From our special correspondent in Roubaix
Tourcoing : 3
Tours : 1
The Tours VB won dearly this Saturday, November 16, on the ground of the leader of MSL. Firstly through the fault of the Tourquennois, then especially through his own at the very end of the match. Infuriating, to say the least.
A start to the match with a taste of déjà vu
The Tours VB will have raced behind from the start and throughout the first round. On the services of Martinez Franchi, but above all for lack of being able to put the ball on the ground, he took a first and too rapid burst (4-1). The omnipresence of the TLM in the block, and in particular of Roehrig, brought the deficit of the Tourangeaux to 6 units just as quickly, and dangerously this time (11-5, 14-8).
Faced with general offensive impotence, and in particular Egleskalns, Marcelo Fronckowiak threw Sclater into the arena at 17-11. The Canadian brought his strike force, and Tours came back to 19-17, but not beyond despite Sclater's first two points of the season. Tizi Oualou's final block on Pothron hurt, well beyond the simple score (25-18).
More a TVB in crescendo mode
The second set turned out to be tighter in the scenario, the TVB even leading until 9-12. But with a 7-2, the TLM made a decisive shift (16-14). Especially since the Tourangeaux still produced waste, especially in the service with 9 points given in this round, including 5 after the said tilt… Fatal obviously, with a set given up this time 22-25.
The key entrances to Voss and Strehlau
With his team back against the wall, Marcelo Fronckowiak changed options, with Voss and Strehlau in place of Marshman and Gergye to attack the third set. These choices paid off since the TVB was going to find a little activity in the block and as Pothron and Egleskalns continued to gain strength, literally and figuratively, on the offensive level, the balance of power was finally balanced! And when, after a mano a mano, Tours made the first break through Voss, with an attack in the center (13-15), he took it to the end (22-25). Like what !
An end to the match that leaves you speechless
And it was the same thing at the start of the fourth set where everything went perfectly well for a long time. But, despite 4 points in advance (6-10, 11-15), TVB was going to take the tide. Either, Hutcheson's entry into the service proved decisive with 3 aces on three different receivers. But still! The TVB made a mistake, clearly at the end of the match. Like a Ramon with absent subscribers on the last points.
The sanction was deserved, but the proportion with a 12-2 in the sights had something, immediately, unjustifiable.
