Uninvited Panathinaikos, wiped Olympiacos and returned to his throne!

More in a little while …

The match:

A dynamic start by Panathinaikos who, with the push of his fans in the stands, tried to press Olympiacos at his reception and was quickly at +3 (4-1). The reaction of the Piraeus was immediate, but their service at the beginning of the match, not particularly functional, which gave the “clover” the right to remain in power. The jerk movements by the Gardini players, as well as the dominant block on the part of Dimitris Andreopoulos, created ideal for the hosts, as in the middle of the set the score reached 14-8. The return of Olympiacos did not take long and by his hand … Maestro, Dragan Travica The “reds” ran a small 3-0 series and reduced to three.

The visitors ‘service did not work ideally and their only “source” for points were Panathinaikos’ mistakes, or some inspiration from Travitsa and Perin, which however did not reduce the difference below three points in favor of Panathinaikos. A small striker of Panathinaikos brought Olympiacos with a block of Perin and Koumentakis’ ace to Pontos and the “thriller” had just begun. A key phase was that of the “red-white” attack with the score at 21-20 in favor of Panathinaikos with Atanasievic making the deep blow and the point initially going to Olympiacos. However, after the challenge as the ball turned out, it was out and there was no contact with a Panathinaikos player and the score was 22-20 and then 23-20. Too hard to die the Gardini team, ran 2-0, but Nielsen gave a match ball to the Greens (24-22) who made it 1-0 with the winner of the Protopsalti (25-23).

It started as a derby and evolved from the beginning with this pattern the second set. And this is because Olympiacos came in much taller and properly organized in front of the dick, taking a three -point lead. The beginning of Panathinaikos’ counterattack marked, but it was cut off, after scoring at 4-5, a small “outbreak” between the staff of the two teams lit up, but with the intervention of the colder the “flame” erased after about five minutes and the match began again.

The momentum went to Olympiacos again, whose block was ideally operated and brought him back to +3 with two blocks, but also a great point from Atanasievic. The percentages in the two teams block fell sharply with the ace being ignored for a while and Olympiacos maintaining a steady 2-3-point lead mainly thanks to the block. Dimitris Andreopoulos’ decision to change the way his team served, with the entrance of Kasabalis, was crucial, so that the hosts would bring the match at a critical point equal (20-20). But a Panathinaikos mistake in the reception and a grand block of Pagenk brought Olympiacos back into power (21-23). Panathinaikos reduced temporarily, but Olympiacos with calm and a magical inspiration of Travitsa, brought the match to 1-1 (23-25).

Bad service, quite mistakes, lots of blocks and absolute balance at the beginning of the third set in Metz with the short head of Olympiacos not changing, as Panathinaikos reacted only by equalizing. The inability of the “clover” to counter this fast-paced Piraeus game created ideal conditions for the first +3 in the third set (7-10). Panathinaikos’ “breath” was the choice of his players to “mark” Koumentakis, both in the first year and second, and this element also marked the counterattack, as 8-11 was immediately converted to 11-11 with two great blocks and the guard called the Gardini. An extremely clever blow and an Ace from Atanasievic brought Olympiacos at +2 (13-15) after a while, but the Serb in his second attempt failed, but which was also done by the Protopsaltis for Panathinaikos. The moment that turned out to be a catalyst for the outcome of the third set was the lost against Panathinaikos, which was not exploited by Van Garderen, with the score first going to 16-18 and then to +3 for Olympiacos after a mistake in the “green” block.

Dimitris Andreopoulos’ team managed to get a momentum and reduce their two, but their very bad service and their successive mistakes from the line gave Olympiacos the right to … first and find themselves at 20-22. For their part, the guests, while holding their opponents in the match, paid it, after coming 22-22 with a great point by Van Garderen between a triple bloc. The set turned into a thriller with Panathinaikos finding a lead for the first time, but Olympiacos went out and … immediately after a preceding 24-25. The hosts could not maintain their temper, and this was exploited by Olympiacos who made it 25-27, taking a 2-1 lead in the sets.

A mood for risks by Olympiacos who, with a dynamic start in the 4th set, set his rules and quickly led 2-5. Perhaps his worst day in the service during the series, Panathinaikos was pressured and this resulted in Olympiacos at +4 (5-9) with a magical place of Koumentakis. The levels of the difference ranged between the three and the four points, since every time the hosts were reduced, their service was betrayed and the ball passed into “red -white” hands. The solid bases for Andrea Gardini’s team entered with a controversial phase, after Atanasievic made an ace for 8-13, but having hit the line earlier at the time of his effort. As if that weren’t enough, a bad attack and a pretty “deep” hit of the Protopsaltis brought Olympiacos to +6 (8-14).

The match became a derby again, after Panathinaikos ran a 4-0 and reduced to two, but Olympiacos woke up and with critical points from Pagenk and Perin found three. The “clover” was fired with the ace looking for a long time, but could not equalize and get the match of the match, which was done with Voulkidis doing 19-19. The match and Metz were lit after Panathinaikos made it 21-19 in an adventurous way that made Travitsa furious. This resulted in the Italian receiving a red card and giving Panathinaikos another point for 22-19!

Things were now … downhill with Panathinaikos to make people go crazy in the stands thanks to Petra’s ace and the match was led to Tai Break.

In this, Panathinaikos entered very dynamically, making it 4-1 and acquiring psychology and taking advantage of the energy he had from the epic overturn of the fourth set, but tightening the block, Olympiacos returned 5-5. The agony culminated and the mistakes from the service became the protagonists. An awesome ace from Atanasievic was the one who closed the first part of the Tie Break with Olympiacos taking a 7-8 lead, and then the overrun of the Protopsalti gave two points to the Piraeus and the right of Dimitris Andreopoulos to call 7-9. This helped his team return and first equalize the match to 9-9.

More in a little while …

The sets: 25-23, 23-25, 25-27, 25-21