There is a steeliness about Kenya in Phuket, a sense that the story is still being written at the Saphan Hin 4000 Seats Municipal Stadium, and that is what makes Malkia Strikers at the World Championship 2025 compelling. The African champions opened Pool G against Germany and were swept 25-22, 25-8, 25-20, yet the performance offered sparks that could ignite their next act against Poland on Monday at 4:30 pm EAT.
What Germany taught Kenya in the opener
The first set showed why this stage can be unforgiving, and also why Kenya belongs. The Malkia Strikers matched Germany point for point, only to slip at the tape and fall 25-22, then saw the second set run away 25-8 before regrouping to push again in the third at 25-20. It was a reminder that the margin between promise and payoff is often a couple of rallies.
Captain Meldina Sande kept perspective, acknowledging the work already done and the work still to come.
“The attitude towards the Germany game was good. We had trained well and hoped for a better result.”
She added that the team will “push harder for the next game.”
Head coach Geoffrey Omondi echoed that blend of pride and urgency. He wants his players to feel how close they were in sets one and three, then convert that feeling into cleaner play under pressure.
“I’m proud, though not fully satisfied. We had hoped to get at least one or two sets,” he said, stressing that the team must gain more experience against elite sides.
Germany’s leaders noticed what Kenya brought. Their captain, Camila Vaitsel, admitted they entered with little knowledge of the Kenyan style and were struck by the resistance they met.
“We had never faced Kenya before and were surprised by how well they defended and their hard hitting.”
Germany coach Giulio Bregoli went further, praising the physicality and the uncomfortable stretches his team had to survive.
“I loved how Kenya played. They were physical and stretched us at some point but I am glad we eventual won the match.”
Veronica Oluoch rises in defeat
In a match defined by learning curves, one constant for Kenya was the hot hand of Veronica Oluoch. The outside hitter led all scorers with 19 points, reading the German block and back court with a veteran’s eye for angles and touches.
“Germany are good with reception and movement, and I knew if I spike deep, they will definitely receive the balls and that’s why I was spiking wide and the tactic paid off because I was able to bag crucial points. I hope to build on that in the forthcoming matches and I’m happy that I was the overall top scorer of the match,” said Oluoch.
Her assessment of the collective was honest and useful. Kenya competed hard in sets one and three, then let the rope slip in the final exchanges. The fixes she highlighted are controllable, which is exactly what a team wants heading into a heavyweight test.
“We actually played well in this match, and especially the first and third sets. We just lost concentration at the tail end of the sets. But all in all, I’m proud of how the entire team played. We have tomorrow to rectify the mistakes, and try to improve on our shortcomings, especially reception and back-court defence,” added Oluoch.
There were more bright threads. Rookie Terry Tata, fresh from helping Kenya’s Under-20s conquer Africa with KCB, chipped in nine points and looked unfazed by the stage. For Germany, Alsmeier Lina and Emilia Weske shared top-scoring honors on their side with 13 points apiece, a sign of their balanced bite.
Focus shifts to Poland
Monday brings a different kind of challenge, and Omondi is leaning into it. He lauded his players’ effort against Germany, confirmed the squad is in good spirits after receiving their allowances, and made no attempt to hide the ambition to shock the bracket. Poland awaits, ranked among the very best in the world, and the coach wants his team to embrace the moment at 4:30 pm EAT.
“The players did a fantastic job when they played Germany, and we hope that they will have the same gusto when they play Poland. We have trained well and tried to make amends in the areas where we were not good in game one. I believe we can cause an upset against Poland,” Omondi said, adding, “If we can bag a set or two or even win the match altogether, then it will be something.”
Poland’s pedigree is daunting and clear. They are the highest-ranked team to qualify for the World Championship through the World Ranking, have 11 prior appearances, took silver in 1952, and added bronzes in 1956 and 1962. More recently they have collected bronze in the last three editions of the Volleyball Nations League and finished sixth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a resume befitting their standing as ranked third globally.
Even so, Poland coach Stefano Lavarini is not in the business of assumptions. He referenced a recent scare against Vietnam as a reminder of how quickly a match can tilt, and he recalled their 3-0 win over Kenya at the Olympics with enough respect to know that history guarantees nothing.
“Just like Vietnam, they pushed us to the wall and, in fact, bagged the first set, and that shows how volleyball is evolving. It’s on that note that we are keen to take every match seriously so that we can qualify for the second round. We played Kenya at the Olympics, and although we beat them 3-0, they played really well,” said Lavarini.
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What Kenya must do in Phuket
The path to a result against Poland runs through details that this team has already identified. Composure in closing time, a cleaner side-out pattern, and sharper first contact will elevate what is already an aggressive and athletic identity. The leadership has said as much, and the on-court evidence against Germany supports it.
Two areas stand out because the players and staff have underlined them. First, finishing sets, Germany edged Kenya late in the first and third, the difference between a foothold and a sweep. Second, first-ball quality, better reception and back-court defense can unlock more options and keep the block guessing, which in turn buys the outsides a half-step.
There is also value in continuity. Kenya’s block and floor defense forced Germany into adjustments, as Vaitsel noted, and that should remain a pillar. Reducing unforced errors, finding serve zones that unsettle Poland’s passers, and leaning on the creativity of their outsides can keep the match inside the margins where belief thrives.
The human side of a rebuild
Omondi took ownership after Germany, insisting the bench would absorb the blame while highlighting how much his players executed the plan. That message matters in a squad that blends seasoned pieces with new faces who are experiencing this level for the first time. Confidence can swing sets, and the notion that small technicalities, not talent, decided the opener fits the eye test and the quotes.
Morale counts too, and the coach noted the timely boost of allowances arriving before the Poland match. It is a small but meaningful detail, a sign that the off-court rhythm is catching up to the team’s on-court effort, and it can free minds to focus on the next serve, the next pass, the next chase save.
Match details to watch
- Serve pressure and first contact – can Kenya stabilize reception to avoid giving Poland free points,
- Closing the sets – the composure that slipped in sets one and three against Germany must hold at 20 all,
- Outside efficiency – Veronica Oluoch’s wide swings and touch outs can keep Kenya in long rallies.
The stakes in Pool G
Every rally is now tinged with consequence. The format is ruthless, only the top two teams advance from each pool to the round of 16, and Kenya is chasing their first-ever win at this level to keep the door open. After Poland on Monday, Vietnam, ranked 22nd, arrives on Wednesday, a matchup that could prove pivotal whatever happens against the European heavyweights.
For now, the assignment is Poland, and with it a chance to set a different tone. The groundwork is there, the mindset is there, and the belief is loud enough to be heard outside the Kenyan huddle. In Phuket, tournaments can change in an afternoon, and the Malkia Strikers will try to make Monday that afternoon.
