After more than a decade of dominance by Olympiacos, Greek women’s water polo has a new champion.
In a dramatic and fiercely contested final at the Laimos swimming pool, Vouliagmeni defeated Olympiacos 12-11 to claim their first A1 title since 2013, ending the Piraeus club’s remarkable streak of 11 consecutive championships.
The fifth and decisive match of the playoff series was a modern classic — filled with emotion, grit, and some of the finest moments of the season. Vouliagmeni, playing in front of a passionate home crowd, rose to the occasion with a performance marked by resilience and clutch scoring.
A Rollercoaster Final
The game was tightly contested from the start, with the first quarter ending 2-2. Olympiacos edged ahead before halftime (5-4), led by goals from Irini Ninou and Vasiliki Plevritou. But Vouliagmeni clawed their way back in the third period, powered by an incredible scoring run from Maria Giannopoulou, who netted five consecutive goals to give the hosts a crucial edge.
With less than four minutes remaining, Olympiacos equalized at 10-10 through Eleftheria Fountotou, but Vouliagmeni surged ahead once more, with Xenaki scoring the decisive goal at 1:15 on the clock, slipping the ball under Raycrow’s arm to make it 12-11.
A final Olympiacos attack was foiled by a heroic intervention from goalkeeper Kotsioni, who denied Myriokefalitaki in a tense 4-on-4 situation with seconds left on the clock. As the buzzer sounded, the Vouliagmeni bench erupted in celebration.
Back on Top
This victory not only marks Vouliagmeni’s 12th national title but also ends a 12-year wait to lift the Greek championship trophy again. Head coach Kostas Liosis guided his side through an intense five-match series, culminating in one of the most dramatic finals in recent memory.
Olympiacos — who had won every title since 2013 — fall just short of what would have been their 16th championship overall.
After years of coming up short, Vouliagmeni are champions once again.
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