National men's volleyball team coach Gideon Tarus believes their victory over favourites Egypt in the opening match was a huge confidence boost for his boys in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Kenya made history after beating the North Africans 3-2 on Wednesday night and were due to meet Morocco last night.
Kenya came from a set down to dismiss pre-match favourites 3-2. After trailing 19-25 in the first set, the Kenyans shook off the underdogs' tag to win the two subsequent sets 25-22 and 25-20. The Egyptians then levelled the sets 18-25 to push the match into the deciding fifth set, which the Kenyans won 15-12.
"The win has made the team believe in themselves. Coming up against Egypt was a tough task and I couldn't ask for more from the players," Tarus said.
"We have never beaten Egypt and the feat is historical for Kenya. This shows anything is possible through hard work. There's more to come from this group," he added.
Asked about the secret weapon behind the victory, Tarus charged: "We knew their strength and we forced them to make errors and we capitalised on their inadequacies."
Tarus, who doubles up as the General Service Unit tactician, warned his charges against complacency. "It's not yet time to celebrate because we haven't achieved our target. We have set standards that need to be maintained. With humility, this team can go far."
Tarus said players have embraced competition and welcomed the selection dilemma. He hinted at rotating his squad to keep them fresh while maintaining the rhythm.
"Every player is up to the task and it is good for the team. I don't have a permanent lineup but we will always adjust the personnel according to the opponent."
Kenya will play neighbours Tanzania in their last Pool D match.
