KPA hopeful of playoff slot after lifting Bitok International title

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) men’s volleyball side were on Thursday 22 June crowned champions of the inaugural Bitok International tournament, a feat that gives the Mombasa-based team confidence ahead of the final league leg.

The Paul Bitok Foundation- sponsored tournament was scheduled to conclude on 9 April, after the preliminaries but were postponed following the untimely demise of Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Waithaka Kioni. 

The men’s competition was scheduled as a curtain raiser to the final league leg where Sammy Mulinge-led dockers emerged victorious in a final pitting Prisons Kenya, winning 3-1.

“We came into this tournament confident of the title and this means a lot to me as the captain of the team. This is a first of many titles for this team. Additionally, it is a good way to start the weekend ahead of the final leg of the regular season where we are fighting for a playoff slot.

A lot is at stake in the three matches we are set to play from Friday. We are gunning for maximum points to give ourselves a chance at reaching the top four for a playoff slot.

While the chance to be in the playoffs is also dependant on other results elsewhere, we will give it our all in our matches and leave the rest to fate. It is a very difficult position to be in but we are confident,” skipper Dennis Omollo, who is not eligible to play in the league, offered.

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In the absence of Mulinge, assistant coach James Ontere was in charge and delivered the trophy with his team also producing the tournament's most valuable player (MVP) in opposite attacker Peter Kamara. 

KPA had a slow start in the match, trailing in the first set early on but recovered well to assume lead halfway through and hold on for a 25-21 win. Prisons grabbed the second set 23-25 to level matters and make sure there would not be a straight-sets victory for either side. 

Costly reception mistakes on the part of Prisons saw them go five points behind and never recovered as they went on to lose the set 25-21. 

It was a similar script in the fourth set, KPA fighting to kill off the match while Prisons rallied on in an attempt to force a decider set. That was never to be as the set ended 25-18 for KPA to win. 

Friday 23 June 23, 2023 League Games

Prisons Mombasa vs Prisons Central

KPA vs Prisons Rift Valley

GSU vs Vihiga

Prisons Nairobi vs Prisons Kenya

Prisons Western vs Kenya Forest Service