Bitok lauds players after win over Kenya

Rwanda volleyball national team coach Paul Bitok has hailed his players after beating their regional archrival Kenya 3-2 in a tough match played on Thursday at Amahoro indoor stadium.The win gave Rwanda the ticket to the last round of the FIVB World Cup qualifiers slated for next year. Kenya-born coach Bitok was not only happy with his team’s win and qualification but the fact that he beat his compatriots, who are handled by another ex-Kenyan international Gideon Chenje.“It was a good game to watch for the fans but not the players (of either team) and we are really happy to have achieved our goal (to qualify), but we still have work to do against Uganda,” Bitok said, adding that, “we needed to win that game, because it was one of the biggest games for us.”He added, “I think the team has improved and we will continue to work in order to improve the level of players ahead of the next round.”With two wins against Burundi and Kenya, one loss to Egypt and one game in hand to play against Uganda on today, Rwanda became the second team after Egypt to qualify for the next Zone V round.Rwanda dominated Kenya in the first two sets, 25-18 and 25-20 as both Lawrence Yakan Guma and Christophe Mukunzi dominated with spikes and services, while Théodore Thiambo and Pierre Kwizera Marshal did great work with blocks to lead Rwanda to the opening two sets.But Kenya came back to win the third and fourth set 25-21 and 25-22 respectively. Kenya’s recovery was led by Phillip Maiyo’s powerful spikes. But it was Bitok’s side, which came on top in the decisive fifth set 15-13.

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Bitok lauds players after win over Kenya