Volleyball: GSU, Prisons throw down gauntlet towards playoffs

Record Kenya Volleyball National Men’s League winners General Service Unit (GSU) and reigning champions Kenya Prisons on Friday registered impressive wins at the ongoing fourth and final leg at Nyayo Gymnasium.

League leaders GSU, who relinquished their title last year to Kenya Prisons, added to Nairobi Prisons woes with a 3-1 sets (25-21, 25-20, 23-25,25-12) win to fasten grip of the men’s log summit while champions Kenya Prisons made light work of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) with a 3-0 sets (25-13, 25-15, 27-25) win.

GSU lead the 14-team league on 27 points while Prisons, under the tutelage of former Kenyan international Dennis Mokua, closed in on the paramilitary side with 24 points as the two giants train their guns on the end-of-season playoffs.

In other men's fixtures staged at Nyayo, third-placed KDF had to dig deep to see off Kenya Army 3-2 sets while AP Kenya disarmed Department of Defence (DOD) CAU 3-1 sets. Kenya Army had earlier defeated Prisons Rift Valley 3-1 sets.

GSU coach David Kirwa said he was keen to win all the remaining matches as a warm up for the end-of-season playoffs.

“We played against a good team and we managed to get three points despite losing a set and this will help us prepare for the playoffs. I believe we are going to reclaim our title because we went to the drawing board after losing last season.”

Kenya Army gaffer Sergent Ali on his side he is confident his team will finish at a better position this season ahead of the season finale.

“We are not leaving anything to chance, the remaining games we are still looking for a better performance which will reward us 8 points that will take us to a better position,” he told Citizen Digital.

At Ulinzi Sports Complex, former women’s league champions Kenya Prisons wiped the floor with Kenya Army in 3-0 sets win as 2022 champions Kenya Pipeline disarmed DCI in 3-1 sets as the two giants threw down the gauntlets ahead of the play offs.

Top eight teams will qualify for the end of season play offs which will be played from quarter finals all the way to the final.