Wanjiru (right) of Kenya spikes against Fratczak and Liktoras (POL)
Poland
vs
Kenya
3
-
1
Tokyo, October 31, 2006: Poland were given a real fright by Kenya before winning their Pool A match 3-1 at Yoyogi Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The Poles looked to be heading for a straight-sets victory after winning the first two frames 25-15, 25-17, but the "African Queens" produced a memorable comeback to take the third set 25-20 and have their players jumping for joy.
The Europeans, thanks to some ice-cool individual plays in an otherwise lethargic team performance, had just enough quality and experience to take the fourth set 25-20 and halt the threat of a major upset.
The Kenyans enjoyed the support of the neutral crowd, due to the presence of Japanese head coach Sadatoshi Sugawara on the bench and their underdog status.
With this backing and the coach's experience, they showed no nerves at all as Catherine Wanjiru sparked the early assault and the defence followed her lead with some spectacular Japanese-style digging.
In a frenzied opening, the Poles still managed to show their quality, notably when Natalia Bamber soared high on the left and sent a crisp spike flying down the line.
Poland enjoyed a three-point lead at the first TTO, 8-5, after Maria Liktoras finished off a nimble move with a powerful winner from the right.
When a Kamila Fratczak crackerjack stretched Poland's lead to 13-9, Sugawara called a TO, but the Poles were quickly on to Kenya's game plan and held a seven-point advantage at the second TTO, 16-9.
At 19-12, Sugawara needed another talk to try and halt the flow of points from Fratczak on Poland's right flank, but the pattern was set for the first set and the Poles closed it out 25-15.
At the start of the second set, Katarzyna Skowronska was prominent in attack and defence for Poland, but Kenya responded through captain Dorcas Ndasaba and Brackcides Khadambi, while Wanjiru remained a powerful threat.
A gentle lob from Leonidas Kamende caused confusion in the Polish defence and brought the scores level 8-8, turning up the volume of support for the Kenyans inside Yoyogi.
The Polish block began to click now, and when a Wanjiru piledriver was rejected and the Africans fell behind 13-10, Sugawara called a TO. More strong blocking, notably from Skowronska, kept the Poles out in front, but some agile Kenyan defence was followed by a crisp winner from Doris Palang'a to close the gap to 15-13 and prompt a Poland break.
An elegant spike down the middle from captain Joanna Mirek kept Poland out in front, and her team-mates maintained the momentum to close out the second set 25-17 with a Skowronska winner on the right.
In the third set, Lydiah Maiyo kept the Poles thinking with a clever winner at the net, and the same player added the next point with a crashing left-wing spike.
When Maiyo scored again shortly after, the fans were chanting her name, and Kenya fed off this support to go ahead 6-4 before the impressive Fratczak brought the Poles back to life.
Poland led 8-7 at the first TTO but still could not pull away. They were struggling for concentration and momentum, and a service ace from Ndasaba gave Kenya the lead at 10-9.
When Kenya had a two-point cushion at 13-11, Poland needed a TO to discuss the growing problem of Maiyo -- Kenya's tallest player at a modest 1.84 metres -- and their own inconsistency. It did not work, though, and Kenya increased their lead to 16-11 at the second TTO.
Kenya reached the tempting 20s first, and kept the pressure on with some great defence that led to one point after the Poles had turned their backs on the play.
A thunderbolt from Palang'a made it 23-19 and had the Kenyans jumping for joy, and Maiyo brought up set point at 24-19. Poland saved the first one through Fratczak, but could not stop Palang'a slicing another winner on the right for 25-20.
The Kenyans sensed an upset, as did the crowd and maybe even the Poles, and fought furiously in the fourth set. Nevertheless, Poland led 8-6 at the first TTO and 16-12 at the second technical break as the Kenyans began to tire.
The Africans would not go away, though, and pulled to within one point on more than one occasion down the stretch.
Sylwia Pycia gave Poland fresh momentum at a critical time, and Mirek brought up match point at 24-20. Kenya spiked wide to end the contest 25-20.
