Olympiacos women are a single victory away from securing their tenth successive league title after storming away to a 12-5 win at Vouliagmeni.
While the scoreline in the second game suggested a comfortable victory for Olympiacos, the game only became one sided in the final quarter. The Nautical Club had stayed competitive for three quarters, trailing by one score with 7:40 to go in the match. A six goal rampage from Olympiacos, however, emphasised the reigning champions strength.
Vasiliki Plevritou led the scoring for Olympiacos with four goals in total. Amy Ridge netted a hat-trick for Vouliagmeni, as she did in the first final in Piraeus.
The Red-Whites now have a 2-0 lead in the best of five series, having earned an 11-7 win in the first leg.
2022/2023 Greek Women’s League, play-offs, final
NC Vouliagmeni 5 – 12 Olympiacos (1-1, 2-3, 1-2, 1-6)
Vouliagmeni: M. Kotsioni, S. Kaiafa, D. Kalogeropoulou, E. Elliniadi 1, A. Giannopoulou, A. Ridge 3, E. Tankeeva 1, K. Stratidaki, D. Andreadi, M. Mimidis, F. Angelidis, M. Patras, E. Markatseli.
Olympiacos: C. Diamantopoulou, E. Plevritou 1, I. Chydirioti, N. Eleftheriadou 1, F. Tricha, E. Xenaki 1, C. Siouti 1, M. Plevritou, S. Tornarou 1, V. Plevritou 4, K. Christmas 2, M. Myriokefalitaki 1, I. Stamatopoulou, S. Santa, Z. Tjortzakaki.
Despite Vouliagmeni’s valiant efforts to resist Olympiacos, the relentless pressure eventually took its toll, with the Red-Whites’ quality shining through.
Amy Ridge propelled Vouliagmeni into an early lead, only for Olympiacos to swiftly equalise through Siouti five minutes later (1-1). Vasiliki Plevritou’s brace for Olympiacos elevated them to a 3-1 advantage in the second quarter. Although Vouliagmeni managed to level the score at 3-3, a late goal from Eleftheria Plevritou provided Aleksandar Ciric’s team with a slender lead at the halftime break (4-3).
Olympiacos asserted their dominance in the third period, extending their lead to two goals. First, Maria Myriokefalitaki found the back of the net, making it 5-3, followed by Vasiliki Plevritou completing her hat-trick at 6-4.
Vouliagmeni may have harboured hopes of staging a comeback when Amy Ridge completed her hat-trick in the fourth quarter, bringing them within one goal (6-5). However, their revival quickly crumbled as the Piraeus Reds unleashed an onslaught, scoring the next six goals, with Canadian international Kyra Christmas making her mark by slotting away the first and final goals.
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