An ideal start for the women’s national team in qualifying for the European Women’s Championship, as they beat Switzerland 3-0 on matchday 1 of group 6.

With top scorer Martha Anthoulis with 20 points and a great work by all the athletes fielded by the Italian federation Marcello Abbondanza, the “blue and white” presence of many people in the Mikras hall made the first step to secure the ticket to Eurovolley 2023.

Key to the big win over the Swiss was the 7-13 turnaround in the second set, resulting in a 2-0 set rather than a draw.

The game started in the best possible way, as our national team excelled in block defense and serve and Martha Anthoulis was unstoppable in attack, we led 7-1. Switzerland tried to restrict, but the Greek block was well placed to take an easy 1-0 set with an attack from Olga Strantzalis at a score of 25-17.

Our national team fell behind early in the second set, Switzerland reacted after the poor first set. By the time the score was 7:13, Marcelo Abbondanza had used up his two time-outs while making changes at the ends, with Stamatia Kyparissi and Eva Hadava entering the pitch. Gradually, the Greek internationals improved, improving reception and defense and with two consecutive attacks by Eva Handava, Greece took the lead 22-21. An ace by Andromachis Tsioga gave the national team two match points to make it 2-0 (24:22), but the Swiss drew 24:24. Martha Anthoulis gave Greece the lead again (25-24) to follow Switzerland’s attack 26-24 and 2-0 sets.

In the third set, too, the national team was chasing the goal, because with consistently good serves from Switzerland, the score was 3:7. Marcelo Abondanza called a time-out and then came the improvement of the Greek internationals and two consecutive attacks from Olga Strandzalis and immediately after that a block from Andromachis Tsioga took a 12-11 lead. The difference gradually widened and with Martha Anthoulis we took a 19-15 lead. However, Switzerland did not have their last word, choosing Stork with their diagonal as the protagonist 21-21 and then 22-22. The finale was exciting as Martha Anthoulis led with an attack and a block to 25-23 and the final 3-0 set.

Greece – Switzerland 3-0

Sets: 25-17, 26-24, 25-23 in 81′.

*Greece’s points come from 4 aces, 37 attacks, 8 blocks and 27 enemy errors and Switzerland come from 7 aces, 37 attacks, 6 blocks and 14 enemy errors.

GREECE (Marcello Abbondanza): Konstantinidou 1 (1/2 ref.), Anthoulis 20 (17/33 ref., 1 ace, 2 blocks), Strandzali 9 (9/21 ref., 19% sub. – 06% excellent), Vlahakis (0/4 ref., 50% sub. – 00% excellent), Terzoglou 4 (2/3 ref., 1 ace, 1 block), Tsioga 7 (2/2 ref., 1 ace, 4 blocks) / Xanthopoulou M. (l .

SWITZERLAND (Loren Bertolazzi): Mater 6 (4/8 ff., 1 ace, 1 block), Sulzer 5 (0/7 ff., 3 aces, 2 blocks), Stork 15 (13/31 ff., 1 ace, 1 block), Granvorka 10 (9/16 ff., 1 ace, 83% f.-50% excellent), Kunzler 10 (9/24 f., 1 ace, 47% f.-33% excellent), Wasner 3 (1/3 f. , 2 blocks) / angel (l, 48% sub.-22% excellent), Petitat, Pierret 1 (1/1 ff.).