The women’s volleyball playoff semifinals kicked off tonight (Monday). Kiryat Ata defeated the second ranked away, 3: 0, in an excellent game. In the second series, Kfar Saba, the first at the end of the regular season, defeated Haifa at home.
Maccabi Hadera – Hapoel Kiryat Ata 3: 0 (25:22, 25:22, 25:18)
After three consecutive losses, Hapoel Kiryat Ata woke up precisely in the moment of truth and surprised the second-ranked Maccabi Hadera away with a big victory. The game was very close when in the first two sets Kiryat Ata had a hard time opening a gap but eventually won, in the third set Kiryat Ata opened crushingly and led already 2:10, Hadera reduced to 14:16 but Kiryat Ata again opened a gap until winning the battle.
Svetlana Svanska (57% on offense, 36% on offense, 3 blocks and ace) and Di Castro (29% on offense, 3 blocks and ace) led Kiryat Ata with 14 and 13 points respectively. The team was with 43% in the reception and 36% in the attack, 11 blocks (4 for Dana Cohen) and 6 aces.
5 Maccabi Hadera players finished with double digits: Hanna Tobikina (43% on offense, 5 blocks and one ace), Shirel Janah (33% on reception, 30% on offense) with 18 and 16. They are followed by Oren Abutbul (34% in attack and 2 blocks), Vira Klimovich (29% in attack, 6 blocks and Ace) and Gal Lender (46% in reception, 35% in attack, 2 blocks) with 15, 14 and 13 points. The team finished with 40% on reception, 34% on offense.
Guy Shamai, Hapoel Urban coach Kiryat Ata: “Today we played in a very organized way in defense and blocking. We managed to execute some tactical things that we talked about. Today we will be happy and tomorrow we will prepare for the next game against Hadera on Friday.”
Hapoel Kfar Saba – Maccabi Haifa 0: 3 (16:25, 16:25, 14:25)
Hapoel Kfar Saba proved once again that it is above the other teams after an impressive victory over Maccabi Haifa, in the reconstruction of the cup final from last Thursday with the same result, 3 sets for Kfar Saba. Mimi Diop (40% on offense, 6 blocks and 2 aces) led Kfar Saba with 12 points. Followed by Anna Wilicki (45% in reception, 62% in attack, 2 aces) and Nicole Korea (56% in reception, 50% in attack, 4 blocks) with 10 each. The team finished with 50% in the reception and 48% in the attack, blocked 14 balls, scored 5 aces and made 20 general mistakes in the game (8 in the refusal, 4 in the reception and 8 in the attack).
Maria Okonomido (20% on offense, and 2 aces) and Simona Dmitrova (74% on offense, 27% on offense) led Maccabi Haifa with 7 points each. The team’s percentage of offense 67%, and the percentage of offense 24%, blocked 3 balls (of Maya Dodetskin), scored 4 aces and made 31 general errors in the game (11 in the refusal, 5 in the reception and 15! In the attack).
Elad Shpgt Hapoel Kfar Saba coach: “We reached the money time of the season in excellent shape and today we continued the best ability from the last games. Our blocking game worked well and the girls gave war on every ball in defense. From now on the head is already in the next game in the series.”
The rematch will take place this coming Friday (26.3, 13:30): Kiryat Ata will host Maccabi Hadera and will strive to surprise it again on the way to the final series, while Maccabi Haifa will host Hapoel Kfar Saba.