Kenyan Ndasaba (no.9), playing a friendly match here in 2001, was the tournament's best player according to coach Denis

SUCCESS on the African scene has come but once for the country's women's volleyball team in 2001 during the 13th edition of the African Nations' Cup.

Ever since Seychelles provided the biggest shock in African women's volleyball to win the continent's most important crown three years ago, it has been downfall for the female volleyballers as defeats have outnumbered wins.

After some poor results on the continental scene in both the African Nations' Cup (sixth place) and the All-Africa Games (third in Group A) last year, Seychelles wanted to show their true colours in last week's Athens 2004 Africa Olympic qualifying finals at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

Again, the team, this time under new coach Bernard Denis, slumped to new depths with three defeats in as many matches in the four-team competition played on a round-robin format.

The Seychellois ladies, who promised to stand up to their three opponents in their quest to reach the Olympic Games for the first time in the country's history, failed to lift their game against Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt, thus losing in straight sets.

Local fans wanted the ladies' team to play more than just the three qualifying matches, but it was always going to be difficult for them to come out on top and grab the sole Athens Olympics qualifying ticket in the three-day tournament.

Apart from Egypt against whom they had never played before participating in the qualifiers, the players had rubbed shoulders with both Kenya and Nigeria.

Seychelles, who twice lost to Kenya – 2-3 (25-14 23-25 25-14 20-25 15-17) and 0-3 (22-25 11-25 17-25) in the invitational Four Nations Tournament in Durban, South Africa, in 2002, extended their losing streak against the Kenyans with a 0-3 (18-25 14-25 12-25) loss in the first match.

If captain Jerina Bonne and company thought that they could get themselves back on track with victory in the second match against Nigeria, who had beaten them 0-3 (23-25 19-25 21-25) in group A of the Eighth All-Africa Games in Abuja, last year, they were in for another defeat.

Seychelles, who earned the respect of African opponents when they claimed the African Nations' Cup crown after twice beating hosts Nigeria 3-2 (25-22 22-25 25-20 22-25 15-12) in the group stage and 3-2 (23-25 32-30 25-17 20-25 15-11) in the final, again fell 0-3 (15-25 20-25 22-25) to the Nigerians, last year's All-Africa Games gold medallists.

In their final match and their first meeting against Egypt, coach Denis' ladies were  thrashed 0-3 (6-25 20-25 14-25).

Experienced coach Denis offered no excuses for not being able to at least win a set, saying the double Indian Ocean Islands Games champions came up against strong opposition in Nairobi.

"To be frank, we did not stand a chance against our opponents who were better prepared than us. We missed Yvonne (Legaie), Anne (Delcy) and Marille (Finesse) but I am not sure that we would have qualified had they been present. Perhaps, we could have given our opponents a ride for their money. Even though we had the money to prepare for the qualifiers, our preparation was not up to the level. Otherwise, reaching this stage was in itself an achievement," said Denis, who used all 12 players on the roster.

With a starting six of Rose-Marie Antoine, Jerina Bonne (captain), Marie-Ange Bouchereau, Annie Dugasse, Bessy Volcy and Marie-Claude Laurence, coach Denis noted that his players gave their very best but just could not match their opponents, especially the Kenyans who were uncontainable.

Asked what's next in line for the national team, Denis, who said that Kenyan Dorcas Ndasaba was for him the tournament's best player, replied:
"If we want success against top African teams, we need to have a new approach. We need to build a new team with mostly tall players. It is true that it is going to be difficult to find players with such a physique, but we have to do some scouting. The team should also have the full backing of all during good and bad times."

It is to note that Kenya, who demonstrated sporting prowess to claim three wins in as many qualifying matches, earned Africa's sole place at the biggest multisports competition.

Kenyan, captained by Athens-based Violet Barasa, beat Seychelles 3-0 (25-18 25-14 25-12), 2003 African Nations' Cup winners Egypt 3-1 (25-21 23-25 25-17 25-18) and Eighth All-Africa Games gold medallists Nigeria 3-1 (25-19 25-21 21-25 25-10).

Being the only team to have represented Africa at the Olympics in 2000 in Sydney, Australia, Kenya will thus be making their second participation at these Games.

It is also worth noting that before the start of the qualifiers, Kenya, coached by Abdul Muge, overhauled the team by dropping regulars Catherine Wanjiru, Rhoda Lyali and Nancy Luisanji.

Five foreign based players – Edna Chumo Chepng'eno, Roselinda Obunaka, Jackline Makokha, Felista Chebet (based in the United States) and professional Violet Barasa (Panellinio, Greece) as well as key attacker Dorcas Ndasaba were called to the team.

G. G.