Tours : 3
Mladost Zagreb: 0
The year 2024 closed this Wednesday, December 18, in Grenon. And in what way! If this meeting sometimes touched on Volleyball hurrah, if the Tourangeaux lost the thread a bit at the start of the third set, they offered their audience – 3,100 spectators officially recorded – a beautiful evening, a very beautiful evening even!
A twirling, scintillating, sparkling Tours VB
From you to us, this round of 16 second leg was a bit of a negative from the first leg, in Zagreb. But such a positive negative! With already an enthusiastic audience, which has the art of changing your evening, obviously. With, above all, a twirling, scintillating, sparkling Tours VB. Come on, let’s say it, brilliant!
So, of course, the youth of Mladost Zagreb probably did not have enough resources to oppose the Touraines to break this great momentum… They ” try “, as their coach, Radovan Gacic, will say. They lasted half a set before being carried away by Grenon, Pothron on serve and the entire TVB.
A collective sure of its doing, of its volleyball
Nevertheless, with a devilishly inspired Zeljko Coric and a whole collective sure of its doing, sure of its volleyball, the Tourangeaux enjoyed themselves and delighted everyone as this round of 16, at times, took on the air of a football match. gala.
Except that this meeting was not without challenges, far from it. With these two sets that remained to be validated, after the 1-3 success of the first leg. And so this imperative to start strong to immediately put Zagreb on the grill, to avoid any danger.
And this is what the people of Tourange knew how to do perfectly. With a first round started in a crescendo mode. While Pothron immediately let go of the horses, both in attack and service (3-2), while Voss and Aracaju were already imposing themselves in the center, while Egleskalns was taking care of what would be his last attacks at Grenon, the Jovovic pair -Chandrinos tried to answer them. And this until 13-12, and even 18-15.
Antoine Pothron serving, for the best
It was then that Antoine Pothron returned behind the service line, for the better. The No. 6 of the TVB chained six face-offs, varied his effects, signed a second and a third aces and was not far from hitting a fourth. The score increased to 23-16. And obviously, the Tourangeaux quickly concluded with a counter from Sclater, who had scored a few points earlier.
Completed 25-17, this first act lasted 22 minutes. The second was going to be a bit longer, but without much more suspense. Ryan Sclater was having a great time between his whipping, stinging and full-on attacks. If Zagreb held on until 9-9, they were well and truly on the edge. And Pothron’s new stint on duty sounded the death knell for the Croats’ already dashed hopes (17-12). Marcelo Fronckowiak could then launch Roland Gergye, he who was out in Zagreb, precisely, due to injury. The Hungarian took a few points to find his feet before finishing strong, very strong in fact!
Two and a half sets played and eleven points scored (including a serve and a block): Ryan Sclater confirms his rise in power since his return from injury.
© (Photo cor. NR, Jonathan Michel)
But before that, TVB had secured what it wanted by winning this second round 25-20.
Gergye finishes strong, very strong
So, obviously, behind, there was a slight relaxation of the Tourangeaux. During a few exchanges, this match touched on the approximation, not without some nice points, original or snatched sometimes. Even there, the fun was there!
The score a little less for the TVB, which found itself trailing 5-10. A real false alarm, since very quickly, he moved forward again. The diagonal given first by a fault but full line from Gergye gave the Hungarian a smile, revived the whole team and woke up Grenon (9-12). The comeback was underway: 15-16, 17-17, 20-18. The end belonged to the returnees, with Sclater first and especially Gergye. At 23-19, he panicked Grenon’s radar with a serve at 127 km/h! Zagreb saved him, but he bothered with a pipe to give Tours the match point. And it was the second that was the right one (25-20), and the work of… Roland Gergye!
There is now one last match to definitively close 2024. And not just any match. A Poitiers-Tours more anticipated than ever, on December 27, at the Arena Futuroscope.
The statistics of the meeting.
© (Infographic NR)
