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2007 Women’s
African Nations Championship
Nairobi,
Kenya, |
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News Teams Results
Standings
Photos Match schedule
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Day Four
Kenya and Tunisia defeated
their compatriots in a thriller day
 Nairobi,
Kenya, September 8, 2007-: In a day of big continental forces
the organizers and Kenya and Tunisia defeated their big arc
rivals Cameroon and Egypt after a thriller performance that made
the spectators on their toes for more than 4 hours, while the
All Africa games Gold medalists Algeria continued the winning
rhythm after defeating the emerging Ugandan team in the fourth
day of the 16th Women’s African Nations Championship here at Moi
International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nairobi- Kenya on
Saturday. Senegal continued their exciting performance that
attracted the Kenyan spectators and defeated South Africa. The
defending champions Kenya became the only team in the
competition that won all the matches without conceding a set.
The winner of this competition will qualify to the prestigious
2007 FIVB World Cup in Japan next November.
The matches were attended by CAVB President Dr. Amr Elwani,
Control Committee President Mr. Tom Omongole, CAVB Technical
Director Mrs. Howyda Mondy, Kenya volleyball Federation
President Mr. Waithaka Kioni, Kenya vice president Joseph Tanui
and CC members Mr. Jacob Owiti and Mr. Salamba.
Elwani visits the teams’ residence
CAVB President Dr. Amr Elwani visited the teams’ hostel in
Kasarani after the matches on Friday. He met the head of
delegations and hoped them good luck in the matches. During his
meeting with the delegations they expressed their gratitude to
his efforts to improve the African Volleyball to reach to the
world level specially in women’s gender.
Kenya vs. Cameroon
Kenya made a great show as they took the revenge from Cameroon
who defeated them in the last All Africa games in Algeria, this
time Kenya won 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-17) in 68 minutes. Kenya
kept their record of three successive victories without
conceding a set, while Cameroon dropped to 2-2. In front of big
spectators attendance the Kenyan team started the match highly
motivated and succeeded to maintain the their lead from the
start 8-3 and reached to 16-4 by the second technical time out
after a group of combined attacks led by the skillful setter
Janet Wanja. The team captain Dorcas Ndasaba showed her strong
hits from both the front and backlines and so Kenya won the set
comfortably 25-12. Cameroon head coach pushed the scorer of the
last All Africa games Rebecca Nkot in the field and in the same
time the blocker Diboue Ruth increased her activity, but Kenya
maintained their high performance to lead 8-5 and then 16-9.
Kenya again led the match completely through block of Jackline
Barasa and Brackcides Agala to end the set 25-13. The Kenyan
setter Wanja was brilliant in the third set as she led her team
not only through setting but also by her first pass spikes and
block so Kenya went on comfortably and led 8-3. Again the Kenyan
wing spiker Catherine Wanjiru did her known job to allow her
team to reach comfortably to 16-8. Cameroon team disturbed
defense led to easy pass for Kenya attackers to win the set
25-17 and the match in straight sets.
Kenya head coach Sammy Kirongo was very happy to see the result
of his work quickly as he changed half of the team after their
failure in All Africa Games. “We have now a young team
containing only 2 old players Ndasaba and Wanjiru and I’m happy
to see all my team playing with this spirit all through the
match,” Sammy said happily. He added that the team had two
problems in All Africa games, the reception and the block but
now we treated both aspects and had a full team. The coach
chooses the setter Wanja and the experienced Ndasaba and Wanjiru
as the match stars.
Cameroon Head coach Joseph Nane blamed the improper preparation
for this low performance during the match. “We came directly to
Kenya without preparation and as the professional players came
directly here we had our first collective training just the day
before the opening of the competition. I think today my best
player was the youngster Nana Tchoudjang.” The coach said.
Algeria vs. Uganda
Algeria using the majority of the players in the list achieved
the third victory in a raw over the struggling Uganda in
straight sets 25-22, 25-21, 25-15 in 66 minutes. Algeria raised
their win loss ratio to 3-0, while Uganda dropped to 0-3. The
Algerian coach used all the bench players in the first set and
that allowed Uganda to dominate the net action through the
strong left attacker Marium Nakamanya who used her strong spikes
to allow Uganda to lead 8-3 by the first technical time out.
Uganda was better also in block through Carol Atim so they
continued leading 16-10. The Algerian coach started to involve
some of his outstanding like the blocker Lydia Oloumou and the
setter Fatima Oukazi so Algeria regained their usual rhythm and
succeeded to come from seven points behind to win the set
narrowly 25-22. In the second set Algeria played with a mixture
of experienced and young players and again Uganda played well
enough to lead many times until they reach 8-7 by the first
technical time out. The Algerian blocker Lydia and the wing
spiker Tassadit Aissou who was the match scorer with 17 points
played a great role to come back then to win the set 25-21. In
the third set Uganda performance dropped specially in reception
and backline defense and that allowed Algeria to be the
dominating side to win the easiest set 25-15.
The Algerian coach Mouloud Ikhedji was not happy after the match
because he expected better performance from the substitutes but
he said that they are still young and playing their first
international match specially the setter Cilia Magnana who is
still 16 years old and also the left attacker Tassadit Aissou
(18 years). “I played today with only two players from the main
line up Zohra and Mouni but the others need more participation
in such matches to gain the experience.” He added.
