Malkia Strikers were over the moon after securing their third win at the Women’s World Volleyball Championship at the Saphan Hin Stadium in Phuket, Thailand.
The 10-time African champions, who had lost their opening matches to Germany and Poland, delivered a dominant performance to claim their third victory at the global showpiece after Kazakhstan in 2018 in Japan and against Cameroon in 2022 in Serbia, to restore belief in their ability to compete on the world stage.
The Kenyan team swept past Vietnam 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-20) in their final Pool G match on Wednesday. Head coach Geoffrey Omondi could not hide his delight after the landmark win, describing it as a turning point for the national team.
He said, “I realised Vietnam had not changed their game plan and were still playing their ball in the middle court. That worked for me as it is what I trained for. I was very confident as I knew my defence would finish that.”
“This win is very important for Kenyan volleyball as it restores confidence in our national players at home. We have been improving with every match, and I am very impressed. We snatched a set against Poland, and now the match against Vietnam. This shows players and women back at home that they can win too,” he added.
Kenya controlled the match from the onset amid quick transitions and aggressive serves to neutralise Vietnam’s famed fast game. They opened the match with a solid 25-18 win in the first set before holding off a late surge from Vietnam to clinch the second 25-22. The Kenyans then completed the job with a composed 25-20 victory in the third, sealing a sweep that sent the players and their fans into celebration.
Outside hitter Veronica Adhiambo, who has been Kenya’s top scorer at the tournament, once again led from the front with 19 points from 35 attack attempts. Belinda Barasa added 13 points and opposite hitter Terry Tata, managed 12. Middle blocker Lorine Ekaru and captain Meldina Sande added key blocks. Their defensive organisation stood out, recording five successful blocks compared to Vietnam’s two.
Vietnam’s resistance came through outside hitter Vu Thi Ngan Quynh, who managed 12 points, while captain Tran Rhi Thuy added six. The result capped a spirited campaign for the Malkia Strikers, who had earlier lost 0-3 (22-25, 8-25, 20-25) to Germany in their opener and 1-3 (17-25, 25-15, 15-25, 14-25) against Poland on Monday.
With the victory, Kenya finished third in Pool G while Germany and Poland advanced to the round of 16.
The two European giants were set to meet later Wednesday to determine who tops the group to avoid reigning Olympic champions Italy in the knockouts. Omondi believes the result will inspire the next generation of Kenya, and the focus now shifts to building on this success.
“This win is motivation to the players and even to the young girls at home that it is possible to train well and win,” he said.
Omondi praised his players for executing the game plan flawlessly, noting that every department worked in perfect harmony. He is confident that the squad will carry the Kenyan flag at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“I want to commend the players; the game plan was on point. We didn’t change anything,” Omondi said. “I’m happy with the overall performance of each player. When we were coming here, people had doubts about the young team, but with this result, they have confirmed that they deserved to be here.”
It’s a team to watch. For continuity, I hope we will have more international matches so that the momentum continues.”
