Volleyball: African Club Championship-Arsu not disappointed as Kenya Pipeline toast victory |13 April 2005

Despite taking seventh place out of nine teams, Arsu’s coach James Camille was not downhearted, but instead talked about the experience gathered in “the high level competition.”

“I don’t regret participating in the competition. It was another good experience but luck wasn’t on our side as we were drawn in the toughest of the two pools alongside defending champions Kenya Pipeline, 2004 losing finalists NC Bejaia of Algeria, former champions Al Ahly of Egypt and National University of Rwanda. The team played well and we came out of the tournament with our heads high,” said coach Camille.
The Arsu tactician added that opposing teams’ coaches told him that Arsu are a good team and he replied “Christmas comes once every eight years for us, while it’s an annual feast for you”.

He said this in reference to Arsu’s second participation in the annual championship since making their debut in 1997, while the other teams participate in every edition.

Arsu fell 1-3 (12-25 25-20 22-25 23-25) to NC Bejaia of Algeria in their first match of group B. They then lost 0-3 (19-25, 14-25 and 14-25) to former champions Al Ahly. Their third defeat was on a 0-3 (25-13 25-23 25-9) score against defending champions Kenya Pipeline.
Four-time Indian Ocean Club Championship (IOCC) winners Arsu’s only win in the “group of death” was over National University of Rwanda on a 3-0 (25-20 25-23 25-14) score.
The finalists of last Sunday’s decisive match came from group B, proving that Arsu had a relatively remote chance of progressing further in the competition.

Unbeaten in the group stage, Kenya Pipeline, under the leadership of coach David Lug’aho and who eliminated fellow Kenyans of Kenya Commercial Bank on a 3-1 score in the semifinal, swept aside Al Ahly 3-0 (25-18 25-21 25-18) in the final.
Al Ahly dispatched Telkom Kenya 3-2 in the other semifinal.

On winning the trophy, each Kenya Pipeline player received 30,000 shillings (approximately R2,200) and the team won R13,200 (R2,200 for every win since the preliminaries).
Kenya Pipeline chairman Darius Mbela extended the incentives by promising promotion to employed players and employment to the unemployed.

It is to note that Kenya Pipeline’s five other title wins came in 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999 and 2004.

Hall of fame

Most Valuable Player – Catherine Wanjiru (Kenya Pipeline)
Best Attacker – Esther Jepkosgei (Kenya Pipeline)
Best Setter – Janet Wanja (Kenya Commercial Bank)