L. MathekaCAVB Club Championships: Kenyan sides through to quarters
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 26.05.22. | 17:12
The three Kenyan sides are looking to break a seven-year drought since reaching the continental final.
As the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) women's club championship resumed for the round of 16, all three Krnyan representatives were in action with Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Prisons first to take to the court.
With a last eight slot in the offing, the Paul Gitau-coached Pipeline and their local rivals Prisons wasted no time in dominating in their respective matches to pick straight-set victories and advance.
Former league and continental champions, Pipeline, began the match slowly, allowing the Ndejje University side to pick the first points to lead until 3-4 where the oilers leveled and took charge, to lead 8-6 at the first technical timeout (TTO).
The Ugandans put up a fight, going on a four-point scoring streak to lead again 9-10 but Pipeline came back to lead 16-14 at the second TTO and go on to win the set 25-20.
Gitau's charges had a better start in the second set, leading 3-0 in a clear indication that they were in full control of the floor as they went on to lead 8-5 and 16-9 at the breaks. Ndejje stood no chance as they fell 25-12.
Pipeline we're again in the lead in the third set but Ndejje displayed a never-say-die spirit as they assumed lead briefly at 9-10 before allowing Pipeline back into the match at 12-11 and crumbling under pressure as they lost the set 25-13.
Second up was Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) champions Kenya Prisons who were up against VCL who had placed fourth in pool A.
Josp Barasa's charges left nothing to chance as they went all out in their quest for a last eight slot, leading 8-4 and 16-9 at the TTO's, eventually winning the set 25-15.
This is how we line up for the rest of @CAVBPress Women's Club Championships. Prisons and KCB likely to meet in the quarters. All the best! pic.twitter.com/IwKE27AnV0
— Matheka (@Lynmatheka) May 25, 2022
VCL looked like they would put up a fight in the second set as they reduced the difference at the first TTO to just two at 8-6 and double that at 16-12 but the wardresses were hard to beat as they picked a second set victory in 25-18 to jead to the third set ready to make it a straight-sets win.
The two sides were tied at 2 point, VCL going ahead at 2-3 but Prisons were back at the helm at 4-3 to lead the set by four points at the first break.
The difference was down to two at 8-6, 9-7, 10-8 and again at a one-point difference at 10-9 as Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) side put up a spirited fight in search of their first set win.
VCL tied the score at 10 and again at 11 before taking the lead for the first time at 11-12 forcing Barasa's charges to play catch-up.
However, VCL's moment of glory was shortlived as Barasa rallied his charges to a proper response, assuming lead at 14-13 as Prisons went on to win 25-18 to book their ticket to the last eight.
