Five time champions Kenya Prisons recovered from a set down to overcome Kenya Pipeline 3-2 (13-25, 28-26, 25-19, 23-25 and 15-13) in a scintillating five sets match to qualify for the semi-finals the Africa Club Volleyball Championships in Monastir, Tunisia on Thursday.
The wardresses were on the back foot from the go as Kenya Pipeline took advantage of their poor reception to race to a 10-3 lead. They never relented and closed out the one sided set 25-13.
The second set was a different ball game as both teams traded points throughout the encounter. At 19-19, whatever Kenya Prisons produced, the seven time champions matched.
Setter Jane Wacu was pivotal for Kenya Prisons as she turned provider forcing a 25-25 tie. Wacu’s side eventually took the enthralling set 28-26.
Kenya Prisons turned up the style in the third set to lead 14-5 and 19-5 respectively.
At this point it appeared Kenya Prisons were headed for the home stretch but Kenya Pipeline produced a brilliant fightback. They rallied from 11-21 down to narrowly trail 19-23.
Kenya Prisons coached David Luga’ho managed to hold off the resurgency to seal the set 25-19 and lead the match 2-1.
The same script was replicated in the third with Kenya Pipeline recovering from a deficit to narrow the gap. They trailed 2-6,14-18 respectively but eventually tied the game at 21-21.
As was in the second set, the two teams exchanged points with Kenya Pipeline sealing it 25-23 and tied the overall sets at 2-2 to set up a decider.
In the fifth set Kenya Pipeline led 11-7 before a technical timeout was called. Poor reception was their undoing as Kenya Prisons duly responded with five quick fire points.
Brackcides Agala pushed to left attacker from her familiar centre position paid off as the wardresses took the set 15-13.
Kenya Prisons is set to face hosts Carthage in the last four. Carthage defeated Sfaxien 3-1 (27-25, 25-15, 23-25, 25-23) in the Tunisian derby on Thursday night to advance.
