After two defeats, including one at Palmeira, the Nice volleyball players found their smile again by overcoming Calais after a match that could have, once more, taken a bad turn.
This match, which might have or should have been a walk in the park after a start that quickly saw Malden Kasic’s protégés leading two sets to zero, eventually turned into a way of the cross with a final 3-1 that casts serious doubts on the Nice team’s ability to master their game.
Having easily won the first set with a score of 25-16, the first warnings came in the latter part of the second set (25-16) when Calais, hitherto paralyzed, regained strength thanks to the entry of Warnault and Anachkov, who contributed important points to their team.
Problems worsened in the following set with the determined northern team (Nice leading 10-8 then 15-14 and subsequently overtaken 19-20 and finishing 23-25).
“It is incomprehensible that the team loses its composure and puts itself in danger on its own,” said Mladen Kasic after the match.
Calais began to believe, Nice started to doubt, and the fourth set saw both teams go point for point: Nice scorers Ristic (18 points) and Mitrovic had the hot hand to secure the necessary points for the final victory: 25-22.
A lot of fear, then, but not much damage. Nice clinched their first victory of the season, which needs to be confirmed next Friday against Asnières.
