France: Chaumont, Tours and Saint Nazaire to semifinals! Toulouse and Tourcoing to Game 4

First verdicts in 2023/24 Marmara Spike League Quarterfinals, with 3 teams already qualified, after 3
games, to the next stage of the competition.
The first one are regular season leaders Chaumont, who won on the field of Paris in just three sets, to close their series without major problems – 0-3 (20:25, 23:25, 18:25), despite another good performance from Japanese opposite Kento Miyaura, top scorer of the game with 16 points to his name through 65% in attack and 1 ace.
Patrick Indra and Niko Suhikonen led the carge for the winners with 13 points each (73% in attack for the latter), while setter Joseph Worsley was named MVP of the game.
Surprisingly, another semifinalist is No.7 Saint Nazaire, able to eliminate No.2 and Coupe de France winners Nantes Rezé after a hard-fought 3-2 (21:25, 25:22, 25:20, 23:25, 15:9) in front of their home fans and after winning first two games on the field of the rivals.
After 2 hours and 20 minutes of play, Kyle Ensing left the court with 24 points to his name including 2 of his team’s 14 winning blocks and 49% in attack, while Jordan Ewert also contributed with 19, 52% in attack and 3 blocks.
Nothing to do for Nantes, despite 26 points from top scorer Chizoba Neves Atu.
The other team qualified to semifinals are titleholders Tours, No.4 in regular season, who won at tie break on the field of Montpellier – 2-3 (26:24, 14:25, 25:23, 15:25, 14:16), with 13 winning blocks and 26 points from MVP and top scorer Aboubacar Drame Neto (1 ace, 2 blocks and 66% in attack), while all postponed for No.3 Tourcoing who, after a hard-fought first set in which they recovered from 21-17 to collapsed only 26-24, suffered a clear 3-0 (26:24, 25:20, 25:18) defeat on the field of Toulouse.
Julien Winkelmuller closed the game as top scorer with 19 points to his name through 69% in attack and 1 ace, followed by an almost perfect Florian Krage, who added 15 including 4 winning blocks and an impressive 92% in attack (11/12 withouth errors or blocked), and Maxime Hervoir, with 12.
Only Pablo Koukartsev closed the game in double digit on the losing side with 14 points but with only 37% efficiency, with 2 errors and blocked 3 times.
Game 4 will be already on Monday, in Toulouse again.
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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
• 19.00 (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