Press release

Nairobi, Kenya, April 8, 2011- Defending champions Kenya Prisons will challenge Pipeline in the 2011 Women's African Club Championship final on Saturday in a repeat of last year's gold-medal match. The final will be preceded by the bronze-medal match that features Al Ahly of Egypt and Injs of Cameroon.

Pipeline are aiming to improve their African record to eight titles while Prisons will be searching for their third title in four years. The competition acts as a qualifier for the 2011 FIVB Women's Club World Championship to be hosted in Qatar later this year. Prisons represented the continent in last year's World Championship and finished fifth.

The tournament's other ranking positions were determined through the classification matches at the Nazarene University and Brook School halls on Friday where Water Sport of Ethiopia outclassed Jos South of Nigeria to finish fifth, improving on previous best finish of seventh in 2009.

Bejaia of Algeria took this year's seventh spot after the sudden withdrawal of Rwandan opponents Revenue Authority owing to political causes in their country.
Efoulan finished ninth ahead of St Denis in 10th, while Naceria of Algeria beat Kenya's KCB to 11th position. For KCB, 12th is their worst finish since they started participating in the competition in 1995. In the 13th/14th classification match Kutlwano of Botswana beat Jeshi Stars of Tanzania. Les As of Burundi finished bottom of the standings.

Ranking 5-6
The Ethiopian dark horses of Water Sport came from 2-1 behind to clinch a thrilling five-set victory over Jos South, winning 25-19, 18-25, 11-25, 25-16, 15-10 in 108 minutes. Water Sport took the first set on the back of some good combinations but their Nigerian opponents improved their block and backline defence to win the next two sets. If Water Sport were guilty of too many errors during that period, they regained their rhythm in the fourth set to extend the match to a tie-break in which their spike service and wing spikers proved decisive. 

Ranking 7-8
Revenue Authority's withdrawal meant a default 3-0 (25-0, 25-0, 25-0) victory for Bejaia. 

Ranking 9-10
Efoulan of Cameroon overturned a two-set deficit to deny an outstanding St Denis team, winning 3-2 (20-25, 13-25, 25-22, 25-12, 15-11). After the Reunion side showed their quality in the first and second sets, Efoulan's fighting spirit came to the fore as they drew level and then won all the critical points in the tie-break to pip their fellow tournament newcomers to ninth place.

Ranking 11-12
Naceria beat KC Bank of Kenya 3-2 (25-18, 25-20, 18-25, 17-25, 15-8). The Algerian team played their best match in the competition, shrugging off the loss of a two-set lead as they overwhelmed the home team in the concluding tie-break.

Ranking 13-14
Kutlwano overcame a sluggish start to secure an ultimately comfortable 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-18) win over the improving Jeshi Stars of Tanzania in 72 minutes. Kutlwano attacker Masego Hosea was the star player with some unstoppable hits from position four – particularly in the closely contested first set.
 
Ranking results
Ranking positions 5-16 on April 8

5-6 positions: Water Sport (ETH) v Jos South (NGR) 3-2 (25-19, 18-25, 11-25, 25-16, 15-10)
7-8 positions: Bejaia (ALG) v Revenue Auth (RWA) 3-0 (25-0, 25-0, 25-0)
9-10 positions: ST Denis (REU) v Efoulan (CMR) 3-2 (20-25, 13-25, 25-22, 25-12, 15-11)
11-12 positions: Naceria (ALG) v KCB (KEN) 3-2 (25-18, 25-20, 18-25, 17-25, 15-8)
13-14 positions: Kutlwano (BOT) v Jeshi Stars (TAN) 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-18)
15 position: Les As (BUR)