Olympiakos won a great victory in Syros. In a match with many twists and turns and emotions, the red-whites prevailed against Phoenix with 3:2 sets.

The “Red-Whites” stay on the island because on Tuesday (17.1.) they meet Foinikas again, this time for the first semi-final of the League Cup. Dimitris Djuric started as a regular for Finikas, but was quickly substituted.

Finika’s ONEX improved from Round A and came close to winning. It was his best performance that year. He managed to turn the match from 0:1 set. Michalovic was the first to score, while Klinkenberg and Fromm took over reception and attack.

The match:A block by Linardos gave Olympiacos a 4-2 lead early in the game, while Travitsa increased to +4 (2-6) with a superb ace. With a new block from Linardos, Thrylos escaped at +5 (3-8), while Pagenk’s first time saw them go 10-5 and nail Hidalgo at 11-6. With Pagenk’s ace, the “Red-Whites” took the lead with +6 (7-13). Phoenix reduced to 13-10, Koumentakis “replied” with two straight points for 15-10, with Linardos winning another block for +7 (10-17). Then Olympiakos’ difference reached +8 (12-20), with Hidalgo’s attack, Pagenk made it to 24-16 with the first try and Linardos finished the set with a block to make it 25-16.

In the second set, Olympiakos led 3-2 and 4-3, with points from Linardos and Stern respectively, but the hosts overtook +5 (16-11). Hidalgo reduced to 16-12, off the whistle, Stern to 17-13, with a nice attack, with Foinikas Syrou then making it 19-13. Hidalgo fell to 19-14, Travica to 22-18, but the “Red-Whites” lost the second set 25-19, 1-1. At the start of the third set, Hidalgo was 3-2 behind, Ierehuelo made it 3-3, but Phoenix Syros equaled 22-16. Hidalgo reduced to 22-17, Koumendakis to 23-19 with Pagenk winning an ace for 23-20. Nevertheless, the hosts made it 25:20 and won the set 2:1.

A nice pass from Travitsa gave Olympiacos a 2-1 lead early in the third set, with Hidalgo scoring an ace for +2 (1-3). With strong nails from Stern and Koumendakis, Alberto Giuliani’s team reached +4 (1-5). Koumentakis made 8-2 and 9-3, Foinikas reduced to one point (8-9, 9-10), but Hidalgo “wrote” 12-10, 13-11 and 14-11 with an ace! With an impressive strike, Stern increased the score to 15-11 in Olympiakos’ favour, with Hidalgo hitting another ace for +6 (11-17). 20-14 came through Stern, Koumentakis made 22-16 but Foinikas came back and got closer to 23-21. Nevertheless, the “Red-Whites” kept their composure and equalized the game with an attack from Stern with 2:2, 25:21.

In the tiebreak, the Syros team led 4-1, but Olympiacos equalized with a 4-4 ace from Pagenk. After a block from Linardos, Thrylos took the lead 7:6, Foinikas equalized the game (7:7). With an incredible single block, Linardos once again put the “red-whites” in a “leader” position (7-8), while Hidalgo also “raised a wall” to 9-7. The home side equalized (9-9), Hidalgo took the lead again (9-10), Travitsa blocked for Olympiakos’ 11-9. Phoenix took a 12-11 lead, Stern brought the Legend back up 13-12 with back-to-back attacks, with Travitsa winning a block, for the Set Bowl/Match Bowl (12-14). Phoenix were reduced to 14-13, but with a stellar first season from Pagenk, the “Red-Whites” made it 15-13 and won (2-3).

Finikas – Olympiacos 2-3

The sentences: 16-25, 25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 13-15

* AOFinika’s ONEX points came from: 10 aces, 51 attacks, 15 blocks, 25 opponent errors and Olympiakos SFP came from: 7 aces, 60 attacks, 11 blocks, 26 opponent errors.

AOFOINIKAS ONEH (Senis): Michalovic 27p. (25/50f., 2 aces), Zürich, Papalexiou 9 (4/6f., 4 blocks, 1 ace), Jerezuelo 5 (2/6f., 2 blocks, 1 ace), Klinkeberg 16 (12/25f., 1 block, 3 aces, 46% revs, 25% revs), Fromm 11 (5/15 revs, 4 blocks, 2 aces, 59% revs, 35% revs) / Konstantinidis (l – 70% U.., 57% nr.), Charalambidis 7 (3/7f., 4 blocks), Galiotos, Roumeliotakis, Papadopoulos P., Paleologos.

OLYMPIACOS SFP (Alberto Giuliani): Payenk 12p. (7/16f., 3 aces, 2 blocks), Star 18 (18/34f.), Koumendakis 18 (16/28f., 2 blocks, 61%apt., 50%ar.), Travitsa 4 (2/3fp ., 1 ace, 1 block), Linardos 7 (2/4 reps, 5 blocks), Hidalgo 19 (15/29 reps, 3 aces, 60% reps, 40% counts) / Tziavras 69% reps, 48 %nr.), Chandrinos, Papagelopoulos.