Lugh'aho praises charges despite 3-2 loss to CS Sfaxien

Kenyan champions, Kenya Prisons fought hard but faltered when it mattered to go down 3-2 (25-18, 16-25, 25-16, 17-25, 25-9) to the Women’s Africa Club Championships hosts CS Sfaxien for the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) champions' first loss in Pool A. 

The David Lugh'aho charges had a shaky start in what was touted as the decider match of the group against the Tunisian holders, losing the first set 25-18. They recovered in the second set to lead in both the first and second technical timeouts as they went on to level the score 1-1 in a 25-16 set win. The tables turned in the third set as as Tunisians took full advantage of Prisons poor reception to pick a 25-16 set of their own and double their advantage. 

Prisons almost let an seven-point lead in the fourth set go to waste but they regrouped to ward off the opponents attempt at a comeback as they went on to level the set scores with a 25-17 set win sending the match to a decider which the hosts won 15-9 to go top of the group.

"The loss has taught us a valuable lesson that we can lose despite having good players. I am happy with the performance as I did not expect the players to play this well against such opposition. Meldine Sande, Anne Lowem and Shyrine Jepkemboi were impressive," Lugh'aho who travelled without six key players who are currently with the national team, Malkia Strikers, told Nation Sports. 

“We have played a tough match which has opened our girls up and they will now be ready to fight. It gives us the motivation to fight even further, I want to believe that if we make it to the semi-final then we can easily make it to the final,” he added.

Sfax, who have never won a continental title before, now sit top of Pool A with 8 points while the Kenyan champions are third with 4 points, two behind KO Kelibia. Kelibia got their second win of the tournament after beating Muzinga of Burundi in the third match of Friday. 

Pool B action saw leaders Kenya Pipeline maintain their stay at the top with a 3-0 victory over AS Douanes of Burkina Faso in a match played on Friday evening. Earlier, Carthage of Tunisia opened the day with a 3-0 triumph over National Alcohol of Ethiopia while Customs of Nigeria ran out 3-0 winners over ASEC Mimosas. 

Match Day 3 results (all matches at Aissa Ben Nasr Hall)

Carthage (Tunisia) v National Alcohol (Ethiopia) 3-0 (25-16, 25-08, 25-11) Pool B

ASEC Mimosas (Cote d'Ivoire) v Customs (Nigeria) 0-3 (24-26, 13-25, 11-25) Pool B

Muzinga (Burundi) v KO Kelibia (Tunisia) 0-3 (08-25, 13-25, 06-25) Pool A

Pipeline (Kenya) v AS Douanes (Burkina Faso) 3-0 (25-07, 25-16, 25-11) Pool B

Prisons (Kenya) v CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) 2-3 (18-25, 25-16, 16-25, 25-17, 15-09) Pool A