At their maiden appearance at the FIVB Grand Prix in 2014, African Women Volleyball champions, Kenya finished 25th out of 28 teams.
And at their second appearance, it looked like they would fail to replicate the 2014 performance after they only managed one win at the first leg of Group three (Pool O) in Mexico.
In the second leg of the games of Pool Q played in Algeria, Kenya won all their three matches to qualify for the semifinals where they will take on the hosts Australia on July 11.
That achievement was put all down to focus by coach David Lung’aho.
Talking to fivb.org, Lung’aho said,
It goes without saying that we have improved on last year’s performance, when we made our debut. Last year we recorded three wins and this time around we have won four matches. That shows how focused the team is.
Our objective was to qualify for the final round. I am happy that the teams we will play in the final round against familiar opponents who we have played in recent matches. Therefore, we will take one match at a time and hope to post good results.
Kenya’s opponents on Saturday, Australia failed to win any of its six preliminary-round matches, and lost in three sets to Kenya while in Algeria.
The hosts are rank outsiders at the biggest women’s volleyball event in Australia since the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. The second semifinal sees Peru play Colombia as the two favorites to win Group Three go head to head.
Pool Q fixtures in Chéraga, Algeria
3 July, 17:10 – Mexico 0-3 Kenya (20–25, 17–25, 22–25)
3 July, 20:10 – Algeria3-2 Australia (25–18, 25–23, 21–25, 20–25, 15–10)
4 July, 17:10 – Kenya 3-0Australia (25–20, 25–16, 25–15)
4 July, 20:10 – Mexico 3-0 Algeria (25–20, 22–25, 25–14)
5 July, 17:10 – Australia 1-3 Mexico (18–25, 25–22, 19–25, 22–25)
5 July, 20:10 – Algeria 2-3 Kenya (25–20, 15–25, 25–23, 13–25, 13–15)
Pool P Fixtures in Trujillo, Peru
3 July, 16:30 – Cuba 3-0 Kazakhstan (25–22, 25–16, 25–23)
3 July, 19:00 – Peru 0-3 Colombia (17–25, 17–25, 23–25)
4 July, 15:30 – Kazakhstan 0-3 Colombia (19–25, 22–25, 19–25)
4 July, 18:00 – Peru 3-0 Cuba (25–23, 25–21, 25–20)
5 July, 15:30 – Colombia 3-1 Cuba (25–14, 21–25, 25–20, 27–25)
5 July, 18:00 – Peru 3-0 Kazakhstan (25–12, 25–16, 25–18)
Pool N Results in Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan
26 June, 15:00 – Australia 0-3 Cuba (22–25, 12–25, 16–25)
26 June, 18:00 – Kazakhstan 3-0 Algeria (25–23, 25–17, 25–20)
27 June, 15:00 – Cuba 3-0 Algeria (25–19, 25–18, 25–16)
27 June, 18:00 – Kazakhstan 3-0 Australia (25–20, 25–21, 25–8)
28 June, 15:00 – Algeria 3-0 Australia (25–19, 25–22, 25–13)
28 June, 18:00 – Kazakhstan 3-2 Cuba (25–16, 12–25, 26–24, 21–25, 15–13)
Pool O Results in Veracruz, Mexico
26 June, 18:10 – Kenya 0-3 Peru (18–25, 12–25, 23–25)
26 June, 20:40 – Mexico 0-3 Colombia (8–25, 16–25, 18–25)
27 June, 17:10- Peru 3-1 Colombia (25–19, 19–25, 25–21, 25–19)
27 June, 19:40 – Mexico 2-3 Kenya (16–25, 25–20, 25–21, 17–25, 9–15)
28 June, 17:10 – Colombia 3-2 Kenya (25–21, 25–14, 25–20)
28 June, 19:40 – Mexico 0-3 Peru (16–25, 17–25, 12–25)
