In a dramatic match from the 21st round of the French Ligue A, Montpellier showed character and, after a 3:1 comeback against the reigning champion Saint-Nazaire, took sole lead of the standings.National player Dimitar Dimitrov played hesitantly due to his absence from the team, finishing with a modest 8 points (2 aces).
Bad start, powerful finish
A week after the surprising home loss to Plessis-Robinson (1:3), Montpellier's team once again had to fight against a lower-ranked opponent. At that time, Montpellier was without its Bulgarian star Dimitar Dimitrov, who had only recently returned to France after becoming a father for the first time. The beginning was not at all promising dash; the visitors started the match better and imposed their will in the first set with a decisive 25:18. The loss of the opening set put the hosts in a difficult situation against a team that had won only one of its last seven matches but showed fighting spirit. Dimitar Dimitrov started hesitantly due to his absence from the court for a week, which was felt in the first minutes, but the home team did not allow this to break his spirit.
The awakening of Montpellier
The hosts' response was not long in coming. In the second set, two-time Olympic champion Nicolas Le Goff inspired the team, and Argentinian Ezequiel Palacios began to execute crushing serves, which led to a convincing victory dash; 25:17. This was the turning point in the match.
In the third set, Montpellier imposed total control over the game, again dominating on serve and in attack. Saint-Nazaire's errors increased, and the hosts did not miss the chance to take a 2:1 lead after 25:18.
Phenomenal comeback for the finish
The fourth set, however, was a real drama. The visitors from Saint-Nazaire seemed determined to bring back the intrigue and led 20:16, threatening to take the match to a tie-break. But at that moment, Montpellier made an impressive finish dash; a series of nine consecutive points (!) brought the final 25:20 and a deserved 3:1 victory.
The triumph was also a perfect gift for Le Goff's 33rd birthday, as he was one of the main pillars of the success.
Golden opportunity and first place
The victory propelled Montpellier to the top of the standings, and the losses of its direct competitors dash; Chaumont, Tourcoing, and Tours dash; made the triumph even more valuable. With this success, Loic Le Marec's team not only solidified its title ambitions but also showed that it possesses a championship character.
Match statistics
Montpellier
dash; Saint-Nazaire 3:1
Sets:18-25 (25"), 25-17 (25"), 25-18 (26"), 25-20 (26")
Montpellier:45 successful attacks, 10 aces, 9 blocks, 26 errors.
Kore (2), Seddick (9), Palacios (16), Le Goff (4), Lopez (17),Dimitrov (8), Lindqvist (6), Kule, Conre. Libero: Felyu. Coach: Loïc Le Marec.
Saint-Nazaire: 41 successful attacks, 1 ace, 12 blocks, 29 errors.
Alle (11), Spencer (5), Van Der Ent (9), Martins (7), Ivanov (8), Cannum (10), Varier, Valefuaniou, Burel (2). Libero: Devez. Coach: Fluvio Bertini.
