France: Round 17 continues – Montpellier to 2nd place! 3 points also for Nice, Paris and Poitiers. 2 for Tourcoing

After the advance played on Thursday, in which Toulouse sweep Narbonne 3-0, Round 17 of 2025/26 MARMARA Spike League continued today with other 5 games.
The day started with a hard-fought 3-1 (25:23, 23:25, 30:28, 25:22) of Paris over a combative Chaumont, after almost two hours of game.
The team from country’s capital was better in key moments of the match, above all in decisive third set in which Chaumont, who remained second-to-last in the standings, took the lead from start to finish until 19-21, but eventually collapsed 30-28 under the blows of Vasily Molotkov, who left the court with 22 points to his name, Tom Koops and Vuk Kulpinac, also in double digit with 18 and 14, respectively, while setter Axel Jacobsen earned MVP honors. Jacob Pasteur also scored 22 points on the other side of the net.
Three very important points for playoffs race also for Nice, who stun former No.4 in the standings Plessis Robinson with an amazing 0-3 (24:26, 22:25, 23:25) win on the road. After a powerful start, in which they earned a 17-21 lead, the visiting side suffered the hosts comeback but eventually managed to take first set overtime. Despite a reversed second set in which Nice made a comeback in final points, Plessis Robinson replied with a strong third set, playing with great determination until a 21-18. However, it was Nice again to take the full control in key moments also in decisive set to celebrate a well-deserved straight sets win and the consequent sixth place in the standings, led once again by Dawid Dulski, top scorer of the match with 17 points to his name through 52% in attack and 1 ace, and MVP Shay Liberman, who added 11 including 2 winning blocks. Decisive also newcomer Titouan Hallé, who made his debut to the court during second set and tallied 8 points through 86% in attack and 2 blocks too. Raphaël Pascal and Joevin Wa Bala scored 12 points each for Plessis Robinson, who also suffered the absence of starting libero Julian Debès, replaced by Joa Logeais.
Straight sets win also for Poitiers, who trampled over St-Nazaire with a clean 3-0 (25:17, 25:21, 25:16) without major problems and after just 73 minutes of play. With a strong team performance in attack (69% efficiency), the winners were led in score by Kévin Kobrine, top scorer of the game with 16 points including 2 aces, 2 blocks and 71% in attack, Tom Picard, who also contributed with 14, Simon Magnin who added 12 including 4 winning blocks, 1 ace and 78% in attack, and Thomas Pujol, also in double digit with 10.
11th home win in a row for Montpellier, who needed four sets to prevail over newcomers Ajaccio, 3-1 (25:17, 20:25, 25:17, 25:23), celebrating also the return of opposite Simon Hirsch, top scorer of the game with 23 points through 51% in attack, 1 block and 3 aces.
With this result the winners, now with 40 points in the standings (at -1 from leaders Tours who played one less game) stole second place to Tourcoing, now at -1, also taking advantage from their 3-2 (25:21, 25:15, 17:25, 19:25, 15:11) win over Sète, almost wasting a 2-0 lead!
Ignacios Luengas left the court with 24 points (all in attack, through 62%) for the winners who, after suffered Sète’s comeback, regrouped to win the decisive tie break 15-11.
Round 17 will close tomorrow with the clash between leaders Tours and Cannes.

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🏐| MARMARA SPIKE LEAGUE 2025/26 | JOURNÉE 17 | Round 17

Thursday January 22, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Toulouse – Narbonne 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:20)

👉🏼Saturday January 24, 2026
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Paris – Chaumont 3-1 (25:23, 23:25, 30:28, 25:22)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Plessis-Robinson – Nice 0-3 (24:26, 22:25, 23:25)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Poitiers – St-Nazaire 3-0 (25:17, 25:21, 25:16)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Montpellier – Ajaccio 3-1 (25:17, 20:25, 25:17, 25:23)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing – Sète 3-2 (25:21, 25:15, 17:25, 19:25, 15:11)

Sunday January 25, 2026
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Tours – Cannes 3-1 (24:26, 26:24, 31:29, 25:22)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Tours 41
2. Montpellier 40
3. Tourcoing 39
4. Poitiers 30
5. Plessis Robinson 29
6. Nice 26
7. Sète 24
8. Toulouse 23
9. Cannes 21
10. Narbonne 19
11. Paris 18
12. Saint Nazaire 15
13. Chaumont 15
14. Ajaccio 14.

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🏐| NEXT GAMES | JOURNÉE 18 | Round 18

Thursday January 29, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | St-Nazaire – Toulouse

Friday January 30, 2026
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Sète – Paris

Saturday January 31, 2026
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Nice – Poitiers
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont – Montpellier
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Cannes – Plessis-Robinson
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Ajaccio – Tourcoing
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Narbonne – Tours

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