CHEMA VC head coach Jeremiah Mukopi/ HANDOUT

Chema Volleyball Club will rely on lessons learned from recent setbacks as the third leg of the Men's Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) League serves off on Thursday at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.

The Juja-based newcomers head into the round determined to steady their campaign after a strong start to the season placed them among the early contenders in the standings.

Despite slipping in their last two outings, the side remains within reach of the top positions and believes the upcoming leg offers a chance to regain momentum.

Head coach Jeremiah Mukopi says the team has focused on correcting key technical areas during training as they prepare for four crucial fixtures.

“We have prepared well for the third leg, and I can assure our fans that we will win our matches. We slipped in two games, but we have learned our lessons,” Mukopi said. 

Mukopi explained that ball reception and attacking efficiency have been central to their training programme following the recent defeats.

“We have had problems receiving the ball for quite some time, and we need to bridge that gap. KPA and Prisons exploited that weakness, but we have been working hard to improve," he said. "I also had injuries on the opposite side of the team, but I’m glad the players are now back,” he added.

Reception has remained a recurring challenge for Chema, dating back to their time in the lower-tier league.

The issue resurfaced after the departure of Hudson Kipchumba, who had been recruited from the reigning champions General Service Unit (GSU) to stabilise the back court.

The player’s exit last month forced the technical bench to reshuffle its lineup, with former banker Bethoven Okombo now expected to take on greater responsibility in filling the gap.

Despite the disruption, Mukopi maintains that the club’s trajectory since promotion has been encouraging, noting that Chema’s runners-up finish at the Kipchumba Karori tournament signalled their growing competitiveness among the country’s elite sides.

Chema begin their third-leg assignments against fellow league debutants Eldowas on Thursday before facing Nairobi Prisons Volleyball Club on Friday. 

They will then meet the Trail Blazers on Saturday before closing the leg against the Kenya Airports Police Unit (KAPU) on Sunday.

The side currently occupies fourth place on the table with 15 points from seven matches. They are seven points adrift of leaders Kenya Ports Authority, leaving the upcoming fixtures crucial to their hopes of staying within touching distance of the summit.