Volleyball: Coach Mabwi says it was learning experience for his players

Kenya Under 23 players during their match against Japan at 2017 FIVB Women's U23 World Championship in Ljubljana, Slovenia on September 15, 2017. [FIVB]

Kenya junior national volleyball team have taken plenty of positives despite the dismal performance at the 2017 FIVB Women’s U23 World Championship in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The youthful Malkia Strikers found the going tough in their second attempt at the competition as the wait for the first win and set continues after failing to win a single Group B match.

Just like the 2013 performance in Mexico, Kenya finished last following an identical 4-0 defeats to Brazil, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cuba and Japan.

Although the East African side was largely affected by their inexperience, poor service, blocks, reception coupled by injuries to key player (Anne Lowem), coach Catherine Mabwi chose to concentrate on the positives.

“My players tried their best in their first international tournament. They had a very good experience here.

“I believe when they return they will work on their mistakes. In the next championships, they will perform better,” Mabwi said.

Mabwi’s sentiments were shared by her captain Shyrine Jepkemboi after their 4-0 (15-7, 15-8, 15-6, 15-9) last preliminary match humiliation at the hands of Japan on Friday.

“We played well today but at some point during the match we lost concentration. It has been a good experience in general for us to play here in Ljubljana; we learnt a lot from other players as these were our first international matches,” Jepkemboi said.

Team manager Martin Makokha believes the experience will go along way in helping the team in future.

“In these girls I see a lot of potential. If the girls can get the self belief and confidence, I can assure you the team can go places. They have the height - most of them with some good basics. Overall, we need, as a federation and country, to expose them more,” said Makokha, who is also Kenya Volleyball Federation Vice Chairman.

Kenya bowed out of the competition alongside perennial African rivals Egypt, Japan and Argentina, while Cuba underdogs set up a semifinal date with hosts Slovenia after beating champions Brazil 4-1.

Meanwhile, former Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) national league men’s champions General Service Unit continued with their unstoppable push towards securing a first play offs spot after trouncing Nairobi Prisons by straight sets at Wote Unoa Grounds, in Makueni county, on Friday.

GSU extended their unbeaten run to eleven games after being awarded a walk-over against Forest Rangers..

Champions Kenya Prisons also thrashed Cooperative Bank in straight sets as Kenya Defence Forces beat Vihiga County and Western Prisons by the same margin.

In the women’s league, Kenya Commercial Bank registered two wins over Nairobi Water (3-1) and Western Bombers (3-0), while Kakamega Prisons beat Mount Kenya University by straight sets.