Malkia Strikers keep winning streak against Morocco

National women's volleyball team Malkia Strikers, despite dropping their first set at the ongoing CAVB African Nations Championship, kept their winning streak going by beating Morocco 3-1 in a highly competitive clash played at the Palais Polyvalent des Sports in Yaounde, Cameroon. 

This was truly Kenya's first real test in the championship, one they fought hard to pass and maintain their unbeaten run. 

"Morocco came hard at us and I have to congratulate my team for keeping the fight. We came here for the trophy and I believe we are on course. 

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In today's game we lost our first set and that is definitely a red flag. We made alot of mistakes today especially on reception which is my area and we were also not clinical with out services. We will work on that going forward as the competition proceeds to the knock-out stages," skipper Mercy Moim offered after the match. 

Coach Luizomar de Moura had maintained his starting six of Veronica Adhiambo, Sharon Chepchumba,  Edith Wisah, Trizah Atuka in the middle, Emmaculate Nekesa on setting duties and skipper Moim who got action underway on service. 

It was the North Africans who pulled first blood going up 2-0 before Kenya could settle down and level the score. 

The East Africans got their momentum going after assuming lead at 4-3 but the Moroccans kept close, only for a short while; Malkia pulling away to a 12-6 lead before coach Samir Dchar could call for the match's first timeout. 

Their break seemed to work as they cut Kenya's advantage to three at 14-11 forcing Luizomar into timeout that seemed to help the team settle down and push the advantage back to five at 16-11 and further to seven at 19-12 as they went on to win the set 25-16. 

Maintaining the same lineup for tgmhe second set, Kenya found themselves in trouble early on going behind 1-5 as Imane Zaoutane's services proved too hot to handle for Malkia Strikers. 

The tactician sought to have a word with his charges and the break seemed to work, as the Kenyans dug themselves out of the hole to come to within a point at 6-7 and level the score at 8 points. 

Malkia seemed to have got their momentum back, albeit momentarily as they went ahead bh foru at 14-10 but allowed the opponent back in with a series of mistakes that saw Morocco level the score at 15 and go ahead 15-17. 

The two-point difference remained at 16-18 and Luizomar, finally, made his first changes introducing the experienced Rose Magoi for Nekesa while Chumba was rested for Loice Simiyu. 

A one-point difference was proving too difficult to cover in a five-point rally for each side until Kenya drew level at 20 points, Jemimah Siang'u having been introduced on service for Wisah at 19-20. 

Nekesa and Chumba were reintroduced at 22-21 as Kenya took the set 25-23 for a two-set lead. 

All that could go wrong at the tail end of the third set did for Luizomar's charges did despite Moim opening the set with an ace and Kenya leading 8-5 before Morocco made a change in their lineup.

Zaoutane was rested for Yakki Imane but Kenya's three-point advantage remained at 10-7 before Magoi was brought back in for Nekesa. 

The Moroccans pressed to level the scores at 11 and go ahead by two at 16-18, despite a see-saw of leads. With the sides tied at 20, Kenya made mistakes in crucial moments to hand Morocco the set at 22-25.

In the fourth set, Malkia Strikers were like a wounded lion leading from first serve to the last point winning the set 25-14 for a 3-1 victory. 

"We trained in Morocco for three weeks before this championship and played two friendly matches against them so they have a good understanding of the team. 

Coming into the match, we did not want to spent alot of energy as the knock-out stages are near and that could have affected our performance in the final set. We, however, will go back to training with a few lessons, but it is important for everyone to understand that losing a set is normal," assistant coach Paul Bitok said after the match.