The Nice Volleyball players were back at the Giamarchi/Palmeira hall this Sunday. The Niçois started their season with a victory against Toulouse, winning 3 sets to 1.
The Niçois, with intense preparation and a targeted recruitment, hoped to start strong this Sunday against Toulouse. And they did just that! A great victory, 3 sets to 1. This year, the team relies on a united collective and individual talents who showcased their skills during the pre-season. Their goal? To climb up the rankings (12th last season) and reach the playoffs, and possibly more…
First Set
Nice starts the match in the best possible way. Thanks to powerful and varied serves, the Eagles quickly take the lead. The Niçois lead 4-2, then 7-5. The gap gradually widens. Incisive attacks, coupled with opponent errors, allow them to increase their lead to 13-9. Toulouse struggles to keep up with the pace. The Niçois take advantage and continue to widen the gap: 14-9, then 17-11. The Toulouse defense crumbles under the pressure. At 19-13, then 21-15, Nice maintains control. Despite a slight Toulouse rally at the end of the set, the Niçois do not weaken. The score is clear: 25-18 in favor of Nice.
Second Set
Toulouse starts this second set with pride. After losing the first set, the Toulouse team quickly shows their desire to respond. They take the lead, going 4-2, then 10-7. But, with support from their fans, Nice quickly reacts. The Niçois close the gap to 4-4 and then come within a single point, 14-13. The game becomes a true tug-of-war. The teams exchange points, never allowing more than a two-point gap. Toulouse tries to maintain the lead, but Nice does not concede and equalizes at 16-16. Nice finally makes the difference at 20-19, leading for the first time in this set. Under pressure, Toulouse falters at this crucial moment. The Azuréens take advantage and, in a thrilling end to the set, win 26-24, thereby asserting their dominance in this second set.
Third Set
The start is tense, both teams exchanging blows. At 14 all, the suspense reaches its peak. This is when Nice falters. Toulouse, in top form, takes advantage and surges ahead in score. Toulouse takes the lead, 19-14, creating a gap difficult to close. Despite Nice’s efforts to catch up, Toulouse maintains control. Nice tries to narrow the gap, coming back to 20-16. But Toulouse does not waver. More precise and solid, they string together points. The set concludes with a 25-19 in favor of the visitors, thus reigniting the suspense for the rest of the match. The continuation promises to be just as competitive.
Fourth Set
Nice perfectly managed this fourth set against Toulouse. From the start, the Eagles set their pace. Well-organized, they avoid any lapse in concentration and return to the basics that led to their success in the first two sets. They quickly take the lead (2-0, 5-4), demonstrating unyielding defensive solidity. The match intensifies, but the Niçois stay on course. Midway through the set, they widen the gap (10-7, then 12-9), showcasing excellent collective control. Toulouse struggles to keep up. As their lead grows, the Côte d’Azur players pull away on the scoreboard (16-10, 17-11). The gap becomes insurmountable for the Toulouse players, who gradually seem to lose hope. The Eagles capitalize and accelerate, leaving no respite for their opponents. The score expands (20-12), before definitively soaring (23-14). Finally, Nice brilliantly concludes this set with a decisive 25-16.
Next match for the Eagles: Montpellier, the leader of the Marmara Spike League. See you next Friday at 8 PM.
