Moim, Munala impressed by development of youngsters at KCB

KCB women’s volleyball senior-most player Mercy Moim and team head coach Japheth Munala have expressed delight in the burst of youngsters the team has brought up to the big stage and gone on to exhibit brilliant performances in the recently concluded CAVB 2023 Women’s Africa Volleyball Club Championships in Nabeul, Tunisia.

The former African champions this year added some youngsters, among them; Faith Cherotich, Pauline Chemutai and Mildred Cherop, who played valuable minutes in the week-long championships and gathered deserved praise.

"It's good we are now exposing young players; KCB is officially a young team,” Munala said of the team’s roster. “The Championship in Tunisia has given us an opportunity to expose them to the continental flair of the sport. Mildred Cherop replaced Edith Wisa and played so well till the last minute while Pauline, who came from school the other day, has been impressive and so has Faith Cherotich. They have a bright future in the sport.”

Pumping the brakes for a moment, long-standing Kenyan international Moim talked about it ‘being such a great feeling that the youngsters had savored the chance to showcase their skills in the championship’ but cautioned on it being 'a little too early for them to explode fully at this point in time.'

With the team’s core being around youth, Moim also emphasized her new role in the team - a guide - saying; “As the senior most player I feel obligated to show the youngsters the way, to keep bolstering their fighting spirit and also I feel obligated to ensure that they fight to the last minute.

"They are learning a lot from me as always: and that's why I have to play to the best of my ability to help them also grasp some vital tricks of the game."

KCB finished fifth in the final championships after seeing off APR of Rwanda in straight sets of 25 – 17, 25-18 and 25-14, days after succumbing to a 3-2 (22-25, 27-25, 25-20,16-25, 13-15) loss to Mouladia Club Alger of Algeria in the quarter-final matchup played last Friday.

CAVB: Kenya Pipeline upstaged by first time champs Zamalek in the final

The other Kenyan side - Kenya Pipeline - suffered a huge setback in their quest to clinch the championship they last won in 2005 as they fell to Zamalek SC 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-15, 25-17), winning their first continental tight in team history.

The Kenyan duo of Trizah Atuka and Naomie Too were voted as the best middle blocker and opposite in the Dream Team respectively.