This archive report was first published on 4 August 2019.
Kenya's Malkia Strikers, the record champions, are set to face off against Belgium in their final Group F match in Catania, Italy, on August 4, 2019, in a bid to end the Intercontinental Olympics qualifiers on a high note.
However, their hopes were dealt a blow after they suffered a straight-set defeat (25-17, 25-10, 25-14) to hosts and last year's World Championship finalists Italy in their opening match on Friday night.
Assistant coach Josp Barasa attributed the loss to basic errors, particularly in service, stating, 'We played well in the first set, but we had so many errors in service. We really need need to improve on our services and blocking and court defense.'
Barasa emphasized the need for the team to be aggressive in all areas in their remaining matches against The Netherlands and Belgium, saying, 'We need to be aggressive in all areas in our two remaining matches.'
The team's performance in the tournament is crucial, as only the winners of each group will join Japan in the volleyball competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Coach Josp Barasa had earlier stated that the tournament would be a great platform to expose new players in the team and prepare for the upcoming All African Games slated for August 19 to 31 in Morocco.
