AIS defeated Olympiakos 3:1 25-27, 25-15, 25-23, 25-19

Travis Passier

Australian Institute of Sport v Olympiakos Greece

Mas Nikh Volleyball Tournament, in Eginiou, Greece - Match 4 - 6-1-07

AIS defeated Olympiakos 3:1 25-27, 25-15, 25-23, 25-19 

AIS Starting Line-up (and points scored): Bell (1), White (11), Passier (14), Edgar (9), Dekker© (19), Zingel (16), Hughes (libero)

Substitutes: Marsh (DNP), Goldsbrough-Reardon (DNP), Thwaite (DNP), Thorpe (DNP)

The youth age players in the Australian Institute of Sport volleyball team played their fourth match in the team’s 2007 European Tour at the annual Mas Nikh International Youth Volleyball Tournament. The AIS Team played the top Greek club team, Olympiakos, in Eginiou, Greece. The Australians won the match with superior attack and block. This “Olympiakos” team is the junior team for the famous National League Team of the same name. They were also undefeated going into today’s match.

The first set of this match was close with both teams giving away very little in terms of easy points. Some excellent blocking (4 stuffs for the set) enabled the AIS to lead 8-7 and 16-14 at the first and second technical timeouts respectively, only to be overhauled by the team from Athens, at 20-19. Although the Australians stayed in touch, the Greeks took a 23-21 lead. The AIS fought back to level the score at 23-all and then again at 25-all, but could not take the vital two point advantage. In the end Olympiakos took the lead at 26-25, after which an Australian error gave them the first set.

Despite losing the first set, the young AIS players stayed composed as they began the second set. An early stuff block and some good Australian quick hitting seemed to unnerve the locals and they started to make numerous errors on attack. The AIS led 8-3 and 16-9 at the technical timeouts. The AIS kept good pressure on the opposition through serve and although Olympiakos did not make errors, they did feel the pressure on serve receive and therefore, attack. The Australians did not relax and finished the set in empathic style.

The AIS attack and block were features of the third set. However, the local team showed true fighting spirit. Despite leading 8-7 at the first technical timeout, the AIS were trailing 15-16 at the second technical timeout. Certainly another AIS stuff block (one of five for the set) was the catalyst for the Australians taking a 21-20 lead. The AIS worked hard to gain a 24-21 lead, only to have the Greeks fight back to trail 23-24. After an AIS timeout, Olympiakos served another strong serve causing the AIS setter to bump set. The AIS captain attacked the ball to score the vital 25^th point.

The fourth set was close in the early stages, but the AIS block started to take effect again. They led 8-5 at the first technical timeout, only to find themselves trailing 15-16 at the second technical timeout, when they had struggled to sideout, under some good serving pressure from the Greeks. It was the Australian block (5 stuffs for the set) and quick attack that came to the rescue yet again. After being level at 17-all, the AIS took the led at 18-17 and never looked back. They served strongly (two aces) and maintained pressure on the opposition, until the end of the set.

The final match for the AIS will be against Tournament host Mas Nikh. Both teams will play “overage” players (beyond youth-age) to allow the AIS to play their full roster.

Statistics

Attack – Team 43% kill 18% error (25%ke) Passier 75% kill (12) 17% error, Zingel 50% kill (12) 8% error, Dekker 47% kill (34) 12% error

Block – Team 16 kill 7 controls Zingel 7 kills and Passier 5 kills

Passing – Team 1.91 34% perfect 11% error White 2.00 (25) 40% perfect 12% error, Dekker 2.00 (12) 25% perfect 8% error

Serving – Team 1.93 7 aces 9 errors Zingel 3 aces

Best players –Dekker, Zingel and Passier (Pictured)