Malkia strikers' middle blocker Marian Sokoiyo/HANDOUT
Malkia Strikers coach Geoffrey Omondi wants his charges to sharpen their service and reception as they prepare for a tougher test against former African champions Algeria in the quarter-finals of the 2026 CAVB Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship.
Kenya advanced to the last eight after maintaining their perfect record with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-15) victory over Nigeria at Kasarani Indoor Arena on Saturday night.
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However, Omondi was not entirely satisfied with the performance and knows the hosts will need to improve against Algeria, who also reached the quarter-finals after sweeping aside Senegal 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-16).
“We have to plan for Algeria. Our services and reception were also wanting but we hope to make amends before the next match,” said Omondi.
The coach has also been rotating his squad throughout the group stage, insisting no player has a guaranteed starting position as he prepares for the knockout phase.
“Starting line-up will always change. Even if we have another match after this, definitely the squad that has won against Nigeria will not be the same team that will play that match. We are guided by different factors when choosing a starting line-up,” he said.
The approach has allowed Omondi to assess his options, with Kenya showing considerable depth ahead of the decisive stages.
Against Nigeria, middle blocker Marian Sokoiyo was outstanding, scoring a match-high 18 points to help Kenya take control after a competitive opening set.
The Kenya Pipeline player combined powerful attacks with effective blocking and serving, strengthening her case for a bigger role in the national team.
Kenya had earlier beaten Zambia and Mali without dropping a set and remain on course for an 11th continental title.
Omondi, however, has warned his players against complacency as the competition enters the knockout stage.
“The knockout stage is different and we cannot afford to relax,” he said.
Victory over Algeria would take Kenya into the semi-finals, where they could face Cameroon if the Central Africans overcome Uganda.
Uganda booked their quarter-final place after beating DR Congo 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-18), while Cameroon advanced directly after completing an unbeaten group-stage campaign.
For the Malkia Strikers, the immediate task is to turn their perfect group-stage run into a strong knockout performance when they face Algeria.
