No Europe, no problem for Greece’s top-teams

March 5, 2023

Eleni Sotireli (Ethnikos) makes herself big. Photo: KOE.

As Matchday 18 returned a full compliment of games in the Greek A1, for all the participants, the domestic league is all that is left.

For the first time in twenty-three years, there are no Greek women’s teams in the semi-finals of either the Champions League or the Euro Cup. Last season, it was two Greek teams – Olympiacos and Ethnikos – who lifted both trophies, but now, along with the other Greek sides, are now only focusing on their domestic fixtures.

With that in mind, all of the top-four teams took maximum points. Olympiacos, who have won every league game this season, took a heavily rotated and youthful team to Crete and bagged a 17-5 victory over Rethymnou, while Ethnikos were untroubled by Larissa (15-7). With lightning fast starts, Vouliagmeni and Glyfada enjoyed sizeable home victories against Peristeri and AEK respectively.

Five kilometres separates Alimos and Panionios, but in the pool, a much bigger gap existed this weekend, with Panionios bossing their city rivals 16-8. PAOK, who have now won four in the last five games, took a deserved 10-6 win against Patra.

With Olympiacos out ahead in first, the battle for second between Vouliagmeni and Ethnikos continues to rest on a knife-edge. On the other hand, next week there is a huge game at the bottom of the table as Peristeri battle with Larissa.

2022/23 Women’s Greek League, Day 18

NC Rethymnou 5 – 17 Olympiacos (1-5, 1-2, 3-5, 0-5)

Rethymnou: M. Poulopoulou, D. Lampathaki, B. Doyle 2, M. Farmaki, M. Zafeiraki, A. Sanchez, S. Libitaki 1, E. Farmaki 2, A. Libitaki, E. Libitaki.

Olympiacos: S. Doureka, S. Santa 5, I. Chydirioti 1, A. Christodoulou-Out 2, F. Tricha 1, K. Margariti 1, D. Drakotou, Z. Tjortzakaki, S. Tornarou 1, M. Papadopoulou, K. Christmas 2, M. Myriokefalitaki 3, E. Konstantopoulou, M. Oikonomou 1.

NC Vouliagmeni 15 – 1 Peristeri SC (3-0, 1-0, 3-1, 8-0)

Vouliagmeni: M. Kotsioni, S. Kaifa 2, D. Kalogeropoulou, E. Elliniadi 3, A. Giannopoulou 2, M. Nikolaou, E. Tankeeva 2, E. Wright 3, K. Stratidaki, D. Andreadi 2, M. Mimidis 1, F. Angelidi, E. Patras, E. Markatseli.

Peristeri: Zafiraki, Kolitsopoulou 1, V.Skarmoutsou, Grozopoulou, Apostolidou, Konstantopoulou, Loukopoulou, Berikou, Petta, Bekri, Gika, Gotzia, E.Skarmoutso, Papasifaki, Kikidou.

Ethnikos 15 – 7 NC Larissa (4-2, 4-2, 5-1, 2-2)

Ethnikos: E. Sotireli, A. Karampetsou 2, M. Borisova 2, V. Laskaridou, I. Kontoni 3, E. Beta, F. Chatzikyriakaki 1, A.. Benekou 2, M. Rakintzi 1, E. Kanetidou 1, I. Benekou 1, C. Andrews 1, E. Katsimpri, A. Klapsianou 1.

Larissa: E. Archontaki, A. Kokkinou, I. Touloumtzidou, V. Hasioti, D. Kalogianni, A. Safeti, A. Koltsida 2, G. Sakellariou, K. Rogers 3, T. Galanopoulou, A. Clapperton 2.

ANO Glyfada 17 – 9 AEK (6-1, 5-5, 3-1, 3-2)

Glyfada: E. Karytsa, P. Ninou, T. Moustakaria 1, I. Wolves 4, E. Grigoropoulou, I. Ninou 2, E. Antoniadi 1, I. Kanellopoulou, I. Koolhaas 2, E. Fountontou, 4, L. Katsoni, S. Kontogianni 3, K. Iliakopoulou, A. Madenoglou, R. Kakaidi.

