A thrilling match took place in indoor sports hall ‘’M. Merkouri’’, Bursa won 3-2 in the first final of the Women’s Challenge Cup. The two teams will fight for the trophy in the rematch held in Turkey. Olympiacos fans created a fantastic atmosphere assisting their team to produce a comeback from 0-2, tied to 2-2 and lead the match to the tiebreak. Finally, Bursa did 13-15 and won the first game

Key action: 

Bursa took the lead! 

Having the great support of the fans on their side, Olympiacos started the first set strongly, went ahead with 6-2 and kept the four-point difference in the first technical timeout. The ‘’Reds’’ maintained this margin until 11-7 when Bursa run a streak reducing to 11-10. The Coach Kovacevic called a timeout but the Turkish team tied 12-12 with an ace by Leys and went ahead with a point by Sarioglou (12-13). The Bursa’s run stopped after a point by Hippe (13-14). In the rest of the set, the guests widened their lead and won 17-25. 

In the beginning of the second set, Olympiacos was back 5-2 with Kovacevic calling a timeout. Bursa kept the lead and went ahead 4-8 in the first technical timeout. The ‘’Reds’’ hadn’t achieved to impose their rhythm and gave the chance to the Turkish team to increase the margin reaching 16-20. Niemer assisted the team to reduce to 19-21 and the Turkish team called a timeout. Olympiacos tied the set (21-21) for first time with two consecutive points by Niemer. The rest of the set was amazing with Dimitrova giving the lead to Bursa again but the ‘’Reds’’ equalized 22-22. Bursa kept the lead with points of Yildirim and Dimitrova and preceded 0-2. 

Olympiacos reacted and reduced! 

Olympiacos was determined in the beginning of the third set and went ahead 6-0 and 8-2 in the first technical timeout. The ‘’Reds’’ had improved their performance dramatically until the middle of the third set keeping the lead and increasing the margin to nine points (13-4). Olympiacos maintained the same rhythm and boosted the difference to ten points in the second technical timeout (16-6). Then, the players of Branko Kovacevic ran an 8-0 streak, won the set after a successful attack by Poll (25-7) and reduced to 1-2. 

The fourth set started with Bursa leading 2-4 and 4-6 but Olympiacos tied in both cases. The two teams went head to head until 7-7 when Bursa did a 4-0 run and reached 7-11. Olympiacos went back 10-14 but achieved to reduce 14-15 with the Bursa coach calling a timeout. However, Bursa reached 14-16 but Olympiacos scored two consecutive points and Poll tied after an excellent defense by Kokkinaki. Hippe scored an ace to give the lead to the Greek team. Bursa tied 18-18 but then, Olympiacos ran a 4-0 streak. Giota did 23-18 with a block, Lamprousi scored an ace for 25-18 and Olympiacos equalized. 

Olympiacos was defeated in details but hopes to win in the rematch! 

Olympiacos was back 5-8 in the beginning of the tiebreak. Bursa widened the margin to four points (5-9) and 9-13. Then, Olympiacos reacted again and reduced after the points of Poll and Giota (11-13). Poll continued the Olmypiacos run and scored for 12-13 but Bursa replied. Hippe gained a block-out (13-14) and the ‘’Reds’’ were closed to tie again but Yildirim did 13-15 and Bursa won the match. 

Match Stats: 

The sets: 2-3, 17-25 (23΄), 23-25 (28΄), 25-7 (20΄), 25-18 (26΄), 13-15 (19΄)

1st set: 8-3, 14-16, 15-21, 17-25

2nd set: 4-8, 10-16, 17-21, 23-25

3rd set: 8-2, 16-6, 21-6, 25-7

4th set: 7-8, 14-16, 21-18, 25-18

5th set: 3-5, 7-10, 9-12, 13-15

Statistics: 

Olympiacos (Branko Kovacevic): Giota 9 (5/12 attacks, 2 aces, 2 blocks), Niemer 18 (12/27 attacks, 4 aces, 2 blocks, 37% pos-29% exc.), Poll 20 (15/35 attacks, 5 blocks,  39% pos-24% exc., 1 block), Lamprousi 6 (3/8 attacks, 3 aces), Christodoulou 2 (2/5 attack), Hippe 24 (18/55 attacks, 4 aces, 2 blocks), Konomi (L, 53% pos-47% exc.), Konstantinidou, Kokkinaki(L)

Bursa BBSK (Vercesi): Avci 4 (4/10 attacks), Leys 9 (8/22 attacks, 1 ace), Yildirim 12 (10/30 attacks, 1 ace, 1 block, 40% pos, 26% exc.), Belien 10 (6/18 attacks, 4 blocks), Karaagac  4 (3/7 attacks, 1 block), Dimitrova 32 (28/63 attacks, 3 aces, 1 block), Sarioglou (-L 47% pos, 27% exc.) / Bytsenko 1 (1/2 attacks), Albayrak 3 (1/3 attacks, 2 blocks), Aydinogullari

Statements: 

Branko Kovacevic: ''I think it was a big game. Congratulations to both the teams and to our fans for the atmosphere. Apart from the first set, I think that it was a good game and everybody enjoyed it. Both teams played very well. The most important difference between the two teams is the experience of Bursa to play difficult games which was obvious finished very closed. Surely, we will fight and try to start the second game more relaxed. We will have the chance to win the cup.’’

Stella Christodoulou: I agree with my coach. It was a good game. I want to thank our fans for the great atmosphere. They gave us the motive to come back from 2-0. The 2-3 is a result that makes think positive about the rematch.’’

