Kenya floor Egypt as African Women’s Volleyball Cup of Nation enters day two

By OSCAR PILIPILI

The 2013 CAVB African Women’s Cup of Nations entered the second day with exhilarating matches at the Moi International Sports Centre,  Kasarani, on Sunday.

Kenya maintained their good run in the tournament, beating traditional rivals Egypt in straight sets of 25-20, 25-20 and 25-12 to achieve second straight victory in the tournament.

Coach David Lung’aho opted to start with setter Jane Wanja in the first two sets of the match.

Kenya started the match aggressively and two points by Everline Makuto handed the home side a 2-0 lead before Egypt rallied to draw level at 2-2.

An attack by Elshamy Aya and wild attack by Makuto handed Egypt a 4-2 advantage.

Kenya responded with Violet Makuto attacking from the right to narrow the gap to 7-4 but Egypt checked Kenya’s onslaught after they gained one more point to take a four-point advantage at the first technical time-out.

A fast attack by Khadambi in the middle and double blocks by Violet and Mercy Moim narrowed the gap to 8-6.

Kenya took the lead for the first time in the set at 12-11, when the Egyptian defence failed to block Makuto on the left. The hosts had a narrow 16-15 at the second technical time-out.

Egypt capitalised on Kenya’s weak blocks and poor back court defence to gain quick points and take a 19-17 advantage.

Kenya scored seven successive points to take a 23-19 lead before cruising to their 25-20 victory.

Kenya picked up fast in the second set and good combination by on-form Bracksides Khadambi, Moim and Wanja gave the home team a 4-0 lead. Egypt, with purposeful game from Aya, scored own points to narrow the gap to 6-4 but Kenya maintained to take a four-point advantage at technical time-out. 

Kenya then took a 16-14 lead at the next break against a strong come-back from Egypt.

Good service balls by Violet saw Kenya extend its lead to a comfortable 22-16 advantage and finally a 25-20 set victory.

Egypt missed the services of key player Ahmed Aya who returned home after sustaining a serious finger injury in their match against Cameroon.

Kenya dominated the third set that they went on to win 25-12. The match was watched by several dignitaries including Kenya Volleyball Federation chairman Waithaka Kioni, first vice chairman Charles Nyaberi and second vice Kipkemei Sirma.

Athletics ace Catherine Ndereba and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen also graced the match.

Cameroon, inspired by experienced Moma Bassoko, achieved their second victory of the tournament following a deserved 3-2 (25-12, 20-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-10) against Algeria in an epic five-setter encounter that lasted two hours.

Cameroon claimed the first two sets but Algeria, with good combination of play by Agreb Rahma and Ghoul Nihel, recovered to take the next two sets and push the match into tie-breaker.

Cameroon took command of the fifth set as they were 8-3 at change of courts before winning the deciding set 15-10.

The results brought Cameroon’s win-loss record in the tournament to 2-0 while Algeria dropped to 0-2.

In the first match of the day, Senegal overwhelmed Algeria in straight sets of 25-18, 25-15, 25-19 to bring their win-loss ratio to 1-1.

—[e-mail]