PAOK equalized the semifinal series in the Greek league after a 3:1 (21:25, 25:23, 25:19, 25:20) victory against Milon in "Palataki". The series is now 1-1 wins, and the next match is on April 1st in Nea Smyrni.
At the center of events was Nikolay Kolev, who played a key role, especially in blocking. His interventions in the second set gave PAOK an early lead (13:4), and in the following sets, he continued to dominate at the net.
In the third set, at 16:13, Kolev helped increase the lead to 18:14, and after another block from him, PAOK pulled away with 21:15
– a moment that practically broke Milon's resistance.
PAOK found their rhythm after the first set, with Fernando Hernandez and Uros Kovacevic leading the team in attack, but the stability in the middle, provided by Kolev, proved crucial for the comeback and overall success.
| Player | Points | Attack | Block | Aces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikolay Kolev | 7 | 3/8 | 4 | 0 |
Kolev finished with 7 points, and what's impressive is that 4 of them came directly from blocks. This highlights his influence in the most crucial element against Milon's strong attack and explains why PAOK managed to turn the tide after the first set.
The MVP of the match was Fernando Hernandez, who led PAOK to the comeback with 24 points (20 in attack, 1 ace, and 3 blocks), being the most effective scorer in the match.
Behind him for PAOK, Uros Kovacevic distinguished himself with 16 points, and Menelaos Kokkinakis added 9 points.
For Milon, Schouten was the top scorer with 18 points, followed by Nanopoulos and Poluyan with 12 points each, as well as Agamez also with 12 points, but with an impressive contribution in blocking (5 successful blocks).
photos: A.S. PAOK
