The 2024-2025 season of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) National League will go down in history as one of the most competitive and more so, the women’s contest.

This is after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) pulled the unexpected by eliminating multiple winners Kenya Prisons from the title race.

Though DCI lost to a more experienced Kenya Pipeline side in the final to settle for silver, they indeed made a huge statement by breaking the barriers to win their first ever league medal.

And perhaps their success is just a preamble of inevitable changes that volleyball enthusiasts and country at large should expect soon. The General Service Unit (GSU) and Kenya Pipeline won their respective best-of-three final matches to be crowned champions, but it was DCI who stole the moment thanks to their resilience and impressive performance throughout the season.  

While Pipeline secured a 2-0 win against DCI ending the battle on day two of the final play-offs, GSU had to dig deeper for a 2-1 win against Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

Pipeline won game one 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-14), it was in game two that they were forced to earn the trophy as the detectives pushed their limits in the five-set thriller that they triumphed 3-2(21-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-21, 15-11).

For decades, women’s volleyball had been dominated by the big three; Kenya Pipeline, Kenya Prisons and KCB Bank. The establishment of DCI in 2018 and their steady rise to the top could change the sport’s landscape if their recent success is anything to go by. Of the three, only KCB escaped a beating from the sleuths this season.

Pipeline were DCI’s first casualties as they succumbed to a 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23) defeat in their last match of the regular season. The detectives followed it up with a brilliant performance against Kenya Prisons in the semis for a 2-0 clean sweep.

GSU, who just like the Oilers were looking to recapture the title they had lost in 2023, started well against the dockers whose dreams of winning their maiden title were shattered by the paramilitary officers.

GSU bagged game one in straight sets of 25-15, 25-22 and 30-28, but failed to complete the job losing game two 3-1(25-23, 23-25, 25-16, 25-19).

They bounced back in the decisive duel overpowering KPA 3-0(25-19, 25-21, 25-22) to lift the trophy.

An elated GSU coach Gideon Tarus said he’s happy to have recaptured the title that eluded them for two years.

“I’m very happy we reclaimed the title because we didn’t have depth in the team but I’m grateful God has helped us to win,” Tarus said.

His KPA equal James Ontere said that fatigue and burnout from their second contributed to their inability to rise to the occasion.