France: Round 18 continues – Sète down Paris at tie break!

After the advance played yesterday, in which Toulouse won on the field of Saint Nazaire in straight sets, Round 18 of 2025/26 MARMARA Spike League continued today with the clash between Sète and Paris, ended at tie break in favor of the home team.
After winning first two sets, the hosts suffered Paris’ comeback but, eventually, managed to close the game with the score of 3-2 (25:20, 25:21, 18:25, 28:30, 15:13) after an exciting fourth set and a fifth one also ending with the minimum gap.
For their second match at Halle Louis-Marty, Sète played a strong first set from start to finish with 7 winning blocks and a the rivals’ attack limited to 31% success.
The second is much more contested, with who Paris raises their level of play and reduces the number of unforced errors, but the home team maintains the advantage with Hugo De Léon and Tristan Schlienger. Despite several serving errors, the locals could counted on greater efficiency in attack (54% in the set) to make the difference in the key moments to take a double lead (25-21).
In the third set, when we thought the match was over, Paris played more aggressive, taking advantage of a drop in Sète’s concentration and several errors in attack. Trailing for the first time in the match, Sète failed to react, suffering the rivals play and the consequent 18-25.
The fourth set was the most exciting of the evening. Paris continue their momentum and quickly gains the upper hand, taking advantage of Sète’s difficulties in capitalize and a more confusing passage in reception. Despite several spectacular comebacks, Paris showed remarkable composure and won the set at the end of the suspense (28-30). At that time, Paris displayed 44% attack success over the entire match, compared to 46% for Sète, proof of an extremely close duel!
In a tense fifth set, Sète regrouped, finding in the block a decisive weapon (15 at the end of the match) with Van der Ent and Schlienger on the front line. After a great balance until mid-set (9-9), the locals made the difference on two successive counterattacks, before Moritz Karlitzek close the match (15-13).
Setter Angel Trinidad earned MVP honors, largely contributing to the collective balance and the victory of his team.
Round 18 will close tomorrow with the remaining five games.

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🏐| MARMARA SPIKE LEAGUE 2025/26 | JOURNÉE 18 | Round 18

Thursday January 29, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | St-Nazaire – Toulouse 0-3 (21:25, 23:25, 16:25)

👉🏼Friday January 30, 2026
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Sète – Paris 3-2 (25:20, 25:21, 18:25, 28:30, 15:13)

Saturday January 31, 2026
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Nice – Poitiers 3-0 (25:18, 25:16, 25:22)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont – Montpellier 2-3 (25:21, 22:25, 25:22, 21:25, 13:25)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Cannes – Plessis-Robinson 3-1 (25:17, 25:21, 18:25, 25:21)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Ajaccio – Tourcoing 0-3 (23:25, 21:25, 16:25)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Narbonne – Tours 1-3 (20:25, 14:25, 26:24, 16:25)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Tours 44
2. Montpellier 40
3. Tourcoing 39
4. Poitiers 30
5. Plessis Robinson 29
6. Sète 26
7. Toulouse 26
8. Nice 26
9. Cannes 21
10. Narbonne 19
11. Paris 19
12. Saint Nazaire 15
13. Chaumont 15
14. Ajaccio 11 (-3 penalty).

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🏐| NEXT GAMES | JOURNÉE 19 | Round 19

Tuesday February 3, 2026
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Poitiers – Cannes
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Plessis-Robinson – Sète
• 20.00 (Local Time) | St-Nazaire – Narbonne
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Montpellier – Nice
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Paris – Ajaccio
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tours – Toulouse
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing – Chaumont

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