France: Quarterfinals start today - Saint Nazaire stun Nantes. Chaumont, Tourcoing and Tours ok

Quarterfinals of 2023/24 Marmara Spike League started today with Game 1 of best-of-five series.
Immediately a success for regular season leaders Chaumont who, after a hard-fought first set and losing the second one, collected a 3-1 (29:27, 21:25, 25:20, 25:20) home win against No.8 Paris.
MVP and man of the match Victor Cardoso, who left the court, after almost 2 hours of play, with 24 points to his name through 65% in attack and 2 aces, while Japanese Kento Miyaura scored 20 points for the team from country’s capital through 63%, 2 winning blocks and 1 ace.
Predictions respected also in the clash between No.3 Tourcoing and No.6 Toulouse, with the hosts able to close the game with tue same result, 3-1 (26:24, 25:22, 20:25, 25:16), led in score by MVP and top scorer Pablo Koukartsev, author of 25 points through 48% attack, 2 blocks and 1 ace. To make the difference also a good performance in blocking, with 11 points from this element for the winners, 6 only by italian middleblocker Giovanni Maria Gargiulo (14 points for him also with an ace and 54% in attack).
Victory also for defending champions Tours, who closed regular season only at 4th place, against No.5 Montpellier, 3-2 (27:29, 25:20, 25:21, 20:25, 15:10).
Aboubacar Drame Neto (23 punti, 56% attacco) e Märt Tammearu (25 punti, 66% attacco).
After 2 hours and 20 minutes of play, the winners were slightly better in attack and were better in decisive fifth sets, which they controlled from start to finish, led by Aboubacar Drame Neto, top scorer of the game with 25 points to his name, all in attack, through 66%, and MVP Märt Tammearu, who also contributed with 23, 56% in attack, 2 aces and 1 block.
Dimitar Dimitrov was the most prolific player on the losing side with 25 points including 4 winning blocks, 1 ace and 48% in attack.
The news of the day come from Nantes, where Coupe de France’s finalist and second in final standings Nantes, who will face the same Montpellier on Sunday in Paris, suffered an unexpected defeat against No.7 Saint-Nazaire, despite 11 winning blocks (6 for the rivals) and Tomas Lopez and Eduardo Chizoba, who scored 17 and 15 points, respectively.

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🏐| 2023/24 MARMARA SPIKE LEAGUE | Quarterfinals

GAME 1

👉🏼Tuesday March 26, 2024

• 20.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont (1) – Paris (8) 3-1 (29:27, 21:25, 25:20, 25:20) Series: 1-0

• 20.00 (Local Time) | Nantes Rezé (2) – Saint Nazaire (7) 1-3 (21:25, 22:25, 25:21, 27:29) Series: 0-1

• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing (3) – Toulouse (6) 3-1 (26:24, 25:22, 20:25, 25:16) Series: 1-0

• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tours (4) – Montpellier (5) 3-2 (27:29, 25:20, 25:21, 20:25, 15:10) Series: 1-0

GAME 2

Wednesday April 3, 2024
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing – Toulouse 3-1 (25:22, 25:22, 20:25, 25:22) Series: 2-0
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont – Paris 3-1 (25:21, 25:20, 18:25, 29:27) Series: 2-0
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Nantes Rezé – Saint Nazaire 0-3 (22:25, 21:25, 23:25) Series: 0-2
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tours – Montpellier 3-1 (25:22, 25:21, 23:25, 25:23) Series: 2-0

GAME 3

Saturday April 6, 2024
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Paris – Chaumont 0-3 (20:25, 23:25, 18:25) Series: 0-3
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Toulouse – Tourcoing 3-0 (26:24, 25:20, 25:18) Series: 1-2
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Saint Nazaire – Nantes Rezé 3-2 (21:25, 25:22, 25:20, 23:25, 15:9) Series: 3-0
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Montpellier – Tours 2-3 (26:24, 14:25, 25:23, 15:25, 14:16) Series: 0-3