Olympics: Kenya women's national volleyball team beaten by Serbia

 

World champions Serbia remained unbeaten in Pool A of women's volleyball at the Tokyo Olympics with a 25-21 25-11 25-20 victory over Kenya (Reuters)

 

Malkia Strikers crashed out of Olympic-medal contention after falling to World and European champions - Serbia in straight sets on Thursday morning.

That is a third straight loss to the national women’s volleyball team that is still searching for a maiden victory at the Olympic stage.

Though they have dropped nine points so far, the overall performance by Malkia Strikers is encouraging despite playing some of the top-ranked nations in the world.

And for the first time, Kenya had a strong start, unlike the previous two opening games against Japan and Korea.

The reigning All-African Games champions lose the opening set 25-21 before dropping the subsequent, set 25-11 and 25-20.

Generally, Kenya’s performance has been improving judging but the set scores.

Sharon Chepchumba scored 12 points from 24 attempts.

The KCB left attacker scored an unprecedented 18 points, including 11 in the last set in the game against Japan.

Captain Mercy Moim, who also plays for KCB locally, managed nine points while club-mate, Edith Wisa tallying four points, including an ace against Serbia, the 2016 Olympic Silver medalist in Rio-Brazil.

Serbian Brankica Mihajlovic was the game’s highest point scorer with 17, which included four aces.

With the defeat to Serbia, Kenya is technically out of contention for a place in the quarters despite having two matches still to play.

They will have a game against the Dominican Republic on Saturday before winding up the group A campaign against two-time Olympic champions Brazil on Monday.