Legendary qualification from Olympiakos for the final of the Challenge Cup, with an epic surprise over Panathinaikos

Despite finding themselves with their backs to the wall and a set deficit of 0-1, Olympiakos pulled off an epic upset, winning four straight sets against Panathinaikos, winning 3-1 while also claiming the golden set and a legendary qualifier in their eighth European Championship final History where it will face off against Maccabi Tel Aviv on March 8th and 15th.

The big-star visitors Stern-Hidalgo, who achieved high performance standards, managed to pull off a big win with an epic upset with four sets won, while Panathinaikos led 20-19 in the second set, but Olympiacos came somewhere in between out in front and managed to win.

The Greens started the game better and won the first set 25-22, playing with the same starting six as in the first game and Hernandez finished the set impressively. In the second, Panathinaikos led 20-19, but Olympiacos hit back. Shamrock dropped two bowl sets (24-23, 25-24) to win the set and advance but they were erased by Hidalgo and Stern, with the Slovenian making it 25-26 and the set ending with Kovar’s poor take of Gustavo’s serve.

The fight continued in the third set, Olympiakos started better again (5-8) but quickly lost the lead (15-13) and the reversals continued (16-18) with Kovar building the 20-19 with an ace. But that was PAO’s last point up to 20-24, marked by Hidalgo’s attacks and Stern’s serves to end the set at 21-25.

The Reds and Whites now had psychology on their side and not even Hernandez’s return to the starting line-up (in place of Sander) helped Panathinaikos, who were again chasing the result early (6-9), with Travitsa picking up the difference sent to 11:0. 16 to get to 17-25 and the golden set.

Qualification was now decided by 15 points, with Olympiakos starting with an impressive 0-4 (poor receptions from Kovar and a block for Hernandez with a star on serve) for PAO to catch his breath and reduce to 2-4 (from Pagenik) the throw Point difference with a counterattack by Hernandez.

Hidalgo broke the red-whites (3-5) and with two excellent serves from the Cuban the difference went back down to +4 (3-7). Andreopoulos called a time-out and on the way back Travitsa caught an individual block against Hernandez. Hidalgo continued to serve in incredible fashion (3-9 Koumendakis on a free ball, 3-10 block Travitsa on Kovar, 3-11 ace) the set and the qualifier was decided, with the epilogue written with Basis for the lost serve 6-15…

Referee: Gerothodoros, Avramidis.

Fluctuation:

1 sentence: 8-7, 16-15, 21-19, 25-22

2nd sentence: 7-8, 14-16, 20-21, 25-27

3rd movement: 5-8, 16-14, 20-21, 21-25

4th movement: 6-8, 11-16, 15-21, 17-25

Golden set: 3-5, 3-10, 4-12, 6-15

*Panathinaikos’ points came from 9 aces, 41 attacks, 15 blocks and 29 errors and Olympiacos’ points came from 9 aces, 64 attacks, 15 blocks and 26 errors.

The sentences: 1-3 (25-22, 25-27, 21-25, 17-25), gold set: 06-15 in 131′

PANATHINAIKOS AO (Dimitri Andreopoulos): Kovar 22 (19/42ff, 1 ace, 2 blocks, 60% sub – 45% excellent), Sander 7 (3/13 ff, 1 ace, 3 blocks, 22% sub – 22% excellent) , Petraeus 7 (2/8 ref., 2 aces, 3 blocks), Jacobsen, Rangel 7 (2/7 ref., 5 blocks), Frankos 12 (7/30 ref., 4 aces, 1 block, 41% ref.- 29% excellent) / Zisis (l, 68% sub – 50% excellent), base 1 (1 block), Hernandez 9 (8/19 ff, 1 ace).

OLYMPIACOS SFP (Alberto Giuliani): Pagenk 18 (11/18 ff., 2 aces, 5 blocks), Star 15 (13/32 ff., 2 aces), Gustavao 12 (6/7 ff., 2 aces, 4 blocks), Koumendakis 17 (14/ 28 refs, 3 blocks, 52% under – 38% excellent), Travitsa 3 (1 ace, 2 blocks), Hidalgo 23 (20/28 refs, 2 aces, 1 block, 71% under – 53% excellent) / Tziavras ( l, 61% sub. – 61% excellent), Zoupani, Dalakouras (60% sub. – 40% excellent).