to the victory of the first set.

However, it was the army side that docked the first technical time out leading the Nairobi industrial area based side by 8-7.

turned tables

Ruth Jepleting, Violet Makuto and Esther Wangeci then turned tables on the Rwandese army side beating them to the second technical time out tape by 16-10 from where the range begun to the first set victory.

Head coach Japheth Munala said that the victory symbolises the jelling the team has had since the infusion of three new players from Nairobi Water.

“Rose Magoi, Leonida Kasaya and Gaudencia Makokha all from Nairobi Water have fitted in very well in the team. If the trend continues, we are likely to register a much better results than last year,” Munala was quoted saying.

Pipeline and Prisons are among the most successful teams in the Championships having shared the title 11 times between themselves.

Pipeline have claimed the trophy six time while Prisons have won five times and four in a row from 2010-2013.

straight sets

In Pool A matches, hosts Carthage beat Water Sports of Ethiopia 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-16) while Injis of Cameroon hammered Nkumba University of Uganda in straight sets of 25-16, 25-14 and 25-15).

In other Pool B match, Elshams of Egypt won their opening match following 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-16) victory over Bejaia of Algeria to take early lead in the group.

GSP of Algeria fought for almost two hours to pull off an epic 3-2 (25-12, 25-27, 25-11, 22-25, 15-13) victory against Sfax of Tunisia while Ndejje University of Uganda flew past Manga Sports of Gabon 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-16) in Pool C matches.

The ongoing tournament has attracted 16 top teams from across Africa.

The Championships are not FIVB World Championships Qualifiers like it was the case in five previous events.

The FIVB late last year announced that African women will not have direct entry to the global event.

The slot that used to be owned by African has now been turned into one of the two wild cards on offer in the Championships.

One wild card has been offered to the 2012 world champions Osasco of Brazil.

The South Americans join hosts Volero of Switzerland, and European winners Dinamo Kazan as the teams that have already qualified for the World Championships.

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