Kenya Hockey Union women’s Premier League newcomers University of Nairobi (UoN) take on champions Strathmore University Scorpions as the 2023 season gets underway at City Park Hockey Stadium, Nairobi on Friday.
UoN and Kenyatta University will start life in the top tier after they earned promotion from Super League by virtue of finishing in the top two positions last season.
UoN coach Clayson Luvanda is unfazed by Strathmore’s champions tag.
“Strathmore coach Meshack Senge knows pretty well what we will be bringing on table. We played them during the Kenya University Sports Association (KUSA) South Conference Games and won 1-0 early this year. Whereas we didn’t perform well at the KUSA nationals last week in Eldoret, I know we have what it takes to beat them.
“We have signed six players and our objective is to finish in the top two positions at the end of the league that will help us qualify for the African Clubs Championship. We at least want to finish in the top four,” said Luvanda who was Senge’s player at Strathmore University Gladiators and won the men’s league title in 2016.
Forward Jane Mango and midfielder Elizabeth Mwombo have joined UoN from Scorpions, while midfielder Harriet Bosibori and goalkeeper Hilda Jepleting were signed from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Maseno University respectively.
Others are Emmaculate Mweke and Rosemary Awinja from Mwiki Secondary School.
During the KUSA Nationals last weekend, UoN were eliminated at the quarter-finals stage as Strathmore won the title.
UoN will then tackle United States International University Africa (USIU-A) on Saturday.
Strathmore coach Senge said he knows what to expect when they play UoN.
“The match has always been a derby in KUSA and I believe nothing will change at the bigger stage. They are not pushovers. We respect them and are aware of what they can do but we will be keen to start the season well,” said Senge.
Strathmore won the league last season unbeaten before they participated in the African Clubs Championships that was hosted at City Park Stadium where they finished last in the six-nation event.
UoN finished second behind KU in the Super League with 29 points from nine wins, two draws a loss. Wazalendo will battle Sailors in the men’s Premier League.
In the Super League, newcomers Twinkle will face off with Vikings in the women’s category while Multimedia University (MMU) take on KU in the men’s competition.
In the National League, Black Tigers have a date with Karate Axiom.
Fixtures (All matches at City Park unless stated)
Black Tigers v Karate Axiom (M) (10am, Impala)
Twinkle v Vikings (W) 10am
Strathmore University v UoN (W) 2pm
Sailors v Wazalendo (M) 4pm