Kenya Pipeline, Kenya Prisons storm Kenya Cup semis

In a spectacular display of tactical dominance, both powerhouses swept aside their quarter-final opponents in straight sets to underline their title credentials.

Favourites Kenya Pipeline eliminated A-Plus, cruising into the last four without dropping a single set.

The Oilers dominated the contest from the first whistle, overwhelming their opponents with powerful attacking plays, highly disciplined defending and precision serving. They sealed the match with an emphatic 3-0 win (25-10, 25-9 and 25-15).

The second quarter-final served up a thrilling Nairobi derby as Kenya Prisons went head-to-head with Nairobi Prisons. While the opening set proved to be a highly competitive affair with Nairobi Prisons pushing hard, Kenya Prisons held their nerve to edge it 25-22.

With the first set in the bag, the wardresses took complete control of the match, completely shutting down their counterparts.

Kenya Prisons showcased their top-tier masterclass, cruising to immediate 25-10 and 25-5 victories in the subsequent sets to seal a statement straight-sets win.

Meanwhile, the men's Round of 16 delivered high-octane drama earlier in the afternoon as Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) booking their ticket to the next stage after bouncing back to overcome a resilient National Youth Service (NYS) side 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 25-17).

Holders General Service Unit (GSU) also asserted their dominance, neutralizing Bunge VC with a comfortable 3-0 straight-sets victory (25-15, 25-18, 25-18).

Speaking after the match, Bunge Vc head coach Gideon Chenje reflected on his team's journey, pointing out that local tournament exposure has been critical despite the loss.

“First, I want to thank God for how far we have come. Remember, our qualification for the Kenya Cup began back in Eldoret during the Tarus Cup last December where we finished 8th overall to qualify," Chenje noted.

"The Kenya Cup has really helped expose our boys, allowing us to enter the National League coming up in the next few weeks.”

Addressing the team's performance against the law enforcers, coach Chenje admitted that a recent layoff and a bit of laxity played a role in the defeat.

“It’s not necessarily a lack of experience from the players. We had a bit of a break after finishing our Division Two League, only managing to train for two days."

“There was also that natural human element of relaxing and celebrating the fact that we had already earned promotion to the top tier,” Chenje added.

Looking ahead, Chenje is optimistic the team will regroup rapidly before the top-flight league serves off later this year.

“We are not losing heart. The team will take a one-month rest and then we return to the drawing board. It is not my first time preparing a team for this level. I know the capacity and strength required up there, so we will not go to sleep. We will put in the work just like the rest.”

In the final round of 16 clash of the day, Equity Bank cruised over Eldowas with a 3-1 win to sail to the quarter finals.

Despite losing the first set 22-25, the bankers fought back in the other sets 25-22 ,25-15 and 25-14 to keep their dream for the title alive as they proceeded to the quarter-finals.