Volleyball Team Qualify for Second Round After Overcoming Ethiopia

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Star Reporter

28 July 2011

The Zonal Phase Confederation of African Volleyball Continental Cup beach volleyball started at the Nyali Beach Hotel with teams fighting to qualify for second round of the competition, which is doubling up as 2012 London Olympic Games qualifiers.

Kenya was the first country to qualify for the second zonal phase after winning all their matches which involved team One and Two. Kenya Two team beat Ethiopia One 2-0 (21-12; 21-14) while Kenya One overcame Ethiopia Two 2-1 (19-21 21-15 21-15) in their opening matches to lay a strong foundation of advancing in the competition which has attracted eight countries.

Kenya One went ahead to beat Ethiopia One 2-0 (21-8, 21-15) while Kenya Two recorded their second victory with 2-0 (21-13, 21-15) against Ethiopia Two. Bikinis which are common attire in beach volleyball are conspicuously missing at Nyali Beach but Confederation of African Volleyball President Emr Elwani explained that African culture restrict players from wearing explicit attire.

He said international body FIVB allows the use of three types of uniforms during beach competitions including bikinis and normal kit. In women matches played, Ethiopia One beat Burundi Two 2-0 (21-14, 21-19) while Ethiopia Two defeated Burundi One 21-17, 15-21, 15-5). Burundi registered significant victory against Ethiopia after they beat them 2-0 (21-19, 21-15) in the other women’s match yesterday. Kenyan team of Dorcas Ndasaba and Margaret Indakala and Eunice Maiyo/Edna Rotich are in action today.

Coach Sammy Mulinge is optimistic that the women would follow their men counterparts and also qualify for the second phase of the competition.

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