Start of a lackluster weekend for the teams from Nice.
After the clear defeat of the volleyball players in Chaumont against a stronger team (which is unsurprisingly at the top of the standings), it was the turn of the hockey players to take a hit on the “ice” against Rouen.
The Volleyball Nice (5 wins – 6 losses) only showed up in the first set, narrowly won (27-25) after a fierce struggle (20-21) and a victorious sprint.
But the locals, encouraged by a warm audience that Mladen Kasic’s men would love to see at Palmera, quickly took control of the match, winning with three indisputable sets: 25-19; 25-13; and 25-19 again.
With only Hermans Eglesakus reaching double digits (18 points to his credit) and with 49% in attack, 17 reception errors, and 19 service errors, it was difficult for Nice to achieve anything beyond this result.
Next Friday, there will be a gala match for the reception of Montpellier (8 wins – 2 losses), a team aspiring to the Top 4 by the end of the regular season.
On the Normandy ice, the Eagles could not replicate the great performance from December 29 against Angers.
Although they managed to defend themselves in the first period (0-0) despite clear superiority from Rouen (12 shots to 2), the next period was fatal for them: 4-0.
Hamrak’s final goal could not suffice to change the course of a match whose result had never been in doubt.
The Eagles (11 wins – 19 losses) return to the ice at Jean Bouin this Sunday at 6:30 PM to host Amiens (13 wins – 17 losses).
