Panathinaikos swept Nova Gorica before the “eternal” derby!

The comfortable victory with 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18) on Slovenian Nova Gorica his women’s volleyball team celebrated in Metz Panathinaikoumaking a very important step for the qualification to the next phase of this year Challenge Cup!

Without facing any particular difficulties, his team Yannis Kalmazidis took a clear lead in all three sets, finally taking the important win which gives a boost ahead of next Saturday’s big derby (11/11, 17:00) with Olympic. The second leg of the match against Nova Gorica is scheduled to take place next week (Wednesday 15/11, 16:00), in Slovenia.

Leading for the “greens” in the match were Atkinson (16 – 14/27 ff., 1 ace, 1 block), Samandan (15 – 11/19 ff., 1 ace, 3 blocks) and Silk (11 – 9/10 ff., 2 blocks)

The image of the match was similar in all three sets, with the two teams going hand in hand in the score, until Panathinaikos “stepped on the gas” to pull away. In the first set the “greens” escaped with 16-10 thanks to their serves Samandan and Papafotioueventually making it 1-0 with 25-19.

In the second, after 8-8 the hosts made a 9-2 run, finally reaching 25-18while Gorica did not react even in the third set, which also went to the Panathinaikos players with a score 25-18.

The sets: 25-19, 25-18, 25-18

Panathinaikos (Yiannis Kalmazidis): Karkases 6 (5/19 ff., 1 ace, 67% sub. 50% excellent), Atkinson 16 (14/27 ff., 1 ace, 1 block), Papafotiou 5 (2/3 ff., 2 aces, 1 block), Samandan 15 (11/19 ff., 1 ace, 3 blocks), Metaxas 11 (9/10 ff., 2 blocks), Genitsaridis 9 (7/15 ff., 2 aces, 57% ff. – 24 % excellent) / Belia (l, 55% sub. – 45% excellent), Grotous, Vasilantonaki, Kelesidi.

Nova Gorica (Lipitzer Samets): Koren 11 (8/12 ff., 1 ace, 2 blocks), Frelich 11 (8/31 ff., 1 ace, 2 blocks), Askeric 7 (7/11 ff.), Godetz 6 (6/18 ff. , 31% sub. – 17% excellent), Blazic 5 (5/20 ff., 38% sub. – 19% excellent), Zigon 2 (2 aces) / Mazey (l, 50% sub. – 20% excellent) , Vulits (l).