Greece got off to a brilliant start in the European Volleyball Championships taking place in Turkey.

The Greeks defeated reigning European Champions Spain in straight sets, and followed it up with a tough five set win over Slovakia.

The two wins put Greece in an unassailable position atop the Pool C standings despite the outcome of the final Pool match against Slovenia.

Dimitris Kazazis, in his first match as the head coach of the national team, demonstrated sound tactics ahead and throughout the match, as the rampant Greeks outclassed the fancied Spaniards, inflicting a straight-set loss within less than an hour and a half.

A 7-0 run gave Greece the momentum, allowing them to take the first set 25-23. The third set saw Greece capitalising on Spain’s mistakes, as Greece took it 25-20. By the third set, the match was all but over Greece running out 25-21 winners.

 “Sometimes even when you’re thinking being ready, it’s not enough. You have to feel it,” said Spanish head coach legend Julio Velasco after the loss against Greece, ranked 29th in the world.

“It was too easy yesterday against Slovenia; my boys were not good enough today.” “A well prepared mix of self confidence and tactics made us win”, said Greek head coach Kazazis.

“With today’s performance, we raised our chance to qualify for the Playoff Round”, added captain and best scorer of the game (17 points), Nikolaos Roumeliotis.
Greece’s second match was a far cry from the performance against Spain.

Slovakia were too good in the opening set, taking it out 25-19. Ilias Lappas and Dimitris Djuric were able to halt the Slovakian dominance in the second period, which Greece won 30-28.

Now on a roll and sensing a place in the following round and the previously unthinkable top-spot of the Pool, Greece took the third set 25-23.

Despite dropping the fourth set 25-21, Greece took a deserved victory, winning the fifth and final set 15-12.

The win made it two from two for Greece. With the top spot sealed, Monday morning’s match against Slovenia is ultimately a dead rubber as Greece looks ahead to the following round of the Championships.