France: Round 20 is over! Tourcoing down Tours in big match. 3 games ended at tie break. 3 points for Paris, Nice and Poitiers

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After the advance played
yesterday, in which Toulouse surprisingly defeated leaders Chaumont in just three sets, Round 20 of 2023/24 Marmara Spike League continued today with all the other games, three of them ended at tie break!
Including the big match between Tourcoing and Tours, as well as a direct clash for second place in the standings. Titleholders Tours, after 11 wins in a row in Ligue A (despite the recent elimination in playoffs of Champions League and a double defeat against Germany’s Berlin Recycling Volley), and after a 0-3 lead, suffered the rivals’ comeback and surrendered only at 22-20 of the decisive fifth set, 3-2 (17:25, 21:25, 25:19, 25:18, 22:20).
Not a good day for Aboubacar Drame Neto, who ended the game with 14 points to his name, including 3 winning blocks, with only 29% in attack while, for the winners, top scorer Pablo Koukartsev tallied 23 points through 47% in attack with 4 aces and 1 block, well supported by Ryley Barnes, who added 17, Gonzalo Quiroga and Simon Roehrig, with 14 and 11, respectively.
With this win, Tourcoing confirmed themselves to second place, now at -4 from leaders Chaumont and +3 from Tours.
Behind them Saint Nazaire with 37 points in the standings, -2 from third-placed Tours, who today suffered a defeat, also at tie break, on the field of Sète – 3-2 (25:18, 10:25, 17:25, 25:20, 17:15).
In a game with lot of ups and downs in both sides, to make the difference are the winners’ 15 winning blocks and, above all, the great comeback in decisive fifth set, when Saint Nazaire always had the control of the game, even at 7-12, before collapsing 17-15.
The third game ended at tie break has been played in Plessis Robinson, where the hosts suffered a defeat against now No.5 in the standings Nantes Rezé, 2-3 (23:25, 25:22, 20:25, 25:19, 13:15).
Plessis Robinson, now at 9th place in the standings with the same number of points of No.8 Paris, 30, suffered the rivals’ serves (10 aces) and, despite they were better in blocking (15 to 9), the blows of Chizoba Neves Atu, absolute top scorer of the game with as many as 31 points to his name including 3 aces, 3 blocks and 48% in attack.
He was well supported by Mathis Henno, who added 21 through 56% in attack and 3 aces too, while Samuel Jeanlys was the most prolific player among the hosts (24 points with 5 aces and 48% in attack).
Straight sets win for Paris, who down Montpellier without major problems (25:21, 25:21, 25:20), Nice and Poitiers.
Nice, in front of almost 1000 home fans, won the direct clash to avoid relegation against Narbonne 3-0 (25:10, 25:23, 25:15), struggling only in second set, in which the rivals tried to stage a comeback from 14-12 to 14-16 to reopen the game. However, the hosts made the difference above all in blocking (12 to 1) and in attack (62% to 38%), and were able to celebrate a well-deserved victory, led by MVP Simon Hirsch, top scorer of the game with 20 points to his name with 1 ace, 4 blocks and an impressive 79% in attack! Very good also François Rebeyrol, who started from the bench, replaced Lazar Koprivica, and close the game with 10 points through 70% in attack (7/10) and 3 blocks. No players for Narbonne reached a double digit.
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
With this win, Nice confirmed themselves at 12th place but now with 15 points in the standings, while today’s rivals remain at 13th with 12, ahead last-placed Saint-Jean d’Illac, 9 points, who today suffered a heavy defeat on the field of Poitiers, 3-0 (25:21, 25:19, 25:17).
Metin Toy was the most prolific player for the winners with 15 points to his name, but double digit also for Sergio Noda Blanco and Alexandros Raptis, who added 10 each.
Ligue A will continue between Tuesday and Wednesday with Quarterfinals of Coupe de France: Ligue B team Cambrai will face Nantes, Montpellier will play on the field of Toulouse, and Poitiers will face Tourcoing. On Wednesday, defending champions Tours will face Paris.

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🇫🇷| MARMARA SPIKE LEAGUE 2023/24 | JOURNÉE 20 | Round 20

Friday February 9, 2024
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Toulouse – Chaumont 3-0 (39:37, 25:19, 26:24)

👉🏼Saturday February 10, 2024

• 18.00 (Local Time) | Paris – Montpellier 3-0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:20)

• 19.00 (Local Time) | Plessis Robinson – Nantes Rezé 2-3 (23:25, 25:22, 20:25, 25:19, 13:15)

• 19.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing – Tours 3-2 (17:25, 21:25, 25:19, 25:18, 22:20)

• 19.00 (Local Time) | Nice – Narbonne 3-0 (25:10, 25:23, 25:15)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

• 19.30 (Local Time) | Sète – Saint Nazaire 3-2 (25:18, 10:25, 17:25, 25:20, 17:15)

• 19.30 (Local Time) | Poitiers – Saint-Jean d’Illac 3-0 (25:21, 25:19, 25:17)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Chaumont 46
2. Tourcoing 42
3. Tours 39
4. Saint Nazaire 37
5. Nantes Rezé 36
6. Montpellier 35
7. Toulouse 33
8. Paris 30
9. Plessis Robinson 30
10. Poitiers 27
11. Sète 26
12. Nice 15
13. Narbonne 12
14. Saint-Jean d’Illac 9

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🇫🇷| NEXT GAMES| JOURNÉE 21 | Round 21

Friday February 16, 2024
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Montpellier – Tourcoing

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