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Time was when meetings between Kenya Prisons and Kenya Pipeline in Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) women’s National League kept fans on the edge of their seats.
But the rivalry that existed between the two teams is fast fading if the just-concluded KVF National League play-offs is anything to go by.
The two teams have always treated local fans to rivalry only comparable to that in football between 18-time Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia and 13-time winners AFC Leopards. Both teams attract fiercely-loyal fans who follow their matches to all corners of the country. But even that rivalry has recently faded off, with Gor taking the upper hand in ‘Mashemeji derby.”
That Pipeline, who last won the title in 2017, fell to their nemesis Prisons in three straight sets of 25-19, 25-23 and 25-13 on Friday, shows how the ground has shifted in favour of the wardresses.
In many of their previous meetings, the two teams have always played out to a five-set thriller. On countable occasions, one or the other normally wins the closely-contested encounters by 3-1 or 3-0 sets.
But on Friday, Pipeline were a pale shadow of their former self, an injury to outside hitter Naomi Too in the match worsening an already bad situation. Pipeline captain Triza Atuka had been ruled out of action for nine months with knee injury as well.
In previous years, the title has alternated between the two teams, but there is a third force coming up in Kenya Commercial Bank and Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
Pipeline coach and former Kenya international Margaret Indakala who watched her side fall apart in the three-day play-offs said losing seven of her players to KCB and Kenya Defence Forces at the start of the season coupled with injuries to Atuka and Too contributed to the poor performance.
Indakala said the formation of competitive clubs in DCI and KCB’s heavy recruitment was always going to check the dominance by Pipeline and Prisons.
“There was not going to be a fanfare. We were a depleted side heading into the play-offs. Gone are days when Prisons and Pipeline dominated the play-offs. There are good sides coming up, moreso KCB who are recruiting heavily,” said Indakala.
She added: “We might not have the two teams again dominating the scene because upcoming teams like DCI also want a share of the pie and you saw how they pushed us in the match on Sunday.”
Pipeline’s players Noel Murambi, Violet Makuto, Leonida Kasaya, Jemima Siangu, Christine Njambi, and Truphosa Chepkemei left the club and head coach Japheth Munala decamped to KCB, while setter Veronica Kilabat joined KDF
Prisons coach Josp Barasa said the situation has something to do with management and upcoming clubs. Barasa, whose team retained the title on Sunday at the Moi International Sports Centre Indoor Arena, Kasarani, said: “Some clubs know how to invest in their players or better still, other clubs have recruited heavily from the two clubs, thus depleting these sides. With a depleted side, there is no way the two sides will be competitive.”
