In a packed Griamarchi hall (720 spectators), Nice Volleyball made quite an impact. After last week’s 3-0 victory against Narbonne, the team from Nice prevailed over Rennes, the top team in Ligue A, with a narrow score of 3 sets to 2. Rennes had previously dealt a heavy blow to the yellow and blue team with a devastating 3-0 in the first leg.
This time, Mladen Kasic’s men delivered their best performance of the 2018-2019 season. Led by the dazzling trio of Jan Galabov, Robin Overbeeke, and Adam Bartos, the team from Nice did not drop a single point. The three players kept the team afloat on various occasions.
Every rally was fiercely contested. The 3-2 victory against Rennes wasn’t just a feat. Nice showed incredible mental fortitude to hold on to crucial points, as reflected in their serves. Captain Zeljko Coric and Vadim Deev destabilized the leader’s defense with powerful, devastating serves. They forced the Rennes team to work hard to return the ball.
Struggling to Get into the Match.
Nice presented a performance that was somewhat lackluster. There was a lack of commitment and focus at the start of each set, combined with an ever-present offensive surge to come back and take the lead in the final points. The NVB consistently fell significantly behind. They trailed by 5 points in the first two sets and then by 6 in the third. It was only in the last set that the Eagles soared to their second consecutive victory.
An Electric Atmosphere.
Both teams were extremely tense regarding the officiating. Rennes’ number 14, Kasimir Georgiev, and the Nice captain repeatedly challenged the referees to express their dissatisfaction. At 11-10 in the fifth set, a disputed point halted play for 2 minutes. A long discussion between Miguel Tavares (Rennes) and the net referee led to a widespread uproar from the stands. The large crowd of supporters made their presence felt throughout the match, unsettling the opposing serves. They stood as one during the final point that allowed NVB to climb to seventh place, tied with Toulouse.
