The local volleyball players are in 11th place in Ligue A after nine matches. With a small one-point lead over the relegation zone, they are far from their playoff ambitions. But although the start was challenging, the recent victory against Toulouse offers some hope. Nice Premium takes stock ahead of the derby against Cannes on Saturday.
Three victories for twice as many losses, the start for NVB has not been satisfactory for Palmeira. President Alain Griguer’s players, despite their form, have not underperformed in essence, as shown by their 3-1 defeat but with scores of 30-28, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, in Sète. Losing just one more point than their opponents over the whole match, the locals returned without a bonus point. However, by losing at home to St Quentin 2-3, Rémy Kraska’s teammates showed their limits by reviving the last team in Ligue A.
The coaching change in the off-season brought more discipline and hard work to training. But Lozencic’s method disrupted the habits of the Blue and Yellow team, and things didn’t click immediately. Added to this were long-term injuries to key players, like the opposite hitter Alex Damiao, resulting in a timid squad at the start of the season.
Fortunately, last Friday, the Nice volleyball players secured an important victory against Toulouse. By winning 3-0, the Aiglons ended a series of three consecutive defeats. Even better, mentally, they may have found their benchmark match in Ligue A. This victory eases NVB, giving them a win with a bonus and moving them out of the red zone. “This result is perfect for the group’s cohesion,” said the Nice coach after the match.
The atmosphere was quite tense last week due to a disagreement between Raphaël Mrozek and his coach. Upset and frustrated after Monday’s training, the Franco-Polish player showed all his qualities against Toulouse. Scoring 16 points, the player emphasized the collective nature of the performance: “Tonight (Friday) I was good, I wanted to show what I was capable of. But next time it will be someone else. I am proud of the team. It was like a trigger.”
A trigger that NVB will surely need on Saturday at the Palais de Victoires in Cannes. In a derby considered uneven, the Niçois will try to take advantage of their neighbors’ dip in form.
