Pipeline whitewash Sfaxien in classification match

Kenya Pipeline on Friday brushed aside hosts Sfaxien 3-0 (25-11, 25-21, 25-21) in a position five-eight classification match at the Women's Africa Club Championship in Tunisia.

The result provided the best possible comeback for the Kenyan champions, coming hours after suffering a heartbreaking 3-2 (13-25, 28-26, 25-19, 23-25 and 15-13) loss in a five-set thriller, at the hands of arch-rivals Kenya Prisons in the quarter-finals on Thursday evening.

Prisons were, in the meantime, set to face another Tunisian club Carthage in the first semi-final of the competition on Friday night.

Following the result against the Tunisian club, Japheth Munala's Pipeline have now enhanced their chances of finishing fifth in the 17-team competition.

Playing at the Ksar Hellal Jemmal Hall in Monastir, Pipeline were fast in the opening stages of the first set, exhibiting free flow of the ball coupled with great volleys and attacks from all angles.

The Sfaxien defence eventually couldn't contain the pressure from Pipeline forwards Noel Murambi and Monical Biama, leading to a healthy 14 point deficit in the opening set. The north Africans however regrouped and briefly led 8-5 at the first technical time out of the consequent set.

The following rallies were a see-saw encounter and trades of points, which briefly resulted at a 17-17 parity midway through the set before Pipeline eventually raced to a four point advantage.

Still, Sfaxien opted for a revival shift in what turned out to be the final set. Just like in the second set, they took an early lead, but, again faded with the assignment half concluded.