Bulgaria beat battling Kenya in second FIVB Grand Prix match

MEXICO CITY

Kenya came short on day two of the ongoing FIVB World Grand Prix in Mexico City when they fell to European powerhouse Bulgaria.

The national women volleyball team battled hard but still lost 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 15-12).

This result, coupled with the 3-0 sets triumph (25-19, 25-22, 25-23) of hosts Mexico over Algeria in the other match of the day at the Juan de la Berrera Gymnasium left Kenya in pole position to finish in the top two positions in Pool Q that puts them in with an excellent chance to excel in the final play-offs set for Bulgaria next month.

After an opening historic win against hosts Mexico on Friday evening, Kenya returned to the courts to face Bulgaria on Saturday at 3:30pm local time (11:30pm Kenyan time) in a contest that was expected to be tight and close.

The Africans, aided by rapid-fire spikes from Mercy Moim and Lydia Maiyo, were the quickest off the blocks in the opening set. They raced onto an 8-5 lead by the first technical time out. Bulgaria — as has been their trademark — fought hard through efforts from Nasya Dimitrova and Mira Tododova to peg the scores to 13-11 before seeing off the remainder of the opening set.

David Lung’aho’s side looked rejuvenated in the following set, perhaps owing to the replacement of Janet Wanja for Jane Wacu in the setters role. It was Moim and Brackides Agala who, however, masterminded the triumph in this set with timely blocks and crucial attacks.

The following two sets were shared equally, but the European nation ultimately proved the more mature and mentally astute in the deciding set with Gergana Petrova’s powerful spikes sealing a 15-12 victory.

“We have vastly improved in the past year and such games will raise our quality. Let us not forget who Bulgaria are and how we created problems for them,” Lungáho told journalists after the match.

Kenya was all set to wind up their Mexican tour with a tricky tie against Algeria on Sunday evening.