Champs GSU aiming for podium finish in Cairo, Pipeline jet back
Kenya Pipeline Company Volleyball Club player Gaudencia Makokha (in glasses) celebrates with team mates up on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, on March 27, 2019 after winning bronze at the Women’s Africa Club Championships in Egypt. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO |
What you need to know:
- GSU left the country for Cairo Wednesday evening and the team's manager Nicholas Kimeli announced friendlies versus Egypt top-tier sides Smouha, Suez Canal and Zamalek will be played starting Thursday.
The General Service Unit’s men’s volleyball team is leaving nothing to chance ahead of the Africa Volleyball Club Championship in Egypt.
The annual tournament serves off at the Ahly Sports Complex in Cairo on Sunday, and the Kenya Volleyball Federation men's league champions have lined up three international friendlies in Cairo to fine-tune.
GSU left the country for Cairo Wednesday evening and the team's manager Nicholas Kimeli announced friendlies versus Egypt top-tier sides Smouha, Suez Canal and Zamalek will be played starting Thursday.
"Those matches will mark the final phase of our preparations, it is what we have been missing for some time. We have trained at home for over a month now and will be looking to expose the boys a little bit," he explained.
"These matches will help with the approach and to remove the fear we normally have when playing away," added team captain David Kirwa.
At the same time, Kenya Pipeline Company women's Volleyball Club jetted back into the country on Wednesday after afternoon from Cairo where they retained their bronze medal in the Africa Volleyball Club Championship.
Pipeline beat Algeria's GSP 3-0 in the third place playoff to emerge third in the championship won by hosts Al Ahly. Kenya Commercial bank (KCB), under former Pipeline coach Japheth Munala, finished ninth in the competition while the other Kenyan team in the competition withdrew from the tournament after the group phase.
GSU's Kimeli also told Nation Sport the squad is gunning for a podium finish at the very least, a result that will represent an improvement from the fifth-place posting the side earned in this continental tournament last year.
Travelling squad:
David Kirwa (captain), Brian Melly, Cornelious Lagat, Simon Kipkorir, Nicholas Matui, Cornelious Kiplagat, Abiud Chirchir, Nicholas Lagat, Nicholas Matui, Bonventre Mukhekhe, Solomon Bitok, Shadrack Misiko and Noah Bett.
Technical bench: Gideon Taurus (head coach), Dunson Tali (assistant coach), Moses Epoloto (technical director), Nicholas Kimeli (team manager).
Traveling squad: David Kirwa (captain), Brian Melly, Cornelious Lagat, Simon Kipkorir, Nicholas Matui, Cornelious Kiplagat, Abiud Chirchir, Nicholas Lagat, Nicholas Matui, Bonventre Mukhekhe, Solomon Bitok, Shadrack Misiko and Noah Bett.
Technical bench: Gideon Taurus (head coach), Dunson Tali (assistant coach), Moses Epoloto (technical director), Nicholas Kimeli (team manager)
