Mixed fortunes this weekend for the Nice clubs. The Eagles and the ONN water polo team triumphed. The OGC Nice Handball team secured a valuable draw at Issy-Paris. Meanwhile, the Cavigal finished third in a fairly competitive tournament. Conversely, the Stade Niçois had a poor start, losing to Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël.
Hockey: The Eagles’ Perfect Run!
The Eagles continue their excellent start to the championship with a 5-3 victory on the rink of Val Vanoise, a newly promoted team in Division 1 this season. However, the task was not as simple. Stan Sutor’s men were challenged up until the final ten minutes (2-2 at the end of the first third, 3-3 at the end of the second). The red and black secured the win in the 51st minute thanks to Misura and added a fifth goal in the 58th minute, courtesy of Hamrak. Noteworthy are Hampl’s excellent statistics, who provided three assists.
Scorers: Visnak, Spelda, Lacheny, Misura, and Hamrak
Statistics: Hampl 3 assists, Hamrak-Visnak-Misura 1 goal and 2 assists each.
Handball: OGC Nice Close to Pulling Off a Feat at Issy-Paris (24-24)
Three goals (Lacrabère and Palsdottir x2) in the last five minutes allowed Sébastien Gardillou’s team to hold onto a draw on the field of Issy-Paris. Earlier, the Niçoises struggled against the Parisians, who are regulars in the Top 4. At halftime, Issy-Paris led 14-10 and then 18-15 in the 45th minute. Once again, captain Alexandra Lacrabère set an example with 5 goals, well supported by young Aissatou Kouyaté, a homegrown talent, who also scored 5 goals. Notably, these were the first two goals for the newly signed Icelandic player Palsdottir, recruited this summer. In the standings, the Niçoises are 7th with 3 points and one extra match.
Statistics: Lacrabère and Kouyaté 5 goals; Hornyak and Abdelmalek 3 goals; Daquin, Knutsdottir, and Palsdottir 2 goals; Martel and Daquin 1 goal.
Rugby: Stade Niçois Misses its Debut
The Stade Niçois conceded a 29-27 defeat in the final minutes against their neighbors Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël. Gilbert Doucet’s men might feel regret as they led 27-15 with less than 10 minutes remaining. A failed start for this 2015-2016 season. They will need to bounce back next week against Bédarrides, a very tough opponent.
Water Polo: ONN Sneaks Through
After being beaten last week in Aix (12-11), the Nice water polo players won 9-7 against Noisy-le-Sec. Samuel Nardon’s team led 4-1 at the end of the first third before seeing their opponent come back (5-3, then 6-4, and 7-7). It was thanks to a nail-biting end of the match that the Niçois managed to overcome the tenacious Noisy team. ONN is 5th in the first division standings.
Basketball: Cavigal 3rd in a Tournament in Ain
Having won the French Women’s League 2 in June, the Cavigal Nice team is receiving lucrative invitations for pre-season tournaments. This weekend, Rachid Méziane’s team was in Culoz, Ain, for the Women’s Open. The Niçoises clearly gained momentum a week before the start of the Women’s League (Sunday 27 against Arras). On Friday, in the semi-final, the Niçoises held their ground against Lattes-Montpellier, the runner-up of the last championship, despite a 76-70 defeat. On Saturday, in the consolation final, the Niss’Angels defeated Charnay, a Women’s League 2 team, by a score of 84-75.
Photo Credit: The Eagles of Nice
