TOKYO 2020: Malkia Strikers second round dreams shattered

Malkia Striker’s dreams of progressing to the second round of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo were crushed on Saturday morning after suffering their fourth loss at the ongoing campaign by straight sets again to the Dominican Republic at the Ariake Arena.

Malkia were strong in the first two sets losing 25-19 and 25-18 in the first and second sets, giving the Dominican Republic a run for their money in those sets before being whitewashed 25-10 in the third set.

Kenya started the first set slowly and had to try and catch up with the Dominican Republic as the opponents led 6-2 into the first technical timeout (TT). However, Malkia put up a spirited fight to push their opponents and amassed the most points when the Dominican Republic needed just two points to see off the first set.

In the second set, Kenya started on the receiving end and had to catch up, and catch up they did to a point of leading 9-6 as they geared towards the second technical timeout for that set.

The third set is one that the Kenyan girls will want to forget as fast as they can as they were out-marshaled, scoring just 10 points, the least they have scored in any set at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games.

Once again, Sharon Chepchumba was in fine form again, scoring seven more points for Kenya and being fifth on the best scorers list at that moment, with Mercy Moim emerging Kenya's best scorer in this match with 8.

Despite the loss, Malkia Strikers will look at the first two sets and hope that they can take the same fighting spirit to their last group game as their search for a first set or match win continues.

Just like in the last three games, it was another case of pushing the opponent to the wall with a spirited fight but falling to defensive errors where all the opponents so far have taken great advantage.

Kenya will now next face Brazil in their final match on Monday in an anticipatedly mouth-watering clash to wind up their campaign in Tokyo with Kenya having a Brazillian connection in their technical bench lead by coach Luizomar De Moura.