For the 4th day of the Marmara Spike League, Nice Volleyball hosted Poitiers. A match between two teams struggling at the start of the season.
The beginning of the season has been challenging for NVB. After two consecutive defeats against Saint-Nazaire and Sète following a victory in the championship opener against Toulouse, the Eagles wanted to regain a positive dynamic. Facing Poitiers, another club struggling since the start, Nice had a real opportunity to perform well in front of its audience.
The start of the match is quite tight. Nice and Poitiers exchange blows. Todua Valerii sets the tone with a well-executed block. Then it’s Rodney Ah-Kong’s turn to shine, scoring three consecutive points to even the score. But the captain can do nothing when Poitiers’ offensive armada gets going. Nice can only rely on their opponent’s service faults to score two points out of the next eight. A slump that condemns the Niçois in the first set (17-25).
The second act starts poorly. Three successful attacks create a lead in favor of Poitiers. A deficit that Nice fails to overcome. Despite fewer attacking errors than the Poitevins, Nice lacks offensive efficiency and gets blocked. As a result, Nice is down two sets to none (21-25).
A Glimmer of Hope
With their backs against the wall, the Eagles don’t miss their start in the third set. The Brazilian opposite hitter for NVB, Luis Paolinetti, takes charge. He scores nine points, allowing Nice to take the lead. Well supported by Valerii Todua (3 points), the Nice supporters begin to hope for their team’s comeback. But Eric Montagnon’s men once again fall apart at the end of the set. A service fault at 22 all allows Poitiers to take the advantage. The players in black follow up with a winning serve and the game is over. Nice suffers a third consecutive defeat (17-25/21-25/23-25).
Second to last in the Ligue A with just two points, Nice Volleyball travels to Nantes this Saturday. A perilous match against the second in the championship.
