Sunguti keen to guide KPA to KVF title

The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) 2021/22 season served off on Friday 26 November at Kapsabet with title-chasing Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) picking straight sets win over Western Prisons. 

However, in their second match against Equity Bank, the dockers struggled to pick a win, dropping a point in the process as they dug deep to come from a 2-1 defecit and beat the bankers 3-2 ( 23-25, 25-13, 22-25, 25-20, 15-10). 

"Preparations for the new season were not good. It was tough seeing as the team does not train together and it is difficult to tell whether players are training on their own. We only had two days of training together before the matches and that is why we struggled against Equity. 

Holders GSU, Prisons begin KVF season on a high

However, the squad is still solid, they have chemistry and know how to react on the court and that went a long way in our victory. We are working to have the squad train together longer in subsequent legs as the matches get tougher as we progress," said KPA's head coach Samson Sunguti.

The Mombasa-based club has retained the core of their squad that finished third in the 2021 league playoffs, with only one player, Enock Mogeni having left while setter Titus Kibet was finally able to play. 

"Kibet is not new to the squad. He joined us last season before we made our debut in the Africa Club Championships but was not registered so he could not play. He had a good debut and was instrumental in our victories over the weekend," added Sunguti. 

Missing Wafalme Stars' skipper Mogeni who has joined Smouha SC is a blow to the dockers. Mogeni was instrumental in guiding the national men's volleyball team Wafalme to a ninth-place finish during the CAVB Africa Nations Cup men's championship in September, including a historic win over Egypt in the group stage. 

However, this is not the side's first time to do battle in the league without the attacker. They began the 2021 season without the player who at the time was turning out for Swedish side Sodertelge VBK before rejoining the dockers in May to help them make a statement on their debut at the Africa Club Championships where they finished fifth.