Kenya women’s volleyball team qualified for the final round of World Grand Prix after beating hosts Algeria 3-2 (25-20,15-25, 25-23, 13-25, 15-13) in the second round in Algiers, Algeria on Sunday.
Following the victory, Kenya becomes the first African team to feature in the final round and will compete against host Australia, Peru and Colombia later in the week. They were scheduled to depart to Australia last evening.
Match-wise, Algeria took an early 4-2 lead, courtesy of Safia Boukhima before Kenya overtook them 8-7 at the first Technical Time Out (TTO) following water-tight blocks from Brackcides Agala and Mercy Moim. It was then neck-to-neck battle as they two sides tied 10-10, 12-12 before Kenya withered the partisan crowd to open a two-point lead (16-14), going into the second TTO.
Malkia Strikers extended the lead 18-16, thanks Moim’s razor blade like spikes. Coach David Lung’aho then rested Esther Wangeci for Lydia Maiyo but the move did little to help, as Algeria capitalised on poor judgment from Kenya’s backcourt defence to overtake 22-20, 23-20 en-route bagging the set 25-20.
Kenya regrouped in the second set as Jane Wacu picked first 5 scores with her good services to lead Algeria 6-1.
Blocks from Lydia Maiyo and Ruth Jepng’etich denied the hosts points as Kenya led 8-2 in the first TTO. Kenya picked from where they had left to lead 10-5, before Algeria trailed 8-14, 8-15 and 9-16, going into the second TTO. Kenya extended the lead 17-11 and then 19-14 as they capitalised on Algeria’s poor services. There was no stopping Kenya this time round as they took the game to 20-14, 22-15, 23-15 before sealing the set 25-15.
Kenya started the third set on a shaky note, trailing 1-3 but later gained the momentum, thanks to Moim’s nice services to lead 6-4 and 8-5, heading into first TTO.
Algeria closed the gap 6-8 courtesy of Amina Redouani’as good play before both teams tied 10-10, 11-11 and 12-12. Kenya poor management on the net, awarding the hosts point to trail 14-16 going into 2nd TTO. Lung’aho then rested Jepng’etich for youngster Triza Atuka but poor backcourt reception returned again to haunt Kenya. Algeria pushed the visitors to tie 18-18, 20-20 before Algeria opened a two-point gap, leading 22-20, 23-21 before taking third set 25-23.
Kenya started the fourth set a rejuvenated side, leading 6-2 as Lung’aho brought back Wangeci for Maiyo to extend lead 8-3 at the 1st TTO. Kenya extended lead 12-6, 14-8, as Algeria trailed 9-16 going into 2nd TTO. The Kenya girls led 20-11 and then 21-11 as Agala propelled the team with her swift moves to seal the set 25-13 to tie the sets at 2-2.
In the deciding set, Kenya led 4-0 before Algeria rallied 4-6 to overtake Kenya 7-6, 8-7, 9-8 before Kenya came back forcefully to lead 12-10, 13-11
and 15-13 to win the game.
