GSU treading carefully as Kenyan teams fight for African volleyball title

This year's CAVB Men's Club Championships got underway on Sunday, 20 April, with record Kenyan champions General Service Unit (GSU) getting their campaign off to a winning start on Monday.

The record Kenyan champions had gained maximum points without breaking a sweat in what was to be their opener against DR Congo's VC Goma Revolution.

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Up against Algeria's Club Castel CAS, the Gideon Tarus-coached paramilitary side beat a shaky start, coming from a set behind to win their opening match 3-1(21-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-22).

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Tarus says the victory is a morale booster as his side has broken down their competition plan to focus on one match at a time with the intention of reaching the knockout stages first.

"It was a good game and I am satisfied with the execution from that first match," Tarus told Mozzart Sport. "We do not want to go ahead of ourselves and are sticking to chasing wins to reach the elimination matches first, then have a different game plan for each opponent after that."

The former national champions are looking to end a 20-year wait for a podium finish. The side’s last podium place dates back to 2005 when the competition was hosted in Benin, GSU finishing third.

Only Prisons Kenya have broken the podium jinx for Kenyan teams since with silver in 2011 and bronze last year.

Meanwhile, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) lost their opening match on Sunday to APR Rwanda in a five-set thriller of 25-20, 25-18, 19-25, 19-25, 19-17.

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The James Ontere-led team bounced back in their second fixture on Monday to beat Libya's Al Nasser Sports Club (LBA) 3-0 ( 25-23 / 25-20 / 25-10 ).

A similar script unfolded for reigning African bronze medalists Prisons Kenya, who got their campaign off to a losing start against Cameroon's PAD in straight sets of 25-20, 32-30, 25-21.

The Warders put up a performance in their second match on Sunday to overpower Ethiopia's Wolaita in a four-set thriller ending 3-1(25-20, 25-19, 27-29, 25-18).

Pool A

Cameroon: Cameroon Sports Volleyball (CSV)

Libya: Swehly Sports Club (SSC)

DR Congo: Volleyball Club Espoir (VCE)

Algeria: Widad Athletic Tlemcen (WAT)

Ghana: El-Wak Wings (EWW)

BYE: No team assigned

Pool B

Uganda: Nemo Stars (NEM)

Kenya: General Service Unit (GSU)

DR Congo: VC Goma Revolution (VGR)

Algeria: Club Arzew Sportif (CAS)

Morocco: Fath Union Sport (FUS)

Egypt: Al Ahly (AHL)

Pool C

Ethiopia: Wolaita Dicha Sports Club (WDS)

Mauritius: Orange Club Sportif d'Amities (OCA)

Rwanda: Kepler Volleyball Club (KEP)

Libya: Ittihad Tripoli (ITT)

Kenya: Prisons Kenya (PRI)

Cameroon: PAD Volleyball Club (PAD)

Pool D

Cameroon: Laetitia Volleyball Club (LTV)

Rwanda: Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR)

Kenya: Kenya Ports Authority (KPA)

Tunisia: Espérance de Tunis (EPT)

DR Congo: Volleyball Club Espoir (VCE)

Libya: National Communication Services Club (NCS)