France: Montpellier open Round 20 with a win in derby vs. Sète and back (temporarily) to the top!

After a straight sets home success on Tuesday over Nice, Montpellier back to the court again in advance of Round 20 of 2025/26 MARMARA Spike League on the field of Sète, ended the highly anticipated Hérault derby with the score of 0-3 (22:25, 19:25, 27:29) in favor of the visiting side, allowing them to regain first place in the standings, at least temporarily, with the same number of points of Tours, who tomorrow will play on the field of Nice.
Already victorious in the first leg (3-1), Montpellier confirmed their strength thus becoming the first team to win in the new Halle Louis Marty, in front of 1,304 volleyball fans.
Despite not the best day of Ezequiel Palacios, who left the court with only 5 points through 44% in attack and 1 block, Montpellier were led in score again by Tomas Lopez, top scorer of the match with 17 points to his name through 54% in attack and 2 blocks, as well as MVP honors, and Simon Hirsch, who also contributed with 13 through 55% in attack and 1 ace.
Tristan Schlienger tallied 12 for the hosts, who failed the attempt to re-open the game in a thrilling final of third set.
Round 20 will continue tomorrow with other two games: Narbonne will welcome Plessis-Robinson, while Nice will face now No.2 Tours.

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🏐| MARMARA SPIKE LEAGUE 2025/26 | JOURNÉE 20 | Round 20

👉🏼Thursday February 5, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Sète – Montpellier 0-3 (22:25, 19:25, 27:29)

Friday February 6, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Narbonne – Plessis-Robinson 3-1 (25:18, 19:25, 25:19, 25:22)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Nice – Tours 0-3 (17:25, 20:25, 35:37)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

Saturday February 7, 2026
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Toulouse – Chaumont 3-1 (22:25, 25:18, 25:20, 25:21)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Poitiers – Paris 3-0 (25:19, 25:18, 25:19)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Ajaccio – St-Nazaire 3-2 (25:22, 19:25, 25:20, 24:26, 19:17)

Sunday February 8, 2026
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Cannes – Tourcoing 3-2 (24:26, 19:25, 25:21, 25:23, 15:12)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Montpellier 48
2. Tours 48
3. Tourcoing 42
4. Poitiers 33
5. Plessis Robinson 29
6. Sète 29
7. Nice 29
8. Toulouse 28
9. Cannes 24
10. Narbonne 19
11. Paris 19
12. Chaumont 19
13. Saint Nazaire 18
14. Ajaccio 14 (-3 penalty).

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🏐| NEXT GAMES | JOURNÉE 21 | Round 21

Thursday February 12, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Paris – Cannes

Friday February 13, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing – Nice

Saturday February 14, 2026
• 18.30 (Local Time) | Montpellier – Poitiers
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont – Narbonne
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Ajaccio – Toulouse
• 20.00 (Local Time) | St-Nazaire – Sète
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tours – Plessis-Robinson

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