PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
US beats Kenya at FIVB World Cup
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenya was on the receiving end at the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup as tournament leaders US hit them 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-21) at Toyama City Gymnasium, Japan, late Monday.
The winless African champions had a date with another winless outfit, Korea, on Monday.
Captain Brackcides Khadambi remained impressive as she top-scored for Kenya with 12 points.
American Megan Hodge was named the Most Impressive Player of the exciting match after scoring 20 points for her side.
In the first set, Kenya’s Lydia Maiyo spiked well to tie the points 2-2 but US had opened a four-point gap at the first technical timeout 8-4.
After US widened the gap to seven points, Khadambi blocked well a spike from Cynthia Barboza and another by Jennifer Tamas for 11-6. Khadambi added a couple of good spikes to reduce the five-point gap to three at 15-12 and two at 16-14.
However, then the Americans bounced back with nine points against Kenya’s two with a gentle pushover by Tayyiba Haneef-Park put the Americans 1-0 up.
The second set was not so different from the first, with Kenya picking a couple of early points before USA pulled away.
Coach Paul Bitok’s a timeout bore no fruits as USA moved from 2-2 to 10-2 behind another good spell of serving from Haneef-Park.
The Americans led 16-5 at the second TTO. There were some flashes of a comeback from Kenya as they closed in from 20-8 to 23-12.
The set-point came when the Kenyans failed to deal with a serve by Danielle Scott-Arruda. After a huge spike from Everlyne Makuto, a cross-court kill by Barboza put USA 2-0 ahead.
Kenyans gave as much as they got from US in the third set. Good contributions from Diana Khisa (two big kills) and Khadambi (a pair of spikes and a superb block on Barboza) saw the east Africans lead 8-7 at the first TTO.
US coach Hugh McCutcheon asked for timeout when his players dropped the next two points on errors.
Another great block – by Khisa on Hodge – steered Kenya to 13-9 but at the second TTO, only one point was separating the two sides.
US mounted more pressure on and were soon back in front. Hodge delivered a spike and another devastating serve to take the score to 22-19.
Hodge scored the 24th point with a hit down the middle and a wide serve by Maiyo ended the match.
-0- PANA DJ/BOS 8Nov2011
The winless African champions had a date with another winless outfit, Korea, on Monday.
Captain Brackcides Khadambi remained impressive as she top-scored for Kenya with 12 points.
American Megan Hodge was named the Most Impressive Player of the exciting match after scoring 20 points for her side.
In the first set, Kenya’s Lydia Maiyo spiked well to tie the points 2-2 but US had opened a four-point gap at the first technical timeout 8-4.
After US widened the gap to seven points, Khadambi blocked well a spike from Cynthia Barboza and another by Jennifer Tamas for 11-6. Khadambi added a couple of good spikes to reduce the five-point gap to three at 15-12 and two at 16-14.
However, then the Americans bounced back with nine points against Kenya’s two with a gentle pushover by Tayyiba Haneef-Park put the Americans 1-0 up.
The second set was not so different from the first, with Kenya picking a couple of early points before USA pulled away.
Coach Paul Bitok’s a timeout bore no fruits as USA moved from 2-2 to 10-2 behind another good spell of serving from Haneef-Park.
The Americans led 16-5 at the second TTO. There were some flashes of a comeback from Kenya as they closed in from 20-8 to 23-12.
The set-point came when the Kenyans failed to deal with a serve by Danielle Scott-Arruda. After a huge spike from Everlyne Makuto, a cross-court kill by Barboza put USA 2-0 ahead.
Kenyans gave as much as they got from US in the third set. Good contributions from Diana Khisa (two big kills) and Khadambi (a pair of spikes and a superb block on Barboza) saw the east Africans lead 8-7 at the first TTO.
US coach Hugh McCutcheon asked for timeout when his players dropped the next two points on errors.
Another great block – by Khisa on Hodge – steered Kenya to 13-9 but at the second TTO, only one point was separating the two sides.
US mounted more pressure on and were soon back in front. Hodge delivered a spike and another devastating serve to take the score to 22-19.
Hodge scored the 24th point with a hit down the middle and a wide serve by Maiyo ended the match.
-0- PANA DJ/BOS 8Nov2011
