KVF playoffs: Prisons torch GSU to move closer to title defense

Prisons Kenya dominated Game One of the best-of-three Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) men's league final playoff, winning by straight sets against former champions General Service Unit (GSU). 

The Dennis Mokua-led charges put more than an hour's delay due to electricity challenges at the Kasarani Indoor Arena to win 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-16). 

Victory for the defending champions puts them a win away from retaining the title they won last season after a 6-year dominance by GSU.

KVF Playoffs: Prisons Kenya a win away from dethroning KCB

Prisons took an early two-point lead that was reduced to 1 at 13-12, focing Mokua into a strategic meeting with his charges who pulled away to lead by three at 16-13 and again at 17-14 but back-to-back points from Joshua Kimaru brought GSU back to within a point at 18-17. 

GSU caught up with the warders at 21 points and the latter needed another timeout to put their house in order but GSU went ahead, for the first time, 22-21, only to let go of their advantage at 23-22, Jairus Kipkosgei doing the damage this time. 

The next play had the lethal Elphas Makuto serving but his jump attempt was expertly picked up by GSU's libero Hudson Kipchumba but the side's attack was thwarted by Ezra Kipngetich with a monster block as Dennis Ireke the set-winning point for Prisons. 

Kimaru and Nicholas Matui picked up from where they had left, going toe-to-toe with Prisons in the initial points tally before taking a three-point lead at 7-4 and again at 9-6. They pulled away to 12-7 before the match was unfortunately stopped due to a power blackout the Arena. 

After more than an hour of waiting, the match resumed, with the tide turning in favour of Prisons who ate away at GSU's lead, going on a 4-point run for 12-11 forcing the latter into a timeout. The side leveled the score at 13 before taking charge for a 25-23 win. 

The script was no different in the third set as Prisons raced to a 3-1 lead, quickly making it 6-3 as GSU struggled to protect their back court from the warders' lethal attacks led by Makuto and Dennis Esokon. As fate would have it, GSU trailed 12-6, sending their fanbase ecstatic. 

A 15-7 lead for Prisons was, probably, the final nail on the coffin as the dejected GSU players kept digging themselves deeper in trouble, despite Kimaru producing some magical plays, with unforced errors that saw them trail 20-11 as they lost the set 25-17. 

Mokua's charges hope to complete the job on Saturday while coach David 'Tonje' Kirwa will hope to guide his charges to victory, setting the stage for a decider Game Three.