Battle lines drawn as KVF playoff dates are set

Will Kenya Pipeline and General Service Unit (GSU) defend their Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) national titles or will any other team claim this season's bragging rights?

After the conclusion of the women's league last week, the fixtures department released the playoff dates and the eight teams involved.

Action serves off on 2 October and the matches will be played for three days at Kasarani Indoor Gymnasium. Fixtures will be released after a technical meeting set for 29 September at Kasarani. 

The women's league will see Kenya Pipeline go out for back-to-back titles, having won the 2022 title in the four-team playoff held in January 2023. 

Paul Gitau's charges, however, face stiff competition from championship-thirsty Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) who last lifted the national title in 2006.

As the 2023 regular league concluded on Thursday, the bankers finished second on the rankings, behind holders Pipeline and ahead of former champions Prisons Kenya and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

KCB tactician Japheth Munala who led the team to the 2022 African title and saw them finish second in the national league last season believes with good preparations, they currently are on, they can topple favorites Pipeline in the upcoming playoffs. 

DCI ready to challenge for podium place as KVF women's league returns

The two sides boast star-studded squads with the bankers being home to five national team players who were part of the African Championship-winning squad of 2023. 

A similar story is replicated at Pipeline with five players having been with Malkia Strikers in their last two assignments including Africa's best blocker at the club championships, Triza Atuka.

In the men's race for the title, Gideon Tarus' charges GSU are the team to beat but the tactician is not resting on his laurels as former champions Prisons Kenya, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) are gunning for his throne. 

The paramilitary side has won the last five titles, their closest competition in the last two being KPA. 

"We have started our training at Nyayo but we will look to move to Kasarani in the next week as we look to sharpen our claws for the playoffs. We know it will not be easy to defend the title so the squad has to be at their best," Tarus told Mozzart Sport.