A thrilling match took place in indoor sports hall ‘’M. Merkouri’’, Bursa won 3-2 in the first final of the Women’s Challenge Cup. The two teams will fight for the trophy in the rematch held in Turkey. Olympiacos fans created a fantastic atmosphere assisting their team to produce a comeback from 0-2, tied to 2-2 and lead the match to the tiebreak. Finally, Bursa did 13-15 and won the first game

Key action: 

Bursa took the lead! 

Having the great support of the fans on their side, Olympiacos started the first set strongly, went ahead with 6-2 and kept the four-point difference in the first technical timeout. The ‘’Reds’’ maintained this margin until 11-7 when Bursa run a streak reducing to 11-10. The Coach Kovacevic called a timeout but the Turkish team tied 12-12 with an ace by Leys and went ahead with a point by Sarioglou (12-13). The Bursa’s run stopped after a point by Hippe (13-14). In the rest of the set, the guests widened their lead and won 17-25. 

In the beginning of the second set, Olympiacos was back 5-2 with Kovacevic calling a timeout. Bursa kept the lead and went ahead 4-8 in the first technical timeout. The ‘’Reds’’ hadn’t achieved to impose their rhythm and gave the chance to the Turkish team to increase the margin reaching 16-20. Niemer assisted the team to reduce to 19-21 and the Turkish team called a timeout. Olympiacos tied the set (21-21) for first time with two consecutive points by Niemer. The rest of the set was amazing with Dimitrova giving the lead to Bursa again but the ‘’Reds’’ equalized 22-22. Bursa kept the lead with points of Yildirim and Dimitrova and preceded 0-2. 

Olympiacos reacted and reduced! 

Olympiacos was determined in the beginning of the third set and went ahead 6-0 and 8-2 in the first technical timeout. The ‘’Reds’’ had improved their performance dramatically until the middle of the third set keeping the lead and increasing the margin to nine points (13-4). Olympiacos maintained the same rhythm and boosted the difference to ten points in the second technical timeout (16-6). Then, the players of Branko Kovacevic ran an 8-0 streak, won the set after a successful attack by Poll (25-7) and reduced to 1-2. 

The fourth set started with Bursa leading 2-4 and 4-6 but Olympiacos tied in both cases. The two teams went head to head until 7-7 when Bursa did a 4-0 run and reached 7-11. Olympiacos went back 10-14 but achieved to reduce 14-15 with the Bursa coach calling a timeout. However, Bursa reached 14-16 but Olympiacos scored two consecutive points and Poll tied after an excellent defense by Kokkinaki. Hippe scored an ace to give the lead to the Greek team. Bursa tied 18-18 but then, Olympiacos ran a 4-0 streak. Giota did 23-18 with a block, Lamprousi scored an ace for 25-18 and Olympiacos equalized. 

Olympiacos was defeated in details but hopes to win in the rematch! 

Olympiacos was back 5-8 in the beginning of the tiebreak. Bursa widened the margin to four points (5-9) and 9-13. Then, Olympiacos reacted again and reduced after the points of Poll and Giota (11-13). Poll continued the Olmypiacos run and scored for 12-13 but Bursa replied. Hippe gained a block-out (13-14) and the ‘’Reds’’ were closed to tie again but Yildirim did 13-15 and Bursa won the match. 

Match Stats: 

The sets: 2-3, 17-25 (23΄), 23-25 (28΄), 25-7 (20΄), 25-18 (26΄), 13-15 (19΄)

1st set: 8-3, 14-16, 15-21, 17-25

2nd set: 4-8, 10-16, 17-21, 23-25

3rd set: 8-2, 16-6, 21-6, 25-7

4th set: 7-8, 14-16, 21-18, 25-18

5th set: 3-5, 7-10, 9-12, 13-15

Statistics: 

Olympiacos (Branko Kovacevic): Giota 9 (5/12 attacks, 2 aces, 2 blocks), Niemer 18 (12/27 attacks, 4 aces, 2 blocks, 37% pos-29% exc.), Poll 20 (15/35 attacks, 5 blocks,  39% pos-24% exc., 1 block), Lamprousi 6 (3/8 attacks, 3 aces), Christodoulou 2 (2/5 attack), Hippe 24 (18/55 attacks, 4 aces, 2 blocks), Konomi (L, 53% pos-47% exc.), Konstantinidou, Kokkinaki(L)

Bursa BBSK (Vercesi): Avci 4 (4/10 attacks), Leys 9 (8/22 attacks, 1 ace), Yildirim 12 (10/30 attacks, 1 ace, 1 block, 40% pos, 26% exc.), Belien 10 (6/18 attacks, 4 blocks), Karaagac  4 (3/7 attacks, 1 block), Dimitrova 32 (28/63 attacks, 3 aces, 1 block), Sarioglou (-L 47% pos, 27% exc.) / Bytsenko 1 (1/2 attacks), Albayrak 3 (1/3 attacks, 2 blocks), Aydinogullari

Statements: 

Branko Kovacevic: ''I think it was a big game. Congratulations to both the teams and to our fans for the atmosphere. Apart from the first set, I think that it was a good game and everybody enjoyed it. Both teams played very well. The most important difference between the two teams is the experience of Bursa to play difficult games which was obvious finished very closed. Surely, we will fight and try to start the second game more relaxed. We will have the chance to win the cup.’’

Stella Christodoulou: I agree with my coach. It was a good game. I want to thank our fans for the great atmosphere. They gave us the motive to come back from 2-0. The 2-3 is a result that makes think positive about the rematch.’’