PAOK edges out leader Iraklis
PAOK defeated volleyball league leader Iraklis 3-2 on March 26, denying its cross-town rival the opportunity to clinch the top spot in the regular season.
Iraklis will need one more point in the last round of games, against Ethnikos Alexandroupolis at home on April 2, to secure home advantage in the playoffs for the title.
Coach Freddy Brooks?s players led 2-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-19), but PAOK fought back to take the fourth set 25-22 and the tie-break 15-13 for its first victory over Iraklis since 2004.
PAOK is now joint second, along with Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, who both won on Saturday to secure a place in the playoffs, where only the top four teams will participate this year.
Olympiakos saw off relegated Panellinios 3-0 at Kypseli, as Panathinaikos defeated Kifissia 3-1 at home in their first victory with Yiannis Laios on their bench. In the last round of games Olympiakos hosts Panathinaikos.
In other games on Saturday, Lamia returned from Alexandroupoli with a 3-1 win over local Ethnikos, while EA Patras overturned a 2-1 deficit at Aris to win 3-2 in Thessaloniki, but has no hope left for a top-four spot. Finally, Epikouros Polichnis defeated Apollon Kalamarias 3-0.
