CAVB: All Egyptian final as Pipeline are hammered by Al Ahly

Kenya Pipeline’s attempt to make it to back-to-back women’s African Volleyball Club Championship finals was dealt a huge blow after they suffered a 3-1 (25-25, 19-25, 25-18, 25-13) defeat to Egyptian side Al Ahly at the El-Ahly Sporting Club Arena in Cairo, Egypt on Friday.

The six-time African champions under the stewardship of former Kenya international Esther Jepkosgei, endured a tough start to the game, before fizzling out in the closing sets to deny a Kenyan side passage to the finals.

Instead, the finals will now involve two Egyptian sides, following Zamalek’s victory over Kenya’s KCB in the earlier semifinal staged at the same venue.

CAVB: KCB schooled by Zamalek in semis

Pipeline, who won silver in the last edition, fell back early on in the first set; 15-8 and 16-9 before out-done 25-15.

The second set was somehow redemptive for the Kenyan side having to fight through fierce adversity from the crowd, as they took 14-9 and 23-14 leads before pulling back at 1-1 with a 25-19 win.

The opening games of the third set were a close affair- 3-3, 7-6 to 11-9 - before the hosts stormed after a 14-14 tie to lead by five in a 25-18 win.

The fourth set looked to be going Pipeline’s way; they broke to a 4-0 lead, only for the hosts, who showed ferocity with their services and returns, forced Kenya to hit the back-pedal as they first took the lead at 9-8 on their way to leading 19-11 and 21-12.

The Egyptian avalanche was too hot to handle for the Kenyans, who soon closed out the tie with a 25-13 win to force their way to the first finals appearance since 2022.

Kenya Pipeline made the semis after a quarter final victory over Cameroonian side Litto Team Volley (LTV) 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-25) to become the second Kenyan side to feature in the final four.

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