Jepkosgei confident of Kenya Pipeline’s title chances
Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 21.05.24. | 17:07
This year's playoffs assume a new knock-out format with the top 8 teams qualified
In her first season as the Kenya Pipeline head coach, Esther Jepkosgei has her work cut out in her quest to reclaim the title the oil merchants relinquished to KCB last season.
The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) women’s side finished second in the regular league that concluded this weekend, suffering a single defeat to nemesis KCB, this weekend, in the 8-team league.
The league’s holders, KCB, rallied from behind to stun the oilers 3-1 (23-25, 25-14, 27-25, 25-23).
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With that, Jepkosgei’s charges booked a quarters berth against Post Bank in the new-format playoffs set to serve off this weekend. Unlike the top four round-robin format previously used, the playoffs, this year, will see the top 8 teams clash in the quarters as the federation adopts a knock-out plan.
The tactician who led the team to African bronze earlier in the month, missed two key players in the award-winning middle blocker Trizah Atuka and Yvonne Sinaida during this weekend’s matches, something she blames for the loss to the bankers.
“Without the two middle blockers, who were unwell, I had to rely on the returning Gladys Ekaru and she is just from her maternity leave and is not yet at her peak. KCB exploited this, among other shortcomings, to win the game. There is, however, no cause for alarm. We have a few days to regroup and correct those areas before the weekend,” Jepkosgei said adding that Sinaida will be available for the quarters with Atuka expected to join during the semis.
With the team looking to reclaim the title they lost to KCB last season, Jepkosgei is exuding confidence in his squad’s ability to achieve that.
“We have to remain focused and take all the chances. Being a knock-out format with the quarters being played in a best-of-three series, we have to start strong as there are no second gambles,” she adds.
Meanwhile, holders KCB begin their campaign against Kenya Army with former champions Prisons Kenya, who lost two of their 8 matches this season to place third, take on Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) play Prisons Nairobi in the final match-up.
