Kenya Pipeline faced a 3-1 defeat against Egypt’s Zamalek in the 2023 Women’s Africa Club Championship finals in a hard-fought battle at the Hall Nabeul Arena in Tunisia on Monday.
Led by Paul Gitau, Kenya Pipeline had a strong start but couldn’t maintain the momentum as Zamalek emerged victorious, clinching their first-ever championship title. The sets ended with scores of 25-22, 18-25, 25-15, and 25-17 in favor of the Egyptians.
After a decade, Pipeline reached the finals and had high hopes of securing their first African title since 2005. However, Zamalek’s determination to claim their maiden trophy proved to be stronger.
Zamalek claimed the first set with a score of 25-22, but Pipeline bounced back in the second set, winning 25-18 to level the score at 1-1. Unfortunately, the final two sets proved challenging for Pipeline as they struggled to counter the Egyptians’ strong saves and shots.
This defeat marked the first loss for Kenya Pipeline in the competition, as they had previously won all their group-stage matches and knockout fixtures.
The Gitau-led team had advanced to the finals after a thrilling five-set encounter against the hosts, Carthage, in the semifinals, while Zamalek secured their spot by defeating Algeria’s Mouloudia in the other semi.
In the competition’s fifth-place play-off, another Kenyan representative, KCB, secured a 3-0 victory against Nigeria’s Chief Naval Staff Spikers, finishing in the fifth position.
Although Kenya Pipeline didn’t achieve its ultimate goal in the finals, its remarkable journey and impressive performance throughout the tournament showcased its talent and resilience on the continental stage.
