Kenya Prisons disarm GSU to inch closer to volleyball title

Kenya Prisons are on the verge of reclaiming the Kenya Volleyball Federation men's league title after a 3-2 dramatic win over arch-rivals GSU at the Makande Hall in Mombasa County on Day 2 of the play-offs on Saturday.

Prisons disarmed GSU 3-2 (25-17, 19-25, 25-21, 22-25 and 15-11) in a five set thriller that lasted two hours.

Prisons, who had beaten Nairobi Water 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-18 and 25-20) on Friday, will dethrone GSU of the title if they defeat hosts Kenya Ports Authority in their final assignment at the same venue on Sunday.

"Beating GSU was not going to be easy. But we have done it and I can now smell the title. We worked very hard and had to dig deep,” Prisons coach Gideon Chenje told Sunday Nation Sport.

Prisons will have to thank a majority of the hundreds of youthful audience at the Makande Hall for their support en-route to securing the hard-fought victory.

Chenje also had to call upon the services of experienced trainer David Lung'aho, who is also the Kenya Prisons women’s head coach, to mastermind the win.

The two tacticians relied on freshly recruited youngsters Oduor Ibrahim (right attacker), centre player Kelvin Maiyo and Rodgers Kipkurui to unsettle the GSU blockers with well-worked attacks which varied between hard hits and feint placements.

"Prisons have played well but I am disappointed in two or three of my players today. I am praying they (Prisons) lose tomorrow (today) so we win the title. I haven't given up," GSU coach Gideon Taurus said.

GSU's final fixture will be against Nairobi Water who have already been eliminated from the race for the championship following losses to Prisons and KPA on Friday and Saturday respectively.

A vastly improved KPA, under the management of former Japan-based attacker James Ontere, also have an outside chance of bagging the title, having won one and drawn the other of their two games.

The dockers will however have to be at their very best to pick something from the game against Prisons.

Meanwhile, Kenya Prisons and Kenya Pipeline will play each other on Sunday in a contest whose winner will bag the women's league title.

Pipeline thrashed KCB 3-0 (25-15, 25-15 and 25-19) to win their second game of the tournament on Saturday, while Prisons were to face Nairobi Water in a late kick off.

KVF's first vice chairman confirmed that the men and women league winners will each be awarded Sh300,000 as prize money.