Hapoel Ashdod Wins First-Ever Athena Cup Title
Hapoel Ashdod made history on Saturday by defeating the favored "Eiko" Herzliya 34-30 to win the Athena Cup, their first title in club history. The victory marked a significant achievement for Ashdod, who had previously defeated M.K. Holon in a dramatic match the day before.
Ashdod established an early lead, going up 4-0 and extending it to 7-2 within the first nine minutes, thanks to strong performances from Shira Karet and Juliana Borges. Despite Herzliya's attempts to close the gap, notably by Christina Skripak, Ashdod maintained a lead, ending the first half at 18-14, with Borges scoring crucial goals.
In the second half, Ashdod continued to press their advantage, with Shir Gabze scoring to make it 20-15. Although Herzliya, led by Mai Yulzary who scored 11 goals, tried to mount a comeback and narrowed the score to 29-26 with nine minutes remaining, Ashdod's Katerina Bendovic and Borges secured the win.
Juliana Borges was the top scorer for Hapoel Ashdod with 14 goals, supported by Shira Karet with 8. Goalkeeper Katerina Bendovic made 15 saves. For Herzliya, Mai Yulzary scored 11 goals and Christina Skripak added 7.
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