“Steel” Panathinaikos, withstood the pressure of PAOK and got the upper hand for the qualification!

Great derby in Metz with…survivor Panathinaikos! The “greens” in a sensational match, came a breath away from “suicide”, they saw PAOK approaching them within shooting distance, however they did not “bend” and prevailed with a reversal 3-1 set of the “doubleheader” in her first semi-final Volleyball League men!

Incredible duels above the net and superhuman efforts to receive and defend in the taraflex by the players of both teams, with PAOK taking the lead in the first set (23-25) thanks to his excellent block and correct first time attacks.

Reaction of Panathinaikos, who turned the match around by initially equalizing 25-19, caused a reaction to the overthrow of PAOK, erasing four set balls in the third for 31-29 and took the match with difficulty in the fourth (25-23).

Great match from Protopsaltis, Hernandez and Ierethuelo for Panathinaikos, who got 68 total points from the reception, compared to 67 for PAOK, who had Van der Dries and Truchchev as leaders.

On Thursday 14/2 at the “palataki” the second semi-final.

The match:

Deafening start for PAOK in Metz, who, with Van Garderen as the protagonist, managed to take a significant lead of four points against Panathinaikos. The “greens” with Hernandez providing scoring solutions and Voulkidis and Protopsaltis answering “built” a streak reducing to a point for 7-8. Milekonski’s team maintained a short lead throughout the set, with Samoilenko and Linardo in a very good position to build a wall in front of the net.

Consecutive service errors brought the match to a draw with Hernandez’s foul forcing Dimitris Andreopoulos to call a time-out which disorganized Panathinaikos, with PAOK winning the block out 21-23. Hernandez reduced the point for the “greens”, Protopsaltis equalized with an ace, found the net on the next serve giving the set ball to the visitors who made it 0-1 (23-25).

Panathinaikos was determined to come back and not throw away the opportunity of the advantage in the second set. The “greens” battled PAOK in the net, with Rangel and Voulkidis being pivotal in the block and Kovar, Hernandez and Protopsaltis helping the most in scoring, unblocking Dimitris Andreopoulos’ team and giving them the lead in a crucial point (13-10). The “clover” continued with the same philosophy and reached the difference to six (18-12), a difference which it maintained until the end of the set, equalizing at 1-1 with 25-16.

A real thriller in the third set of the derby with Panathinaikos entering very strongly and building a serious lead of five points (9-4). PAOK with Truchchev, Van Garderen and Van Der Dries, reduced it to two, with Panathinaikos not giving up the lead thanks to important attacks and attempts by Hernandez. The “two-headed” however ran an impressive 5-0 that brought him ahead by two (15-17) and despite the reaction of the home team he escaped with a new run, for 16-21.

The match turned into a “rodeo” with PAOK having Linardos and Truchchev as key players, coming within a breath of equalizing (20-24). Panathinaikos, however, with an unimaginable 4-0 that reminded of the derby with Olympiacos, reacted by “erasing” the set ball of the “two-headed” leading the match to… overtime.

There the big players spoke with Van Der Dries and Kovar spending themselves in a duel and Panathinaikos constantly equalizing and eventually taking the set 31-29 for its first lead in the match (2-1).

With psychology at its peak, Dimitris Andreopoulos’ team was in no mood for adventures. The greens were serious and avoided the easy mistakes of the first and third sets, quickly reaching +6 (11-5). The specific difference remained for a long time with PAOK making an excellent demarcation, turning 24-18 into 24-23 after bad attacks by the Panathinaikos players! With the return from the time-out called by Dimitris Andreopoulos, Voulkidis ended the match with a first-time attack for 3-1 (25-23).

Fluctuation:

1st set: 5-8, 14-16, 19-21, 23-25

2nd set: 8-7, 16-11, 21-17, 25-19

3rd set: 8-3, 15-16, 16-21, 31-29

4th set: 8-4, 16-10, 21-17, 25-23

*Panathinaikos’ points came from 8 aces, 59 attacks (53% efficiency), 12 blocks and 25 opponent errors (16 lost serves) and P.A.O.K. they came from 5 aces, 34 attacks (39% efficiency), 14 blocks and 43 opponent errors (34 missed serves).

The sets: 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 31-29, 25-23) in 123′

PANATHINAIKOS A.O. (Dimitris Andreopoulos): Kovar 14 (10/27 ref., 3 aces, 1 block, 63% sub – 50% excellent), Jerezuelo 5 (3/6 ref., 2 blocks), Rangel 9 (7/13 ref., 2 blocks) , Hernandez 27 (26/41 f., 1 ace), Voulkidis 11 (6/10 f., 5 blocks), Protopsaltis 10 (7/14 f., 2 aces, 1 block, 63% sub. – 31% excellent ) / Kontostathis (l, 71% sub. – 50% excellent), Ksambalis 3 (2 aces, 1 block), Petraeas, Markou.

P.A.O.K. (Josko Milenkoski): Van Garderen 12 (9/26 ff., 2 aces, 1 block, 15% subs – 4% excellent), Galiotos 2 (1 ace, 1 block), Truchchev 12 (9/20 ff., 3 blocks, 38% sub. – 23% excellent), Van De Dries 13 (12/30 ref., 1 block), Linardos 4 (1 ace, 3 blocks), Samoilenko 8 (4/8 ref., 4 blocks) / Kokkinakis (l, 71% sub – 29% excellent), Sidiropoulos, Gatsis 2 (1 ace, 1 block), Takouridis.