Felix Mochama of KCA University (left) vies for the ball with Kennedy Siblieche (right) of Kenya Police during their Kenya Hockey Union Premier league match at City Park Hockey Stadium on October 9, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Strathmore Gladiators secure final playoff slot

    The play-offs lineup for this season’s Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League has been confirmed after the final two slots were clinched at the weekend. Two-time champions Strathmore University Gladiators confirmed their place on Sunday evening after a hard fought 1-0 win away to bottom-placed Bay Club at the Kisumu Sports Club. Steve Nyabuto scored the only goal of the game to propel his team to the knockout stage. The win coupled with USIU’s 3-2 to loss to Kenyatta University (KU) Vultures means the Gladiators will finish second in Pool A, behind champions and leaders Butali Sugar Warriors. In the play-offs set for next month, Butali will take on Pool B runners up Greensharks while 2013 champions Kenya Police will be up against Strathmore. The winners will contest in the final to determine the winner of the 2016 men’s premier league season. Strathmore coach Meshack Senge was delighted with result praising his charges for their fighting spirit which he said will be essential in the play-offs. “We have achieved our first target of the season and that was to make it to the playoffs. Our second target is to ensure we qualify for the club championship and we are working towards this,” Senge told Daily Nation Sport Monday. He however said it was too early to start thinking about next month’s clash with Police but is relishing the encounter.  “We still have a our final match against KU (Vultures) to think about but every match we play now is a build up to the Police encounter,” he added. The win against Bay Club moved Senge’s side to 13 points, five behind Butali with one match to play. Nakuru jumped to third place after their emphatic 1-0 win over Sikh Union Nairobi.  The Rift Valley side are on nine points, one ahead of USIU who dropped to fourth while Sikh complete the top five. In Pool B, Police pipped Greensharks to clinch top spot after hitting them 2-0 on Saturday evening. Both teams finished their preliminary matches with 13 points but Police are perched at the top due to a superior goal difference. In the women’s Premier League, champions Telkom Orange opened a five point lead at the top after a remarkable weekend. Orange scored 28 goals from two matches to move to 16 points with two matches remaining. Four points from those two matches will see them retain the title. Strathmore Scorpions are placed second with 11 points and have three matches left while newcomers Amira Sailors are third, a point back. USIU Spartans and Sliders complete the top five places with 10 and nine points respectively.

    National hockey team player Pauline Naise during a past training session. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

    Hockey star turned footballer Pauline Naise joins Harambee Starlets camp

      National hockey team star Pauline Naise is among the 24 players that reported to the Harambee Starlets training camp on Friday at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani. Naise has featured for both the junior and senior national hockey teams in a number of international assignments. She last featured for the national hockey team in February 2015 during the World League Two series in Uruguay before taking a break from the sport at the end of last season after leading her club USIU Spartans to a fourth place finish in the league. The midfielder, who features for Football Kenya Federation Women’s Premier League side Vihiga Leeds, was among the four new players that have been called up to the team that is preparing to make a debut in the African Women’s Cup of Nations next month in Cameroon. The others are striker Janet Bundi of Women Premier League (WPL) Zone B side Nyamira County Starlets, Soccer Queens’ Esther Nyandika and Bertha Omita – who turns out for WPL Zone B side Oserian. REMAINED OPTIMISTIC Speaking to Daily Nation Sport from Kasarani, Naise expressed delight at having earned her first call up to the national team. Naise remained optimistic of making the team for the Morocco friendly match as well as the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon. “I did not expect to be called for this duty but I am so happy that after so many years, the coach has seen it fit to call me. I like to play hockey but football is my first love,” the 22-year-old midfielder said.  “This is my first time here and I am still unsure of whether I will make it to the tournament so I just want to put up a convincing performance during training.” Starlets have a busy schedule in the next few weeks, as they have three friendly matches lined up ahead of the continental showpiece. Starlets will play Morocco away in Marrakech on October 16, before hosting Cameroon (October 22) and Egypt (October 28). At the continental showpiece, Starlets have been drawn in a tough Group B which also has Mali, Ghana and defending champions Nigeria. PROVISIONAL SQUAD Jacky Ogol, Enez Mango, Vivian Corazon, Jackeline Akoth, Purity Nyongesa, Samantha Akinyi, Vivian Akinyi, Lilian Awuor, Ann Aluoch, Wendy Achieng, Elizabeth Ambogo, Christine Nafula, Irene Ogutu, Cherise Avilia, Dorcas Shikobe, Caroline Anyango, Neddy Atieno, Esse Akida, Dorcas Anyango, Mary Kinuthia, Esther Nandika, Pauline Naise, Bertha Adhiambo, Janet Bundi. Source: Daily Nation | Date: Friday October 7 2016

