Cheptil find going tough in volleyball

Kosirai’s Mercy Chepkemboi blocks a shot from Omurisha Pacific of St Aloys Secondary from Rwanda at Eldoret Polytechnic on August 30, 2016. Kosirai won 3-0. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • National queens Kosirai Girls power past Uganda’s St Alloys
  • The Kenyan champions came into the games with strong determination to take back the title they won in 2014. The loss was a setback after winning their first match 3-1 against compatriots Tetu on Saturday.

Former champions Cheptil Boys’ campaign to reclaim the regional volleyball title on Tuesday suffered a blow after going down 3-2 to holders Rusumo of Rwanda in the Brookside East Africa Secondary School Games in Eldoret.

The Kenyan champions came into the games with strong determination to take back the title they won in 2014. The loss was a setback after winning their first match 3-1 against compatriots Tetu on Saturday.

In Tuesday’s Pool A match, Rusumo won the first set 25-17 and Cheptil bounced back to claim the second with a 28-26 victory.

The Rwandan side, boasting tall players, cruised to a 25-23 victory in the third. But Cheptil bounced back to take the fourth Cheptil were back again, winning the fourth set of 25-21 before Rusumo raced to victory in the last set 15-13 in the match that lasted 2 hours and 6 minutes.

Another match in the same pool saw Lycee de Nyanza of Kenga held off Luyanzi of Uganda 3-2 (24-26, 26-24, 23-25, 25-22 and 15-08). In the girls’ category, national girls champions Kosirai demolished Uganda’s St Alloys 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-22) in a Pool ‘B’ match at Eldoret Polytechnic.

Kenya’s Soweto also registered victory after overcoming Kinawa of Uganda 3-1 of 25-08, 08-25, 25-11 and 26-24 in another Pool ‘B’ played at the same venue.

Kenyan side Sega Girls went down 3-0 (25-21, 25-14 and 25-20) to Indangaburezi of Rwanda in another Pool ‘B’ match.Lugulu Girls of Kenya defeated Trust High from Uganda 3-0 (25-13, 26-24 and 25-8).

National handball champs Kimilili beat Dynamic of Uganda 21-20 in a closely contested preliminary match yesterday at the East African Secondary School Games in Eldoret.

In a neck-and-neck pool B handball match, Kimilili beat the Ugandan side in an entertaining match played at Eldoret Sports Club.

In another encounter also staged at the same venue, St Peters High of Kenya also upstaged Gisenye of Rwanda 23-18 in another mid-morning clash.
From their Tuesday’s victory, Kimilili coach Gerald Juma said they are banking on the home advantage to win the regional title.

“This time we are playing at home as the champions and that means we have blessings in these games,” Juma said.

Juma however, acknowledged that their opponents from Uganda gave them a hard rush for victory.

"The match was very hard as you can see from the results but we are now going back to analyse and turn all our weaknesses into strengths,” coach Juma added.

But even as Kimilili play East Africa’s defending champions ES Kigoma of Rwanda after conclusion of pool matches,  coach Juma stays optimistic for a good result.

“As we said we are going to analyse today’s match (Tuesday’s) so that we rectify where we may not have played well, as we prepare for our next match with Kigoma,” said the coach.

Kigoma are in pool A and have already won all two matches that they have played so far.

Kimilili play St Peters, also from Kenya, today. 

Another pool match has Gisenyii of Rwanda battling it out with Uganda’s Dynamic.