Saturday November 30, in Béziers, CVB 52 Haute-Marne took second place in the standings, defeating Sète in four rounds. Three valuable points but which were difficult to collect. No matter: the account is good.
It is in difficulty that the Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne will have taken up its mission near Béziers, where Sète, deprived of a room this season, welcomed its guests this Saturday, November 30. A three-point victory which now places the Cévebistes in second place in the ranking, behind a leader from Tourquenn who has been marching in the Marmara Spikeligue since the start of the season.
Without Shane Holdaway (back pain), but with the return of Lukas Maase, it is through the center that the Chaumontais find the first solutions at kick-off. With Josef Polak very prominent on the block and on the serve, the visitors made the first gap of the evening (1-5). An advantage that the CVB 52 does not hold for long, however, martyred in reception by the services of the young Tristan Schlienger who, single-handedly, puts his people back in the direction of march (10-9). Cévebistes who, suddenly, no longer control anything: the Sète counter rules the net and the Haut-Marne attack line remains chronically ineffective (15-10, then 18-12). The illusion in this first set only lasted five minutes at the start… And five minutes at the end of the set, for a barely believable “comeback” on the floating serves of Josef Polak, then Nathan Lietzke. The CVB 52 offers a comeback from the Vauvert Devil (23-16)… to win: 24-26 in 30′.
It is once again by taking a lead on the scoreboard that the Cévebistes start the second act (0-3). Coach Silvano Prandi has also decided to repeat the “seven” which victoriously finished the previous set. A new composition (with Nathan Lietzke, Josef Polak, Cheikh Diop and Niko Suihkonen) but which stands up to its own identity: its qualities and its shortcomings. A formula which, however, knows its limits in the duration of this round (8-11, then 20-16). This time, despite a new small “touch-up” with the entry of Mathis Henno, the CVB 52 cannot achieve a new “miracle”: 25-20 in 26′.
Difficult set ends
Habits die hard and with the return of their “diagonal passer/pointer” (Worsley/Toledo) accompanied by Mathis Henno, the Cévebistes finally increase their offensive efficiency and take the lead again in the score (3-5, then 9 -16). And if Joseph Worsley and his teammates seem to manage this advantage better than in the previous round, they must nevertheless be wary of the emotional pressure in the “money time”. Josef Polak, discreet since his good first set, took the opportunity to remember the good memories of his hosts in service (14-18 then 14-23). The set is in the visitors' pocket: 19-25 in 28′.
And the Czech continues his festival from the start of the fourth act, in the “block” this time: two consecutive counterattacks which put his team in a good position (6-6, then 6-8). By winning a fabulous “rally”, the CVB 52 even widens the gap a little further (7-11). But facing the Sétois with their backs to the wall, the Haut-Marnais have no right to relax their concentration (11-11). Niko Suihkonen takes it upon himself to remind his teammates of this by successfully donning the role of leader of his team since the beginning of the evening. Under his leadership in particular, the Cévebistes offered themselves a new acceleration (14-20), necessary to put an end to the hopes of the Héraultais who were never defeated, and who never gave up: 24-26 in 32′.
The Chaumontais can breathe easy: they will have put in a tough match, despite the quality of play not always being very high. The main thing is there! Make way for the Champions League in Sofia, from Wednesday.
Laurent Génin
THE TECHNICAL SHEET
In Béziers (Palais des sports Méditerranée). Around 500 spectators. Referees: MM. Kara and Miller.
ARAGO SETE VB: 46 winning attacks (Elser 13); 16 winning blocks (Gauna 6); 3 winning services (Schlienger, Gyimah and Elser 1), 28 unforced errors (Schlienger 6).
Starting six: Gauna (13), Gelinski (2), De Leon (cap., 6), Schlienger (5), Gyimah (12), Elser (17). Libéros : Lopez and Martino-Gauchi. Entries: Cardin (6), Rippert (4). Enter. : L. Marquet.
CHAUMONT VB 52 HM : 52 winning attacks (Suihkonen 21); 12 winning blocks (Maase 4); 5 winning services (Polak 3); 27 unforced errors (Toledo 6).
Six away: Worsley (cap., 1), Suihkonen (21), Toledo (8), Polak (7), Maase (12), Pasteur (6). Free : Closter. Innings in play: Lietzke (2), Diop (5), Henno (7). Enter. : S. Prandi.
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