Malkia Strikers on verge of making history

It is a to-be-or-not-to-be moment for national women's volleyball team, Malkia Strikers in their final pool A match against Puerto Rico at the ongoing FIVB Women’s World Championships in Netherlands. 

It is all or nothing for both sides and the Kenyans are out to make history by reaching the second round of the competition in their seventh appearance. 

With both sides tied on three points but the Caribbean Islanders ranked fourth due to a superior set-ratio, Malkia Strikers need nothing short of victory to make their dream come true. 

The entire technical bench led by Luizomar de Moura and assistants Paul Bitok and Japheth Munala has to get it right with their fielding against a side that has proven to be no-pushovers. 

Puerto Rico have won one match, against African champions Cameroon but pocked a set against hosts Netherlands in a 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 25-16,25-15) defeat. 

They also gave European and Nations League title holders Italy a run for their money despite a 3-0 ( 28-26, 25-21, 26-24) loss. 

Bitok urges Malkia Strikers to maintain focus ahead of do or die Puerto Rico tie

Bitok remains hopeful that the team will bring the same enthusiasm and fighting spirit the squad did against the Italians, a match Malkia lost 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-17). 

“We gave a good fight against Italy and the scores were encouraging. We were not expecting to post such results at all for we did not want to push the players much. I encourage the players to keep focus and concentrate for we are dying to make history on Saturday,” he said in a post-match interview after Thursday's game against the European Champions. 

The Kenyan technical bench rested skipper Mercy Moim and Edith Wisah against Italy as part of their strategy to face Puerto Rico with a rested squad. 

The two will have to work hand in hand with the high-scoring Sharon Chepchumba and Veronica Adhiambo to destabilize Puerto Rico's strong services and blocks that have proven to be their weapon against other teams. 

The pools' top three team, Italy (12 points), Netherlands (9 points) and Belgium (9 points) have already booked themselves a ticket to the next round. Cameroon sits at the bottom of the log with no point. 

In the second round, the 16 teams are allocated in two pools of eight teams with top teams from first round pools A and D in one and top teams from pools B and C in the other. 

Once again a round-robin system will be used in each pool, teams coming from the same first round pool, therefore already played each other, only play against opponents from a different first round pool. 

The second round standings takes into account the points scored by each team in the first and second rounds. The top four teams of each group will access the final round which is the knock-out stage.