Young Israeli team disappoints Greece in Tel Aviv
The young team of Israel disappointed Greece in the opener of Pool D. With an average age of 24 years old players, the athletes guided by head coach Itamar Stein could congratulated themselves with a historic win.
23-year-old, Israel’s Ido David shone bright in the opening match when Greece and Israel delivered a thrilling matchup. After a nail-biting tiebreaker, the co-hosts of the 2023 #EuroVolleyM, Israel claimed the first win in the group.
Supported by their own crowds, the Israel team started off better in the match, emerging victorious from the first set, performing better on the blocking (five kill blocks to zero) and more successful on attacking (12 to eight).
After a cat-and-mouse game in the second set, Greece came back to the match, equalising the set score, mainly thanks to improving in reception, not allowing their own mistake to affect the game.
Israel responded quickly in the third set, taking an early lead. The players of head coach Dante Boninfante, however, showed nerves of steel and improving their blocking, got closer at 21-21 to eventually turn the tables and take the set lead at 2-1.
The spectators at Shlomo Group Arena enjoyed some long rallies in the fourth set, and although the two sides let some unforced errors affect the score, they delivered some long rallies. However, the hosts could find their way to tying back the set score. In a nail-biting deciding part, the home heroes could prevail over their opponents at 15-13, writing a brand-new page in the history of Israeli Volleyball.
Ido David of the winning team became the top scorer of the game, recording as many as 28 points. For Greece, Dimitrios Mouchlias finished with 17.
Ido DAVID“We want to thank to everyone who supported us tonight! We believed in ourselves, stayed focused on each ball, and it paid off!”
Outside spiker of Israel
A Brazil native, 17-year-old Shai Lieberman, who has arrived in Israel only five years ago, also was happy with the victory.
"It is very, very exciting. I was almost shocked when it was announced an year ago that we will be co-hosts of the event. It was a very big personal dream for me, competing at EuroVolley. In the last year, this was like an additional motivation booster for me to train better and better. In the national team, everyone has a common goal. To win and show that we deserve to be here.”
Shai is also sure that co-hosting EuroVolleyM will help spread the love for the game in Israel.
"This is a very big exposure. There will be an Israeli crowd that will see our team and then want to play themselves. For the future, this gives experience for the players, and we can raise the level of the game in Israel, and maybe even get better if foreign players to come here."
Co-hosting such a big event has put a pressure on Shai and his teammates, but he sees everything from the positive side.
"Obviously, you feel pressure, but it's good pressure. I know that the whole country is behind us, and I want this team to succeed. We want to prove that we are worth it and we are not here just because of being hosts.”