27/11/2014 00:47
Olympiacos complete amazing turnaround to edge past VDK GENT Dames
2015 CEV Volleyball Cup - Women
Gent, Belgium, November 27, 2014. Belgium’s VDK GENT Dames suffered a major setback on Wednesday night when they lost in straight sets their return match for the round of 32 of the 2015 CEV Volleyball Cup – Women to Greece’s Olympiacos PIRAEUS (19-25, 21-25, 18-25) as well as the golden set that followed (7-15). Olympiacos stormed back after losing in three sets their home match two weeks ago to upset 430 fans in attendance at Edugo sports hall.
Olympiacos was off to a good start but Felicia Ann Willoughby then brought GENT back on track (8:7). However, Olympiacos broke away after the second technical time-out and claimed the first set (19-25) on a point scored by their Serbian star Jovana Vesovic. Olympiacos continued to perform well also in the second set, especially with their efficient blocking system, thereby preventing the spikers of VDK GENT Dames from scoring. Ivana Bramborova eventually sealed the second set for Olympiacos at 21-25. In the third set the score remained very tight up to 14 all but two aces by Jovana Vesovic paved the way with gold for Olympiacos and the guests pocketed their 3:0 away win.
In the golden set that followed VDK GENT Dames lost control of the game as a very inspired Leticia Boscacci stood behind the service line for a while to move the score from 4:6 to 4:9. This was the turning moment as Olympiacos did not look back anymore and finally won also the golden set by 15-7 to get the right to challenge Turkey’s Galatasaray Daikin ISTANBUL in the next round of the competition.
“I am of course very pleased with this victory. I had some doubts in the second set but then everything worked just fine,” said Olympiacos head coach Ioannis Nikolakis. “As former coach of our national team I knew some of their players, and especially Lise De Valkeneer.”
“I would like to congratulate VDK GENT Dames because they fought until the end. The next round with Galatasaray will be even more difficult but we will try to do our best,” commented Olympiacos setter Styliani Christodoulou.
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