After a dull 2024-2025 that saw them finish with no trophy or medal, former Kenya Volleyball Federation Women’s National League champions Kenya Prisons have one more chance to redeem themselves.
This is according to head coach Josp Barasa who believes that the inaugural Kenya Cup presents an opportunity to win a trophy. Barasa said that they have everything to fight in the contest having finished a distant fourth in the league.
“This is the only chance we have of winning this season. We fought and gave our best but luck was not on our side especially in our semi-final play-offs match in Mombasa,” Barasa said.
The Wardresses lost 2-0 in their best-of-three battle against the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) before falling to rivals KCB Bank 3-1(25-71, 25-14, 25-20, 25-13) to settle for fourth place.
Barasa revealed that the absence of key players Pamela Masaisai, Yvonne Wavinya and Meldina Sande weakened the team in addition to not having a strong bench that could turn the game around when the need arose.
“We struggled because we missed three key players who play in the same position hence weakening our attacks and finishing. We could start well but fall short and that was our major undoing,” he added.
Going into this weekend’s Kenya Cup quarter-final match against Kenya Army, Barasa said that they are intensely training at the Ulinzi Sports Complex and are looking to win and thereafter shift their focus to the semis.
“We drew invaluable lessons from the league and also analysed our performance which we are using to improve in areas that we were struggling with the aim of strengthening all our departments,” Barasa said.
Prisons will have changes in the squad that played in the league play-offs since some of the players were recently employed and are currently in training among them libero Delvin Misoki.
However, the return of left attacker Sande who was away in Rwanda playing for Rwanda Police and middle blocker Lydia Nabutola who had a short stint in the Tanzanian league is a boost to the team.
In the absence of Misoki, Prisons first-choice libero Sharon Sandui whose good show in the league earned her a Malkia Strikers call up will shoulder the backcourt defence responsibilities.
Barasa expressed confidence in Sandui, saying that he is capable of handling the task in the absence of other liberos.
He is also banking on the services of veterans Brackcides Agala and Lydia Maiyo who remain on top of their game in their sunset years.
“Agala is doing very well and with her experience, we never face any challenges with our reception. Maiyo has also been exceptional not only as a player but a mentor for upcoming players and I believe that their contribution will be key in our campaign,” he concluded.
The Kenya Cup attracted seven women’s teams, namely league champions Kenya Pipeline, KCB Bank, Postbank, DCI and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). Pipeline got a bye to the semis while the other six sides must knock out their opponents to secure a place in the last four.