Kenya Cup: KDF hoping to disarm GSU as KCB Bank seek to find leaks in Kenya Pipeline

Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) league champions Kenya Pipeline and General Service Unit (GSU) have a chance to add more silverware to their trophy cabinet when they play in the Kenya Cup finals at Kasarani Indoor Gymnasium on Sunday.

National women league champions Kenya Pipeline face a stern test from rivals KCB Bank while men champions GSU will face surprise package from the semi-finals Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Pipeline had an easy passage to Sunday’s final after seeing off the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in straight sets of 26-24,25-15,26-24.

Kenya Pipeline left attacker Pamela Adhiambo who plays her professional volleyball in Croatia with Haok Mladost Zagreb was the star of the show as Pipeline saw off DCI.

Adhiambo was able to play in the Kenya Cup tournament because the rules of the tournament allow teams to register players who did not play for their clubs in the league season.

It was not that straight forward for KCB Bank though as they were made to fight tooth and nail before securing a slot in the final.

The bankers were forced to come from two sets down before dismissing Kenya Prisons 3-2 in the first semi-final match played at the same venue on Saturday.

Prisons raced to a two set lead and they all looked to have booked a place in the final before the Josp Barasa-coached side collapsed in the third set and there was no recovering after that.

After a winning the first two sets 25-18 and 25-23, Prisons were made to look ordinary as KCB hit back to win 25-18, 25-22 and 15-4 and book a place in the final.

Prisons coach Barasa attributed the loss to the injury suffered by her libero Sharon Sandui, saying after that his team was unable to pass the ball well like they were doing in the opening two sets.

In the men semi-finals, KDF put up a strong performance as they shocked Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the first semi-final on Saturday.

Many had not given the soldiers any chance in the encounter against the Porters but coach Elisha Aliwa and his charges had other ideas winning the match 3-2 (24-26,25-23,23-25,33-31, 19-17).

Despite many service errors opposite hitter Collins Muya was able to keep his cool when his teammates were feeling the pressure and led his KDF team to a final meeting against GSU on Sunday where they will be hoping to shock the league champions.

In the last semi-final match on Saturday, GSU were able to show why they are the league champions with a clinical display against former league champions Prisons Kenya.

They did that without breaking a sweat in the straight sets win of 25-19,25-22,25-20.

The return of attackers Dennis Esekon and Elphas Makuto was in vain for Prisons as young setter Mathias Kemboi stood tall for GSU in the clinical display.

The losers in the semi-finals have no time to leak their wounds as they will be in action on Sunday morning in the fight for third positions.

DCI open the action at 9am against DCI in the women play-offs before Prisons Kenya tackle KPA in the men play-offs.

The final serves off at 2pm as Pipeline entertain KCB Bank before KDF seek to disarm GSU.

Kenya Cup fixtures on July 13

Third place play-off

Women: DCI v Prisons           9am

Men: Prisons v KPA            11am

Finals

Women: Pipeline v KCB            2pm

Men: KDF v GSU               4pm