Narbonne lost 3 sets to 1 at home against reigning French champion Saint-Nazaire.
The start of the meeting was not going to appease the followers of the Centurions Narbonne. As they came out of an away demonstration in Nice last Tuesday (3-0 success), the Audois stammered their Volleyball at the start of the game against Saint-Nazaire, the reigning French champion, where the Coach Rafael Redwitz's men lost 3-2 in the first leg.
The Dutch international center Twan Wiltenburg was very efficient on the block in the first set, but that would not be enough. We also said in this inaugural act, with Zanotti, injured for more than two weeks in his ranks, that the Narbonnais had more strength, character, precision, both in reception and in attack. Zanotti better have him on his side. So many assets which would not prevent Narbonne from losing in the first round: 20-25.
The second round didn't start much better for Narbonne. The Nazairian receiver-attacker Ewert pounded the Audois and scored the points. The Narbonnais proved powerless when it would have been a question of blocking the attack of Saint-Nazaire, a team which is competing in the Champions League this season.
A Redwitz who tried everything
The Armorican central Mendes-Spencer appeared very comfortable in the block and if he did not yet disgust his opponents in the evening, he made them turn like crazy as close as possible to the net. Neither the sharp Aude, Schouten, nor the talented hope Liam Patte (receipt-attack) were going to be able to intervene. Saint-Nazaire reigned supreme on the Arena floor: 21-25, 2-0 for the club from the West of France.
Narbonne did not respond, no longer responded… It should be noted that during this meeting, the local technician Rafael Redwitz tried everything, rotated his squad enormously in great widths, brought in the sharp Nikula, the passer Njok, the central Ibrahim Touré, the receiving attack Migge among others… Well he will have taken it, since his flock would overturn the third round: 28-26 and the Centurions came back to 2-1.
The lull for the tenants of the Arena would be too short-lived and the Audois would prove to be far too borrowed to hope to win: 19-25 in the fourth set and victory for the Nazairiens 3 sets to 1.
On December 29, Narbonne will travel to Montpellier and Saint-Nazaire will host Toulouse (5 p.m.).
France
Volleyball
