Kenya Pipeline gear up for epic battle against KCB Bank

Juliana Namutara (centre) of KCB strike against Trizah Atuka and Faith Imodia of Kenya Pipeline volleyball club during their Kenya Volleyball Federation playoffs for men and women at Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi, on October 4, 2023. [File, Standard]

Former Kenya Volleyball Federation Women’s National League champions Kenya Pipeline are ready for the do-or-die battle against holders KCB Bank.

The two will renew their bitter rivalry at the semi-finals play-offs of the 2024-2025 season that begin tomorrow at Makande Hall, Mombasa.

The Oilers will be looking to build on their regular season 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 15-10) to shove the bankers out of their way and advance to the final.

Pipeline are looking to recapture the title that has eluded them for two seasons. The oil merchants last won the trophy in 2022 after defeating KCB in the final played in January 2023. They, however, failed to defend their title later in the year, losing in the final, and could only finish a distant third last season.

A good start in the best-of-three contest will give them an upper hand against KCB, who are looking to successfully defend their title and extend their reign to three years in a row.

Pipeline have been in good form, winning nine out of their ten regular season encounters. They are also the only Kenyan side to have secured a podium finish at the 2025 CAVB Women’s African Club Championship held last month in Abuja, Nigeria. They won bronze, while KCB and Kenya Prisons finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

The play-offs will also provide Pipeline coach Geoffrey Omondi, who is the new Malkia Striker boss, an opportunity to prove that he is indeed the right man for the job. Omondi beat other candidates to replace KCB tactician Japheth Munala, who was also in the race for the position.

He will bank on the services of experienced middle blocker Trizah Atuka, who has been impressive throughout the season and was also named the best middle blocker at the African Club Championship.

Captain Gladys Ekaru will be expected to give top-notch leadership on the court to ensure that the Oilers triumph over the Bankers and end their two-year reign at the helm of women’s volleyball.

Being a knockout game, the Oilers will leave nothing to chance, with each player set to bring nothing short of their ‘A’ game to Makande. Veteran libero Agrippina Kundu must be on guard and keep the backcourt safe from any threats from KCB attackers.

Setters Emmaculate Nekesa and Faith Imodia would be looking to gain full control of the game and give their attackers the arsenal they need to make meaningful attacks on their opponents.

Pipeline will also rely on opposite hitters Loice Simiyu and Noel Murambi, as well as left attackers Betty Sifuna, Mariam Musa, Leonida Kasaya, and Daisy Leting, to remain in the title race. The winner of this will meet either former champions Kenya Prisons or the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in the final.