PAOK (Thessaloniki) started the new season in the Men's Volleyball League of Greece with a bang, after decisively defeating Foinikas Syros 3-0 sets (25:19, 25:14, 25:18) in their opening match of the championship.
The main protagonists in the 'black-and-whites'' success were the two Bulgarian middle blockers
Nikolay Kolev and Nikolay Kârtev, who formed a solid wall at the net, and Kolev was deservedly chosen as MVP of the match.
Bulgarian contribution and excellent blocking performance
Kolev finished with 13 points (6 attacks, 2 aces, 5 blocks) and was the most consistent in the key moments of the match. Kârtev contributed with important points and stability in the middle, with the two Bulgarians dominating against Syros' attackers.
In the first set, after an even start until the 10th point, PAOK pressed with serve and block and closed the set with 25:19.
In the second set, the hosts made a 6-0 run on Galileo's serve, and two consecutive blocks by Kolev sealed the crushing 25:14.
The third set was a formality
aces by Hernandez and solid defense led to the final 25:18.
Match statistics
| Team | Attacks | Aces | Blocks | Points from opponent's errors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAOK | 36 | 6 | 12 | 21 |
| Foinikas Syros | 33 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
The numbers clearly show PAOK's dominance in serving and blocking
12 blocks against only 4 for Syros. This was precisely the key to success, along with the aggressive serve, which prevented the opponent from developing an attack.
Post-match statements
Nikolay Kolev (middle blocker for PAOK, MVP):
"I am very happy that we started the season with a victory. We had an excellent blocking performance, and with our very good serving, we disorganized our opponents, and that's how the victory came. The individual award means nothing, because at the end of the day, what matters is the victory!"
On the other side of the net, the French outside hitter Axel Truhtchev, a former player for Neftochimic Burgas, was among the most active for Foinikas Syros. He scored 7 points (7 attacks, 33% efficiency) and scored the first point for his team in the new season. Nevertheless, he could not help his team withstand PAOK's strong lineup.
