By JERUSALEM POST STAFFvolleyball maccabi tel aviv 248 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a 3-0 defeat to Ziraat Bankasi Ankara of Turkey in the first leg of the second round of the European Challenge Cup at Hadar Yosef on Tuesday.
The Israeli champion was no match for the rich Turkish club with a budget of nearly six million euros. Maccabi, which has a perfect record in the Israeli league, never really came close to winning any of the sets, losing 25-17, 25-14 and 25-20.
"It is a shame the match ended this way," Maccabi coach Zoher Bar Netzer said. "I thought we could give them a fight, but they are a much better team."
