African Pride: Malkia Strikers Trounce Egypt To Clinch Top Spot At 2018 FIVB World Championship Qualifiers

malkia strikers
malkia strikers
Kenya women's volleyball team are the overall winners of the 2018 FIVB World Championship Qualifiers thanks to 3-0 ( 25-18,25-17, 25-17) win against their perennial nemesis Egypt at the Safaricom Indoor Arena, Kasarani on Sunday.

It was a sweet revenge for Kenya, after their opponents denied them a chance to qualify for the Olympics last year in the event that was held in Cameroon.

Kenya finished the event top with nine points ahead of Egypt with six points but both teams qualified for The African Nation Cup-cum-World Championship Qualifier to be staged in Cameroon later in the year.

Kenya coach Japeth Munala started with the same squad that won against Uganda and Rwanda but choose to work with two liberos in Agrippina Kundu and Cellestine Nyongesa.

Kenya trailed Egypt 8-6 in the first technical time out of the first set.

Janet Wanja, Mercy Moim and Triza Atuka combination upfront bagged points at will but they were not good enough as home team continued to trail 16-14 heading into 2nd TTO.

Violet Makuto powerful spikes and poor coordination in their opponent camp contributed points as Kenya overtook Egypt 19-17 and 22-17 enroute taking the first set 25-18.

In the second, set Kenya led 8-5 in the 1st TTO thanks to Makuto's individual effort before the hosts extended their lead to 10-7,12-8 and 16-11 going into the 2nd TTO.

Brackcidise Agala, Moim and Noel Murambi combined efforts towards that end.

Kenya then opened an eight point lead 21-13 with Agala paving way for Edith Wisa as Kenya continued to pile pressure on their opponents to take the second set 25-17.

The third set was evenly contested before Atuka was rested for Ann Lowem as the home team led 13-11, 14-12 and 16-13 heading into the final TTO.

Lowem, Moim and Makuto's collective efforts saw Kenya extend their lead to 19-15 and they never looked back as they won the set 25-17.

In the earlier match played at the same venue, event underdogs Uganda came from two sets down to reign supreme against Rwanda 3-2 ( 23-25,19-25,125-16,25-23 and 15-9) to finish third in the four nation tournament.

-The StarAGNES MAKHANDIA