Strathmore Scorpions captain Jeriah Onsare reckons their 2-0 win over the University of Nairobi in the Kenya Hockey Union season opener at the City Park Stadium on April 7 is a morale booster ahead of their showdown with Blazers on April 9.
Lilian Wesonga and Maurine Ongoche were on target for the Scorpions who are the defending champions of the women's cadre.
Scorpions, the reigning Kenya Universities Sports Association KUSA games champions, are banking on good preparations and a positive mentality to claim maximum points against their arch-rivals.
"We have had better preparations for the new season. The KUSA games came in handy since the players look much fitter," Onsare who plays as a midfielder said.
" We will show up against the Blazers and play the 'strath' way. The players have developed a bulletproof mentality if our good run that dates back to last season is any barometer," she added.
The students managed four points from a possible six last season against the Blazers but Onsare expects a different ballgame.
"We aren't going to burden ourselves with pressure at this early stage of the season but we are going to play for a win. We want to set the season rolling as early as possible to avoid playing catch-up when the title race takes shape."
A double from Cliffe Omari allowed Wazalendo to beat Sailors 4-2 in the men's league match. Omari, last season's runner-up top scorer, scored in the 26th and 32nd minute respectively to lay down a marker of his intentions of dethroning Festus Onyango from the golden boot award.
Griffin Okombe and Sutcliffe Usagi were also on target for the South B-based side. Abraham Musee and Garvon Momanyi scored for the Sailors.
Ian Sirma's 15th-minute goal was all that the Multimedia University Super League side needed to overcome Kenyatta University.
