Marmara Spikeligue (semi-finals, match 2)
They are close to a hundred kilometers. They have been writing for a bunch of years the history of one of the greatest rivalries of the French volleyball, in a derby of the center still feverish and thrilling. And yet, here is Tours and Poitiers today, in a match, on their own soil, large reunions in the final of the French championship!
So of course, for Tours, such an accomplishment would not really be one. The strength of the habit, when we beat pavilion with nine stars and fourteen championship finals disputed since… 2003! For Poitiers, on the other hand, climbing on the altar and coming to play the title there, would sound like a divine Renaissance for the double champion of France in Poitou, more seen on a last act since 2012 and, precisely, a final lost to Tours.
But we are still far from it all. Far away. If Tours and Poitiers dream of ending their semi-final tonight, Montpellier and Chaumont are animated by a lively spirit of revenge, to offer themselves a support match at home.
In Hérault, Montpellier was dominated in all sectors on the outward journey (0-3) by a Touraine, solid and serene armada from one end of the game and always undefeated in play-offs. The MHSC will therefore have to do more, undoubtedly be more active in the block, more varied on the attack, to shake up the Touraine foundations.
Chaumont also finished a bit of the first leg. After the gain of the first set, Silvano Prandi’s troop took water or rather the lightning of Nik Mujanovic. The CVB 52 will imperatively have to limit, in the closed counters of Lawson-Body, the impact of the Slovenian pointed. It will not be easy, of course. And probably not enough either. But the Haut-Marnais have collective weapons and experience to return to combat. And Mathis Henno, for sure, the desire to show something else, after a discreet match 1 (14 pts at 36% in attack).
SAFORELLE POWER 6 (finale, match 2)
It all will be finished this evening in Saforal Power 6. A last match for a coronation. If Levallois Paris laid the first stone, winning on the field of Neptunes in Nantes (2-3) on Wednesday, this success is only a piece of the road.
But he obviously counts. Perhaps more psychologically than mathematically in this case. The Mariannes had never defeated the Nantes before in three confrontations this season. By winning the fight, for a third consecutive success in the Tie-Break in play-offs, the title holder recalled his great strength of character and his ability to rise in important moments, to play differently, like Bianca Cuigno, less successful in attack, but fundamental to Block at Mangin Beaulieu on Wednesday.
But nothing is done. Not yet. At the end of a season, where the tremors had to be cashed, reboost and adapt, Nantes showed a remarkable state of mind. Never titled in the league, the Loire-Atlantique club in a dream. But this coronation is worth, perhaps more than another for Haylie Bennett and her partners. It is not three sets, but four, including one in gold, that the Neptunes will have to win on Saturday evening at Marcel Cerdan to be crowned.
LBM (semi-finals, match 2)
The situation is quite simple and the feat at the end of the path. Last week, Ajaccio and Fréjus, heads 1 and 2 of these LBM play-offs, forcefully recalled their regular domination. Battus, Martigues and Saint-Jean d’Illac are now at the foot of the wall and in the obligation to defeat to relaunch the dice and pay a last trip, in Corsica for the Provençaux, in the Var for the Girondins.
The mission is delicate, necessarily. Admittedly, Martigues clearly dominated the “gas” to Julien Olive, at the end of the regular season, but that counted a little for “butter”. Nevertheless, in the footsteps of his tandem Maoni Talia – Kévin François, the band to Christophe Charroux has the means to shake up the Ajaccian certainties, as was already the case last week.
For ASI, however, you have to review the copy. On the outward journey, the Gironde attack, where only Central Augustine Guérin exceeded the 10-point mark, was completely padlocked by the Varian defense block. It will be imperative to be fairer and striking offensively to disturb the beautiful scheduling set up by Jérôme Clère and his friends.