AEK: D. Nigro, K. McKenty 1, Paterou, Georgiou, H. Biniari, A. Kalaitzi 3, A. Gilla 1, A. Frangelaki, E. Roumelioti, E. Liapaki 1, Dassiou 1, K. Michailidou 2, Founti, Fella, A. Peteinatou.

PAOK 10 – 6 NE Patra (3-1, 3-2, 3-2, 1-1)

PAOK: E. Lerioti, A. Bikou, E. Pustinikova 2, E. Tzelepi 1, M. Karypidou 3, I. Paraskevopoulou, P. Graikou, A. Akilbayeva, D. Fragia 3, C. Dona-Tsiaka, V. Niarhakou 1, A. Tzourka, I. Karypidou.

Patra: A. Giannakea, A. Androutseli 2, V. Zofoli, T. Levi, E. Tsimara, M. Balatsa, M. Petasi, D. Koureta 3, O. Moirali 1, N. Balatsa, V. Paraskevopoulou, M. Schiza, N. Michalatou, I. Rack.

Alimos NAC 8 – 16 Panionios (0-5, 5-5, 1-1, 2-5)

Alimos: E. Lazaris, N. Chaldaiou 1, E. Kovacevic, 1, N. Piovan, J. Lykothanasis 1, E. Paterou, A. Asimaki 2, S. Logothetis, L. Mihailovic 1, A. Bitsakou, E. Tsimara 2, I. Helmi, E. Lekkou, S. Kyrkou, D. Theofanopoulou.

Panionios: A. Mitsou, P. Casey 4, I. Mavrotas 1, M. Bogachenko 4, A. Kotsafti 2, M. Mastrokallou, M. Thomopoulou, E. Loudis 1, C. Kotsia 2, A. Loudis 1, D. Papanastasiou 1, A. Papanastasiou, L. Mavrotas, A. Keladiti.

While there is fierce disappointment surrounding the players, staff and fans at Olympiacos after their quarter-final exit in the Champions League, they were quick to remind their opponents in Greece that they are indisputably the best in the land, winning their 18th successive game this weekend against bottom side, Rethymnou (17-5).

Although it wasn’t the stonking that everyone expected to see in the match, the Red-Whites will be pleased to have blooded in a few more youngsters, such as Kasiana Margariti, Maria Papadopoulou, Eftychia Konstantopoulou and Maria Economou, all of whom are under 18. Still a youngster, but a slightly more seasoned player was the match’s top scorer, Stefania Santa, who found five conversions in the game.

The blue side of Piraeus also enjoyed a fairly routine victory this weekend, taking a 15-7 against the struggling Larissa. It was a strong offensive display from the Blue-Whites, with ten outfield players finding the back of the net for Ethnikos.

A courageous defensive showing from Vouliagmeni, as well as a ruthless performance from their front-line of Eleni Ellniaid (3), Emma Wright (3), Athina Giannopoulou (2) and Despina Andreadi (2) handed Kiki Liosi’s team a dominant 15-1 victory over Peristeri. A clean sheet in the first and last quarter underlines the Nautical Club’s comfort in the match as they continue to hold the second spot in the league.

Glyfada, who have not yet truly secured a top-4 spot yet, took their twelfth win of the season, storming past AEK. Theo Andreako’s team found themselves 8-1 up in the second quarter, and while the Yellow and Blacks definitely improved as the game went on, they had no chance overturning a seven-score deficit. There were a quad of scores from Iris Wolves and Eleftheira Fountontou.

There were some surprise victories in the mid-field, as Alimos were undone by Panionios while PAOK, who are finishing the season very strongly, defeated Patra. First at Panionios, Tassos Papanastasiou might not have believed that his team jumped out to a 6-0 lead, and despite the best efforts of Yiannis Benepoulos’s team, they once again found themselves on the end of a poor result. PAOK’s 10-6 victory over Patra takes them above the Dolphins and into seventh place.