The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE country’s top volleyball players went head-to-head in the professional ranks as their teams squared off in international competition.

Byron Ferguson and Shonari Hepburn are both on the rosters of Greek clubs this season and their respective teams faced off in the opening round of the Greek Volleyball League Cup.

Ferguson’s Iraklis Thessaloniki took the win in straight sets (25-23, 25-18, 25-21), over Hepburn’s AOP Kifissias.

Iraklis improved to 1-1 while Kifissias remained winless. Of the 12-club field, both aforementioned teams are in Group B with Olympiakos, the perennial champions who have won the cup four out of five years and three consecutively. AEK broke the streak in 2013. Neither Bahamian player fared better against Olympiakos.

Kifissias went on to face Olympiakos but again lost in three sets 25-20, 25-20, 28-26. The defending champions also squared off against Iraklis earlier in the round and won in three sets - 25-21, 25-19, 25-20.

The Greek Volleyball League Cup is one of three local tournaments and began in the 2011–12 season and is now named in honour of the late iconic Greek volleyball player Nikos Samaras.

Iraklis is regarded as one of the best teams in Greece and Europe as they have won the Greek League five times (2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012) and reached the final of the CEV Champions League three times (2005, 2006, 2009).

Kifissias ranked 6th in the 2007-08 season, while in 2013-2014 it ended up in the third place of the league, the best result in its history.

They also took second place in the Balkan Championships and were a Greek Cup finalist in 2014 and 2016.

It is the second season for both players in the A1 Greek Volleyball League.

Ferguson played the 2015-16 season with Foinikas Syrou and helped the team reach the league finals where they lost the best-of-seven series to Poak 4-1.

Hepburn followed one season later and joined Kyzikos for his first professional season. The club finished in ninth place out of a field of 12 teams with a 10-20 win-loss record as they participated in the top league in Greece for the first time.