Uganda head coach Tonny Lokony stated that his team is growing
from match to match and they played their best against Algeria.
“Our reception was much better today than in the previous 2
matches and also the block as the centre blocker Carol played
well today and had many blocks. I think the Algerian players
played today the high balls in setting and this allowed us to
deploy our block in a better way.” Tonny said.
Egypt vs. Tunisia
Tunisia made a big show in defense and it was the key of their
victory over the compatriots Egypt 3-1 (26-24, 25-19, 28-26,
25-21) in 109 minutes of exciting volleyball. The victory gave
Tunisia the lead of Pool B with 6 points and a record of 3-0.
Egypt came second with 5 points and a record of 2-1. Both teams
depended on the fast attacks from position 3 which was used well
by the Egyptian centers Ingy El Shamy and Hagar Badr and
Tunisians Sara Hrizi and Mariem Agrebi so the match went point
by point till Egypt led 8-7 by the first technical time out.
Egypt started to use the wing spiker Sherihan Sameh and Dina
Assal, while the Tunisian star Nihel El Ghoul did a good job in
spiking from position 2 so they drew 21-21 and 24-24. Finally
Tunisia deployed their block to end the exciting set 26-24.
Egypt started the second set in better performance and increased
the activity through spiking from position 2 as Nada Nassef made
great work to lead 8-3 and 16-9. Tunisia played their best to
save the set as they succeeded to decrease the point deficit to
18-17. Egypt regained the rhythm and started to play technical
service to disturb the Tunisian reception and ended the set
25-19. The third set was very exciting as Egypt started leading
till the first technical time out through the spikes of Sherihan
and Nada. Egypt continued leading as their blockers played a
great role to lead 16-8. Tunisia improved their backline defense
through the effeicent libero Rania Jouni and deployed the solid
block of Mariem and Massara Ben Huma to decrease the point
deficit gradually. Egypt led 24-21 and missed three set points
to allow Tunisia to draw 24-24. Tunisia with their proper
defense succeeded to end the Marathon 28-26. Tunisia continued
their superior performance in defense in the fourth set as the
libero Rania saved many points so Tunisia led 8-5 and 16-14 in
the first and second technical time out. Egypt coach made some
substitutions to save the match and depended mainly on the
spiking from position 4 which was detected by the Tunisian team
and so they won 25-21 and the match 3-1.
Tunisia head coach Lotfi Ben Solimane was happy with his team’s
fighting for almost two hours and he referred the victory to the
efficient libero Rania and the proper backline defense. “We
usually depend on our service which our point of strength but
today our service was not so good so our defense did the big
role and only my star Nihel played her well known service.”
Slimani said after the match as he took the congratulations. “We
have to forget the victory and think now of the next matches.”
On the other hand the Egyptian head coach Hesham Badrawy was
steady after the match and obscured his sadness in front of his
players. “We have to forget this defeat and think only of the
next matches and the semifinal. We faced a very good team today
and also my players didn’t follow the instructions in attacks
and also the defense was not up to the match.” He added.
Senegal vs. South Africa
Senegal continued their superior performance and clinched a
straight sets victory over South Africa 3-0 (25-21, 25-17,
25-18) in 70 minutes. Senegal improved their record to 2-1 while
South Africa dropped to 1-3. The first set went point by point
as Senegal depended on the spikes from the left wing through
Niane Diouk who successfully scored many points and came as
usual as the match best scorer with 20 points. South Africa
tried to stop Senegal attacks through the center block Sandra
Lyons but Senegal was the better side to win 25-21. Senegal was
the dominant side in the second set specially in reception and
digging so they succeeded to build up the attacks through the
setter Aminata Gueye who made successful combinations with Niane
and Maty Faye and so they won the set 25-17. The third set
showed again improvement in South Africa block through Zandy
Erasmus and also the wing spiker and team’s best scorer Palesa
Sekhonyana so they came near again. As Senegal coach tried to
relief some main players like Niane South Africa regained their
activity but finally Senegal returned to the match and won the
set 25-18 and the match in straight set.
Senegal Head coach Amadou Sene was happy with the victory and
performance as he asked his players to win the match in straight
sets to keep their hopes of a semifinal position. “I asked my
players to struggle for each point and to win the match without
dropping a set and now I happy that they achieved what they
promised.” Amadou said cheerfully. He added that they are
concentrating now on the match against Tunisia to clinch a
ticket to semifinal.
South Africa Head coach Abdel Hamid El Wassimy referred the
defeat to the lack of experience of his players compared with
the Senegalese players. “My players can’t keep their rhythm and
this was apparent when they lead and can’t keep the pace till
the end.” Wassimy said. “When we return back some experienced
player to this group we will have in future a team that can
compete for the cup not only for the performance.” He added.
Day Five Programme
Pool A
Botswana vs. Uganda
Algeria vs. Kenya
Pool B
Tunisia vs. Senegal
Rwanda vs. Egypt
Photo Caption
Sherihan of Egypt spiking against double block of Tunisia
Kenya triple block against Cameroon
Cogina of Senegal spiking against South Africa
CAVB President with South Africa team. |
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