      Police host Greensharks

        Kenya Hockey league continues this weekend with several matches expected to be played in Nairobi, Nakuru and Kisumu. African queens Orange Kick off this weekend games as they take on Daystar University. Daystar who have not won a single game this season will be facing a wounded Orange who need to score many goals to stay top of the league since they started they league on a wrong footing. The game of the day will be between Kenya Police and their longtime rivals Greensharks. Police currently are 2nd on the log with Greensharks leading the pool having played 4 games each. The winner of this match will move to the top and both teams are looking to book a slot in next year’s Club Championships. The two matches to be played out of town will be between  Nakuru Sikh hosting Sikh Nairobi on Saturday in Nakuru and on Sunday BAY hosts Strathmore University.    

        Indoor Hockey Glory for the KZN Raiders

          It’s been a riveting weekend of indoor hockey in Bellville down in the Western Cape. There have been more goals than controversial statements from Donald Trump and as the weekend progressed the quality of the hockey started to experience an upsurge as well. Ultimately it was the expected KZN Raiders who did the job and emerged victorious. After the group stages were completed on Friday, the knock out stages is where the tournament truly begins and the quality of games really backed that statement up.  The Raiders continued on their relentless march in both the women’s and men’s tournament where the victims of their brutally efficient hockey was the WP Pens and Mpumalanga respectively. There was a major upset in the Quarter finals of the men’s tournament as an opening salvo of supreme pace and relentless attack saw the Southern Gauteng “B” Side, known as Wits march to an early lead against the KZN Inland side. It was a lead they would not release and they ended up victors with one of the displays of the tournament. There reward though was a match against the unstoppable Raiders in the Semi-Final where Ryan Hack’s men could not be stopped. It’s been a riveting weekend of indoor hockey in Bellville down in the Western Cape. There have been more goals than controversial statements from Donald Trump and as the weekend progressed the quality of the hockey started to experience an upsurge as well. Ultimately it was the expected KZN Raiders who did the job and emerged victorious. After the group stages were completed on Friday, the knock out stages is where the tournament truly begins and the quality of games really backed that statement up.  The Raiders continued on their relentless march in both the women’s and men’s tournament where the victims of their brutally efficient hockey was the WP Pens and Mpumalanga respectively. There was a major upset in the Quarter finals of the men’s tournament as an opening salvo of supreme pace and relentless attack saw the Southern Gauteng “B” Side, known as Wits march to an early lead against the KZN Inland side. It was a lead they would not release and they ended up victors with one of the displays of the tournament. There reward though was a match against the unstoppable Raiders in the Semi-Final where Ryan Hack’s men could not be stopped. The men’s final was an altogether different affair. Southern Gauteng were the heavy underdogs but started with a bang when Kyle Marks scored from a rebound, the Raiders fought back before a sensational goal by Brandon James gave Southerns the lead again. Raiders, not to be outdone fought back with a great team goal finished off by Greg Last.  After half time the Southerns boys started to tire and the Raiders almost looked to have more energy and raised the game to another level. After taking the lead through inspirational skipper Fairweather and another through Eustice, the Raiders employed a brand of game management that would make the All Blacks proud in seeing it out. The tournament was undoubtedly one of the best indoor IPT’s that we have seen in South Africa, although there is room for improvement. The involvement of PSi in hosting the IPT raised the tournament to a better level and it would make sense if a continued involvement was sought out for them by SA Hockey. In terms of the individual awards the top goalscorers awards were shared in the men’s by Jethro Eustice (Raiders) and Gavin Jelley (Inland), and incredibly shared in the ladies as well by Cindy Hack and Eloise Walters (both Raiders). Matthew Becker did is own national hopes no hurt, by being named keeper of the tournament while Nicole le Fleur won the award for the lady. Lastly it was to player of the tournament which was easily won by Jethro Eustice in the mens tournament. In the ladies tournament Nicole de Vries, who had received stiches on Friday when a mask hit her, was named the player of the tournament. Final Positions Men’s Indoor Inter Provincial Tournament Women’s Indoor Inter Provincial Tournament 1.  KZN Raiders 1.       KZN Raiders 2.  Southern Gauteng 2.       Western Province 3.  Western Province 3.       KZN Mynahs 4.  Wits 4.       Southern Gauteng 5.  KZN Inland 5.       North West 6.  WP Pens 6.       KZN Inland 7.  Eastern Gauteng 7.       WP Pens 8.  Mpumalanga 8.       Mpumalanga Source: SA Hockey Channel  | Date: 17 October 2016