Apollon Kalamarias upsets champion Iraklis
The fourth consecutive loss of champion Iraklis, this time at home to newly promoted Apollon Kalamarias on Saturday was the biggest upset of the volleyball league so far this season. After going down to Panathinaikos, Lamia and Olympiakos, Iraklis lost 3-0 to Apollon to slide further away from the top. Apollon won 25-23, 25-23, 25-21 for the most famous victory of the club’s history to date, as well as its first ever away win in the top flight. Iraklis was missing outside hitter Alex Akhrem who did not return to Thessaloniki after Iraklis’s midweek win in Turkey, as he had to join the national team of Belarus. In the other games played on Saturday, Olympiakos dropped the first set at PAOK (25-22), before storming back to win 3-1 at Pylaia (25-28, 25-22, 25-22). Kifissia put an end to Aris’s winning streak, downing the Thessaloniki side 3-1 at home (25-23, 27-29, 25-14, 25-18). This was the second straight win for Kifissia after starting the league with nine consecutive defeats. Phinikas Syrou confirmed its entry in the top eight of the league with its 3-1 away win at Ethnikos Alexandroupolis (27-25, 26-24, 23-25, 25-23). Yesterday, EA Patras dismissed Milon 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-18) to stay alone in third. Today table leader Panathinaikos entertains Lamia at 7.00 p.m. in Glyfada. Cup final eight The final eight of the Greek Cup will take place in Patras from January 29-February 2, 2009. Federation president Stelios Prosalikas agreed with the mayor of the Peloponnesian capital, Andreas Fouras, for the competition to be held in the southern city. Competing in the event will be the teams that have just finished in the top eight spots of the table after the first half of the league rounds. These are Panathinaikos, Olympiakos, EA Patras (who effectively will be the host), Iraklis, Lamia, Milon, Aris and Phinikas Syrou.
