Hapoel Ashdod Wins First-Ever Athena Cup Title
Hapoel Ashdod made history on Saturday, September 29, 2026, by defeating the dominant "Eiko" Herzliya team 34-30 to win the Athena Cup, their first title in club history. The victory marks a significant achievement for Ashdod, who overcame the team that had won multiple titles in the same season.
Hapoel Ashdod established an early lead, going up 4-0 and extending it to 7-2 within the first nine minutes, largely thanks to strong performances from Shira Kert and Juliana Borges. Despite Herzliya's attempts to close the gap, notably by Kristina Skripak, Ashdod maintained a lead, ending the first half at 18-14, with Borges contributing significantly to the scoreline.
In the second half, Ashdod continued to control the game, extending their lead to 20-15 early on. Although Herzliya, led by Mai Yulzary, made a late push to narrow the deficit to 29-26 with nine minutes remaining, Hapoel Ashdod secured their victory with crucial goals from Katerina Bendovics and Borges, ultimately winning 34-30.
Juliana Borges was the top scorer for Hapoel Ashdod with 14 goals, supported by Shira Kert with 8. Goalkeeper Katerina Bendovics made 15 saves. For Herzliya, Mai Yulzary scored 11 goals and Kristina Skripak added 7, while goalkeeper Bruna Camboim recorded 11 saves.
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