Mombasa ready for league play-offs

All the eight teams taking part in this year’s national volleyball league play-offs have landed in Mombasa ahead of this weekend’s tournament.

They were holding their training sessions at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) gym, which will host all the matches between Friday-Sunday.

Kenya Pipeline women’s team were the first to arrive on Sunday, a week ahead of the tournament and have been training twice a day at the KPA gym in readiness for battle with Kenya Prisons, Nairobi Water and Kenya Commercial Bank.

General Service Unit had a morning training session Tuesday, while Nairobi Water while Kenya Prisons men and women, Co-operative Bank and KCB arrived in the evening.
Kenya Pipeline coach, Japheth Munala, said it will not be “business as usual” when they clash with Prisons, whom they expect to pose the greatest threat.

TRAINED WELL

Munala said the early arrival has helped the players adjust not only to the Mombasa weather but also the gymnasium, which he says is small  and therefore “everything changes”, especially in ball handling.

“We have been training here since Monday and I must admit that the players have gained a lot as we prepare for the play-offs because it is the first time we are playing in this gym while the few who have been exposed to indoor facilities are used to the more spacious gyms. This one is much smaller. We have prepared well and are ready for our opponents,” he said.

Pipeline team will revolve around internationals Ruth Jepngetich, Esther Wangeci, Gaudencia Makhoha, Janet Wanja and Rose Agoi.

Others  are Farida Efumbi, Leonida Kasaya, Trizah Atuka, Christine Siwa, Monica Biama, Noel Murambi, Midred Odwako and Agripina Kundu.