Pipeline eye continental title in Tunisia

Former Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) women's league champions Kenya Pipeline have named a 12-player squad that will do duty for the oilers at next week's Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) women's club championship set for April 19 to May 1 in Sousse, Tunisia.

Pipeline last won the continental cup in 2005 and will be looking to do better than their third place finish in 2019 to reach the final from where they'll fight to win the championship. 

The championship was earlier set for May 16th to 28th but CAVB was forced to reschedule after failing to secure a waiver from the world governing body, Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), to hold the event beyond its season that ends on May 2. 

Winnie Adhiambo is set to make her debut at the continental stage with the other eleven being regulars at the stage with the side. Metrine Nabwire will also be making her first appearance at the continental tourney in Pipeline colours having joined the Paul Gitau-coached side from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). 

Centre player Triza Atuka, who has been nursing an injury that saw her miss the 2019 KVF playoffs as well as the national team, Malkia Strikers' trip to Cameroon in January 2020 where they qualified for Tokyo Olympics, has made the team. Atuka sat out the first three league-opening matches but was in action against holders Prisons Kenya in the last league matches where she was used sparingly. 

"The preparation was okay. We are all set to represent our country. Because of Covid-19, most of the teams faced the same challenges we faced during preparation so it will be a level playing ground. We are going to Tunisia to compete and the best team will win. I do not see any reason why we cannot be that team," said the tactician. 

Gitau will miss the services of sensational attacker Pamela Adhiambo, middle blocker Gladys Ekaru and Agripina Kundu, the team's first choice libero, who are in the national team's training bubble camp in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

"We are in an Olympics year and our teams have players in the national team which is every player's dream. I am happy that we produced three players to the national team but I wish we had more since playing at the Olympics is a dream for every athlete. I train the squad in a way that all players are equal and have the same capabilities and I believe we can get the job done," added Gitau. 

The tactician says his charges will use the first two days of action to get used to the Indoor facility that the competition will be held in having trained outdoors owing to the unavailability of indoor arenas due to the suspension of sporting activities in the country. 

Travelling Squad: Lydia Iswani, Triza Atuka, Yvonne Sinaida, Celestine Nyongesa, Rose Magoi, Metrine Nabwire, Winnie Adhiambo, Esther Wangeci, Betty Sifuna, Gaudencia Makokha, Tebla Simiyu, Ruth Jepngetich