NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 4 – The national women’s volleyball team, Malkia Strikers have bowed out of the FIVB Challenger Cup in Manilla, Philippines after losing by straight sets to Puerto Rico in the quarter finals on Thursday morning.
Malkia put in a fight in the third set, but eventually lost 27-25, with the South Americans having won the first and second sets 25-20 and 25-19 respectively.
Opposite hitter Pamella Odhiambo, in her first international outing with the team, put in a starring performance especially in the third set. She had a total of 22 points, 21 of them from attack.
Belinda Barasa had nine, Veronica Adhiambo had eight, Juliana Namutira, the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) league’s most valuable player had five while it was an unusually quiet afternoon for star player Sharon Chepchumba who chalked only two points on the board.
Seven points from service
Malkia gave away seven points in service, a key concern for head coach Japheth Munala, while there is still some work to do on reception with seven errors.
The Kenyan girls had a good start to the game punching pound to pound with the Puerto Ricans, but they ultimately opened up a gap to win the opening set. It was same case in the second set.
The third set however saw Munala’s girls pick up the tempo and led at 18-16 before the South Americans rallied to re-take the wheel. Pamela’s two strong hits from the right took the duel to a 26-point game at 25-25.
Pick positives from the defeat
However, Puerto Rico’s danger girl Grace Lopez won two points with some strong hits that brushed off the Kenyan blocks and bouncing off the court.
Munala will however look to pick positives from the defeat, as the team now switches attention to the Olympic Games in Paris.
The team is scheduled to play a few friendly matches in the Philippines, before traveling back home on Sunday. They will have two days of rest in Nairobi before travelling again, this time to Miramas, France, for the pre-Olympic camp.
