Defending champions Kenyatta University (KU) began their title campaign with a 27-17 triumph over rivals University of Eldoret (UOE) in a men’s handball match during the opening day of the Kenya Universities Sports Federation (KUSF) ball games at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) Thursday morning.
The victory provided KU with an excellent start in what was a much-anticipated showdown between last year’s finalists.
This eagerly anticipated contest, described as a “final before the final,” delivered on its promise as the previous year’s finalists engaged in a hard-fought battle in a closely contested Pool A match.
KU demonstrated their superiority, repeating their earlier success against UOE to claim a decisive victory.
In other men’s handball action, Rongo University defeated Pwani University 15-10, while previous champions Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) defeated Kabarak University 23-16.
Among the women’s handball matches, Daystar University won 21-12 over Egerton University, as Rongo narrowly beat Pwani 15-13.
Meru University also shone with a 23-16 win against the University of Nairobi (UoN).
In netball, UOE’s men’s team commenced their title defense strongly with a narrow 15-14 victory over KU in Pool A. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOUOST) defeated Tharaka University 15-13, while UoN overcame Kamusinga Friends University (KAFU) 12-9.
KU’s women’s netball team delivered one of the day’s most impressive displays, thoroughly defeating defending champions UOE 27-14. Kisii University comfortably outplayed Taita Taveta University (TTU) 26-5, while hosts CUEA narrowly edged past Meru University 22-19 to the satisfaction of the home supporters.
UOE captain Bob Kiluki conveyed confidence following their initial victory, stating: “We are here with the goal of defending our title. Winning this first match demonstrates our thorough preparation for the national championships.”
He continued: “There is pressure as every team wants to defeat us, but we are prepared. We have trained extensively and remain focused on defending our title.”
In volleyball, both Karatina University (KARU) and KU secured opening victories. KARU mounted a comeback to defeat JKUAT in a dramatic five-set match (25-17, 14-25, 25-23, 17-25, 15-7) in the men’s division.
KU, meanwhile, achieved a 3-1 win against KARU in the women’s contest (21-25, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25).
KARU men’s captain John Ogweno indicated that the opening victory had enhanced their confidence, mentioning that the team is pursuing the championship after falling short in the previous year’s quarterfinals.
“Securing our first match builds our confidence. Last season we were eliminated in the quarterfinals, which was frustrating. This time, we have our sights set on the championship,” he remarked.
“Our effective serving, strong blocking, and excellent reception made the crucial difference today.”