First podium Win

By OSCAR PILIPILI

NAIROBI: The Nairobi Water volleyball women’s team is targeting its first podium finish when they compete in national league play-offs at Africa Nazarene University on November 15-17.

The team, formed three years ago, issued notice of their intent to deliver this season when they signed on a galaxy of promising players at the beginning of the season.

New arrivals that head coach John Mwaniki is looking upon to hand Nairobi Water a podium position include towering national team ace Gaudencia Makokha, Nancy Mulonza and Faridah Efumbi who were all acquired from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).

Naomi Too and Eunice Tarus, both products of the National Youth Talent Academy, Jacinta Macheso, Leonida Kasaya and Ruth Jelegat are among other players the coach will parade at Nazarene.

Nairobi Water finished third in the league phase of the competition and a podium finish would be a great improvement for the team that is sponsored by Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC).

New players

Team manager Philip Ngugi stated that the new players have given them hope as they go into the play-offs.

Ngugi said: “Our team is now much stronger than they were last season.”

“The new players have given us new options because we had a lead playing unit last season and this stretched to the limit,” said Ngugi.

Nairobi Water’s full squad has Mereza Onyango, Jelagat, Makokha, Mulonza, Too, Eliza Wagithi, Macheso, Rose Magoi, Elizabeth Melly, Kasaya, Salome Wafula, Rose Wangari and Millicent Wangari  in the playing unit.

The officials are Philip Ngugi, Rukia Suleimani (manager), John Mwaniki  (head coach), Joseph Waiganjo (assistant coach) and Rodney Shelaton (physiotherapist).

Mountainous task

Nairobi Water has a mountainous task as they face defending champions in their opening match of the competition on Friday.

Nairobi Water has not beaten Prisons this season and it will be interesting to see how they fare against the experienced wardresses at the play-offs.

“The opening match is likely going to be tough but I believe the calibre of players in our line-up is high enough to contain Prisons,” Ngugi said.

Nairobi Water’s second match will not be any easier as they take on Kenya Pipeline on Saturday before playing KCB on Sunday.

 NWSC Corporate Manager Mbaruku Vyakweli stated that the firm was determined to build a formidable team that would be capable of challenging the likes of Pipeline and Prisons.

Although Water has never come close to winning the league, they have done well in regional tournaments like the Rwanda Genocide Memorial Tournament in which they won the silver trophy in 2010.

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