Junior Malkia Strikers crowned African Under-20 volleyball queens
Volleyball and Handball
By
Elizabeth Mburugu
| Aug 13, 2025
National women’s Under-20 volleyball team Junior Malkia Strikers were on Monday night crowned champions as the 2025 Women’s U20 African Nations Volleyball Championship ended in Yaounde, Cameroon.
The gritty Kenyan girls staged a brilliant show to stun their hosts as well as hundreds of their supporters as they bagged the continental trophy with a 3-1 win.
It was sweet revenge for Junior Strikers who had lost by the same margin to Cameroon in the preliminaries. Kenya’s stellar show in Yaoundé earned them a ticket to the 2026 FIVB Under-20 World Championship.
In the final, the Kenyans fought tooth and nail to take the first set 26-24 against their hosts who had everything going for them.
The homegirls recovered to take the second set and level matters 1-1. The third set was tightly contested with both sides doing everything in their power to secure the lead. Nonetheless, it was Junior Strikers who held the nerve to win it 28-26 for a 2-1 lead.
With victory within reach, the Kenyans owned the court, terrorising the Cameroonians on home soil. They were so dominant that they took a 10-1 lead ensuring that they minimised their opponents’ chances of recovering.
These would see them pile more pressure on their hosts who fought as they tried to salvage the game. However, Kenya could not allow them to bounce back, sealing the trophy with a 25-16 fourth set win.
The Kenyans staged an all-rounded performance but will have captain Terry Tata to thank for her killer hits that destroyed one opponent after the other throughout the tournament.
The KCB Bank opposite hitter was the star of the championship as she was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in addition to bagging the best opposite hitter award.
Tata star was so bright that she shone throughout the tournament. She was so impressive that she won player of the match awards in the duels against Egypt, Uganda, Senegal and Burundi.
Junior Strikers’ Milka Akinyi emerged the best outside hitter while Egypt’s Elhenawy Farah and Elazhary Farah also bagged individual awards.
Cameroon’s Isabel Souita and Ottou Mabenga were voted best middle blocker and setter respectively.
Junior Strikers were in fine form and only lost one match to their hosts. In the semi-finals, they saw off Egypt in straight sets of 25-19, 25-19 and 25-23 to book a date with Cameroon who had dismissed Senegal in the other last four encounter.
This was Kenya’s second victory against the Egyptians in the same tournament following their 3-1 win in the preliminaries.