21.03.2009 | MATCH
DESCRIPTION
Terrific Comeback from
0-2 Earns Panathinaikos Ticket to Final
ATHENS, 21 March -- Panathinaikos Athens staged a
terrific comeback from 0-2 down, to edge Italy's Bre
Banca Lannutti Cuneo in five sets 3-2 (23-25, 18-25,
25-15, 25-20, 15-06) and earn a berth in Sunday's
(16:30 local time) grand final of the 2009 Men's CEV
Cup.
Cuneo got off to a quick start in the first set, 0-6
and 1-7 and as the first technical time-out was
called at 2-8, Panathinaikos was still struggling to
get in the game. But get in they did, and gradually
closed in to eventually tie the score at 17-17 and
even briefly take a one-point lead. But the
experience of the Italian side showed at the most
crucial points, as captain Wout Wijsmans scored an
ace to bring Cuneo to set-point at 24-22 and then
Valerio Curti pulled off a block to end the set
25-23. Cuneo then went on to win the second set
18-25 with ease.
Head coach Alekos Leonis needed to take some drastic
measures and the entrance of Elias Lappas (85%
attacking efficiency with 11/13) and Sotiris
Pantaleon in the third set gave the home team the
boost they needed. Cuneo's head coach, Silvano
Prandi, quickly conceded and gave some of his
starting players a rest for the some of the set,
allowing Panathinaikos to clinch it easily 25-15 and
stay alive in the match.
Panathinaikos was now on a roll and with the support
of 10,500 enthousiastic fans also led in the
beginning fourth set. Prandi continued interchanging
his setters and at 6-9 replaced Marco Nuti with
Cuban Javier Gonzalez helping his team tie the score
at 10-all. But that was all that Cuneo could do.
Panathinaikos continued to pressure the Italians
with their serving (earning a total of eight ace
points, to Cuneo's three) and correspondingly
imporved their blocking (for a total of ten stuffs
compared to Cuneo's seven). Thus, the Greeks once
more gained a lead and held on through the end of
the set, 25-20, to force the match into a tie-break.
The fifth set was no contest. Panathinaikos very
quickly moved ahead by three points at 4-1 and by
the time the two sides switched courts was already
five points in the lead (8-3), never having to look
back again, as they finished the set and the match
15-6, in a little over two hours.
Colombian Liberman Agamez scored
24 points to emerge top scorer of the match and Renaud Herpe added another 18,
leading Panathinaikos to this incredible victory. Wijsmans was top scorer for
Cuneo, with 19 points.
Panathinaikos now awaits the
winner of the Lokotomiv-Belogorie Belgorod (RUS) v. Unicaja Almeria (ESP)
semifinal. Cuneo will play against the loser in the bronze medal match.
