Salute the Champions: Kenya Pipeline it is!

After two seasons of coming so close but falling short, Kenya Pipeline finally got it right to reclaim their Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Women’s National League gong.

The oilers achieved the feat yesterday when they outlasted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in game two of the best of three played at the Kasarani Indoor Arena on Saturday.

However, their victory did not come easy, as they had to dig deep, forcing a 2-0 win in a nerve-wracking five-set thriller that had volleyball enthusiasts on their feet throughout the encounter.

Unlike game one, where they had eased to victory in straight sets, the Geoffrey Omondi charges’ mental as well as physical abilities were put to a very tough test.

Pipeline had to come from behind twice to overcome the hard-fighting sleuths, who were eager to impress having made it to the final for the first time since their foundation in 2018.

Keen to prove that they deservedly earned their place in the final, DCI took the first set 25-21, but Pipeline would respond by snatching the second by the same margin. The sleuths would once again outwit the oilers to take the third set 25-18 for a 2-1 lead.

DCI seemed to be headed for a victory and forcing the battle to end in the decisive third game, but experience would be their major undoing as they fumbled to surrender a good fourth set lead, allowing Pipeline to restore parity 25-21 and set the stage for the decisive fifth set.

The oilers capitalised on their well-oiled machinery that comprised experienced Malkia Strikers stars Trizah Atuka, captain Gladys Ekaru, Leonida Kasaya, Noel Murambi, Emmaculate Nekesa and libero Agrippina Kundu to outclass DCI and cruise to victory 15-11.

The trophy is a consolation for newly appointed Malkia Strikers coach Omondi, who had earlier said that he just had to win the league title because he had missed the CAVB Zone Five and African Club Championship trophies. He won silver at the Zone Five Club Championship and settled for continental bronze.

It was a bankers’ day in third-place play-offs as former champions KCB Bank and Equity Bank won their respective matches to complete the podium.

However, it was a gloomy ending for Kenya Prisons, who lost in both the men’s and women’s matches to finish fourth.

KCB fought tooth and nail for the only medal that was available to them, coming from a set down to beat bitter rivals Kenya Prisons 3-1 (25-27, 25-14, 25-20, 25-13).

Kenya Prisons, who relinquished their crown after losing in the semis to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), ended the season empty-handed after a 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-19) defeat to Equity Bank. The warders lost the title they had won in 2023 and defended in 2024.