France: Round 23 completed – 3 points for Cannes and Toulouse, 2 for Chaumont and Tours!

After the advance played on Thursday, in which Paris stun No.2 Montpellier, and straight sets victories of Sète and Poitiers, Round 23 of 2025/26 MARMARA Spike League has been completed today with the remaining four games, with two direct clashes for playoffs race, Toulouse – Plessis Robinson and Narbonne – Cannes, another to stay in Ligue A with Chaumont who will welcome last-placed Ajaccio, while leaders Tours played on the field of second-to-last Saint Nazaire, winning the game only at tie break after wasting a 0-2 lead, 2-3 (15:25, 21:25, 25:21, 25:23, 16:18).
Setter Zeljko Coric, who played in Tuesday’s Coupe de France match without being fully recovered from his sprained ankle, missed the game together with middle blocker Leandro Nascimento, after injuring his thigh also during Tuesday’s match but, in any case, Nik Mujanovic proved to be decisive again scoring 25 points through 59% in attack, 2 blocks and 1 ace, while Samuel Njok earned MVP honors sending his team at 56% in attack, also contributing with 8 points including 2 aces and 3 blocks.
Saint Nazaire, on the other hand, earned a very important point for the standings, sitting now at +3 from last-placed Ajaccio, who also claimed a point following their defeat, at tie break too, on the field of Chaumont, 3-2 (25:21, 23:25, 24:26, 25:17, 15:11), forced again to fielded Florian Lacassie as middle-blocker.
Jacob Pasteur played an amazing game scoring 26 points through 55% in attack (21/38), 54% positives receptions, 1 ace and 4 of his team’s 20(!!!) winning blocks! Alex Saarema also contributed with 20 points including as many as 10 blocks and an impressive 71% in attack, while Pierre Toledo added 17 points.
Meanwhile Toulouse, despite the absences of Pierre Derouillon, sweep Plessis-Robinson 3-0 (25:19, 25:22, 25:13), inflicting to the rivals their 8th defeat in a row after Montpellier, Nice, Cannes, Sète, Narbonne, Tours and Chaumont (the only one game ended at tie break and in which they earned a point).
Setter Thomas Gill played a great game producing 50% team performance in attack also adding 4 personal points and 1 ace, while MVP Wilson Silva recorded 14 points through 42% in attack, 63% positive receptions, 2 aces and 2 blocks. Tibo Rippert added 13 including 3 aces, while Raphaël Pascal tallied 9 points including 3 blocks and 100% in attack!
Three points also for Cannes who, after losing first set, won on the field of Narbonne by 1-3 (25:22, 22:25, 16:25, 20:25) collecting three vital points for keep alive their playoffs ambitions.
MVP Joao Noleto top-scored the winners with 21 points to his name through 62% in attack, 2 aces and 1 block, while setter Kellian Motta Paes played an amazing game contributing with 8 points
and 1 block!
Ligue A will continue on Thursday with the advance of Round 24 between Nice and Paris in a prequel of Coupe de France final, scheduled on Sunday, March 28 in Paris!

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🏐| MARMARA SPIKE LEAGUE 2025/26 | JOURNÉE 23 | Round 23

Thursday February 26, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Paris – Montpellier 3-1 (23:25, 25:23, 25:17, 25:19)

Friday February 27, 2026
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Sète – Nice 3-0 (28:26, 25:22, 25:21)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing – Poitiers 0-3 (22:25, 18:25, 22:25)

👉🏼Saturday February 28, 2026
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Toulouse – Plessis-Robinson 3-0 (25:19, 25:22, 25:13)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont – Ajaccio 3-2 (25:21, 23:25, 24:26, 25:17, 15:11)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | St-Nazaire – Tours 2-3 (15:25, 21:25, 25:21, 25:23, 16:18)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Narbonne – Cannes 1-3 (25:22, 22:25, 16:25, 20:25)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Tours 57
2. Montpellier 54
3. Tourcoing 49
4. Poitiers 41
5. Sète 38
6. Toulouse 37
7. Nice 32
8. Plessis Robinson 30
9. Narbonne 27
10. Cannes 29
11. Paris 25
12. Chaumont 24
13. Saint Nazaire 20
14. Ajaccio 17

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🏐| NEXT GAMES | JOURNÉE 24 | Round 24

Thursday March 5, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Nice – Paris

Friday March 6, 2026
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Narbonne – Ajaccio

Saturday March 7, 2026
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Plessis-Robinson – St-Nazaire
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Poitiers – Sète
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Cannes – Chaumont
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tours – Tourcoing
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Montpellier – Toulouse

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