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The national women’s indoor volleyball team Malkia Strikers were on Sunday morning defeated 3-2 by the Brazilian national U21 side in a friendly encounter staged at the Brazil Volleyball Academy in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro.

After falling to the same opponents a day earlier by three straight sets, Paul Bitok’s charges put up a better account of themselves in the wee hours of Sunday morning as they went down fighting 25-23, 23-25, 25-16, 23-25, 15-13.

The Kenyan queens are in the South American nation courtesy of world governing body FIVB’s Empowerment Programme to help prepare for this year’s World Championships that are set to serve off on September 23 with the Netherlands and Poland co-hosting.

The nine-time African champions have now played four friendly matches since their arrival in Brazil a month ago and have registered one win. They will now return back to their training base in Sao Paulo, more than 500km away from Saquarema, where another build-up match has been lined-up for them on Friday against their hosts Osasco Volleyball Club.

Improvement

In his assessment after the game, Coach Bitok noted: “There was good improvement from the team today especially in reception, attack and blocks. We know very well that we are capable of achieving this and now need to be consistent and concentrate more in the final stages of a set.”

In Sunday’s game, Coach Bitok, who together with his assistant Japheth Munala are receiving technical assistance from the Osasaco Club coaches while in Brazil, made two changes to the squad that started Saturday’s friendly with middle blockers Gladys Ekuru (Kenya Pipeline) and Belinda Barasa (KCB) coming in for Edith Wisa (KCB) and Lorine Chebet (Kenya Prisons).

The impressive Veronica Adhiambo (Kenya Pipeline), who was named Player of the Match for the second game running by her colleagues, partnered captain Mercy Moim (KCB) as outside hitters with Emmaculate Nekesa (KCB) starting as setter. KCB’s Sharon Chepchumba stood tall as the opposite attacker with Kenya Pipeline Libero Aggripina Kundu completing the starting line-up.

Kilabat injury

Noel Murambi (Kenya Pipeline), Veronica Kilabat (KDF), Meldinah Sande (Kenya Prisons) and Yvonne Wavinya (Kenya Prisons) also got a piece of the action in the Southeast of Brazil. Kilabat would however not get to play as many minutes as she would have liked as she left the game prematurely with a knee injury.

Malkia Strikers are set to continue camping in Brazil all through next month before leaving for the Netherlands for the World Championships. But before arriving in Holland, the team will take a short detour to Serbia where two more friendly matches against the Eastern Europeans, who are the defending world champions, and Colombia have been penciled in.

Below is the contingent that is in Brazil;

Outside Hitters – Noel Murambi, Mercy Moim, Yvonne Wavinya and Veronica Adhiambo, Meldinah Sande

Middle Blockers – Belinda Barasa, Gladys Ekaru, Edith Wisa, Magdaline Mwende and Lorine Chebet

Opposite Attackers – Violet Makuto and Sharon Chepchumba

Setters – Veronica Kilabat and Emmaculate Nekesa

Liberos – Veronica Makokha and Aggripina Kundu

Coach – Paul Bitok, Assistant Coach – Japheth Munala