Panathinaikos secured their place in the third European final of the club’s women’s volleyball history after overcoming Panionios 3-2 away from home, confirming qualification following their 3-1 first-leg victory.
Needing just two sets to progress, the Greens delivered immediately inside a packed “Andreas Varikas” arena. They took the opening set 25-17, with Micaya White leading the attack and Haylie Bennett contributing crucial points, while a strong block-defense setup kept Panionios under pressure. In the second set, Konstantinidou Lamprini serve run turned the tide early, as Panathinaikos surged from 3-3 to 12-3 with a 9-0 run, sealing the set 25-18 and booking their ticket to the final.
Despite the early setback, Panionios showed resilience. The hosts dominated the third set 25-14 and rallied from 16-14 down in the fourth to win 25-19, forcing a tie-break. However, Panathinaikos responded decisively in the fifth, racing to a 4-0 lead and closing the match 15-8 to complete a 3-2 victory (25-17, 25-18, 14-25, 19-25, 15-8).
White led Panathinaikos with 18 points, followed by Bennett with 12 and Konstantinou with 10. For Panionios, Polina Rahimova scored 19, Zakchaiou added 13, and Atanasijevic finished with 16.
In the other semifinal, Italy’s Vallefoglia advanced by defeating Kaposvári in straight sets. A balanced performance saw Omoruyi top-score with 16 points, while Bici, Ungureanu, and Thokbuom each contributed 12. Kaposvári’s Fedyk (18) and Rabelo (13) stood out in defeat.
The two-legged final will take place in Pesaro on March 11, with the return leg scheduled in Athens the following week, as Panathinaikos chase European glory once more.
