Marmara SpikeLeague (2nd day)
The beautiful story continues for Poitiers. Olympic champion Earvin Ngapeth has set himself the mission of putting Poitiers back on the map of Europe next season. Helped by his comrades from the Alterna SPVB, the French volleyball star (13 pts) is working on it successfully at the start of the season. In Palestra, Poitiers nevertheless had tough, referenced things to tame. He achieved this with great authority (0-3), a sharp serve (7 aces), fierce defense and a valuable Dusan Nikolic everywhere (14 pts including 2 aces and 4 blocks).
Poitiers therefore takes the lead position. On the other hand, like Chaumont, Tours remains in search of a first success. In Occitania, the TVB fell to Toulouse (3-2) under the assaults of Julien Winkelmuller (24 pts) and the clutches of a young local center, Lohan Nack Minyem, author of 8 blocks (12 pts)!
Three other teams remain undefeated after two days of MSL. This is Tourcoing, which went to pick up Sète in Béziers on Sunday (1-3), with 13 cumulative blocks and 22 points for Pablo Koukartsev. Montpellier also continues on the right path, with a hard-fought success against Nice on Friday evening (3-2). Tomas Lopez Pascual launched into orbit (4 blocks), Dimitar Dimitrov punished (28 pts at 57% attack) and Nicolas Le Goff protected the fort (6 blocks). The last unsinkable to date is the astonishing Cannes promotion. After scalping the title holder in the opening, AS Cannes mastered Narbonne on home soil (1-3), in the footsteps of its Italian center, Omar Biglino, almost perfect (14 pts at 10 out of 10 in attack). Finally, the champion, the SNVBA, made a successful debut at home, defeating Le Plessis Robinson (3-0) in 1 hour 30 minutes, behind a quality service (8 aces) which seriously upset the Ile-de-France reception (33 % positive reception).
Saforelle Power 6 (2nd day)
The women of the North have seized the standard at the start of the Saforelle Power 6 season! Opposed to Béziers, the VCMB did things rather well (3-1), in the wake of its fine blade, Alexandra Dascalu (18 pts), also carried by the agile arms of its Ukrainian central, Ulyana Kotar (15 pts including 3 aces and 6 blocks).
Marcq-en-Barœul therefore takes sole control of the SP 6, followed by a tandem of big names, in this case that of the great works of last season, Nantes and Levallois Paris. On a trip to Auvergne, the Neptunes of Halimatou Bah (18 pts including 4 blocks) were respected (0-3). Ditto for the Marianas on the federal lands of France Avenir 2024 (0-3).
Behind the trio, RC Cannes and Terville Florange lead the chase. However, the Cannes women were stopped in the deciding set by the formidable neighbor Cannettan after more than 2 hours 10 minutes of fighting (2-3). With 18 cumulative blocks, Voléro Le Cannet showed height and character to achieve a first success this season. As for the TFOC, which had already come close in Nantes at the opening, this time it took the VMA (3-1), behind an XXL performance from its NCAA recruit, out of Colorado University, the receiver-attacker “Lexi” Hadrych (26 pts at 53% in attack including 3 counters)!
In Brittany, Quimper and Nina Nesimovic (12 pts including 5 blocks) offered themselves a valuable success against the Gironde “Burdis”, who gave in despite winning the first round (3-1). Finally, the Pays d’Aix Venelles brought the Lorraines of Vandoeuvre Nancy to heel (3-0) thanks in particular to the powerful efficiency of its sharp German, Lena Kindermann (22 pts at 70% in attack).
