The Pierre de Coubertin Hall in Saint-Nazaire became the arena of a true volleyball spectacle. In their first match of the new season in the French Marmara SpikeLigue LNV, the hosts Saint-Nazaire Volley Atlantique (SNVBA) achieved a hard-fought 3:2 (11:25, 25:21, 24:26, 25:23, 15:13) victory over Alterna Poitiers, in front of 1510 spectators and lasting nearly two and a half hours.
🔥 Vladimir Garkov – attack leader and inspirer of the victory
Bulgarian outside hitter Vladimir Garkov played a magnificent match and was among the key figures for the success. He finished the game with 21 points, adding 2 aces, achieving 48% attack efficiency, and playing an important role in reception – 40% perfect and 57% positive reception. His overall coefficient was +7, which highlights his stable and confident performance in his debut for the French club.
⚡ Top Scorers and Match Statistics
| Player | Team | Points | Aces | Blocks | Attack Efficiency | Reception (perf./pos.) | Coeff. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filip John | Saint-Nazaire | 23 | 1 | 1 | 46% | - | +13 |
| Vladimir Garkov | Saint-Nazaire | 21 | 2 | 0 | 48% | 40% / 57% | +7 |
| Toma Pujol | Poitiers | 22 | 2 | 1 | 61% | 36% / 58% | +14 |
| Dušan Nikolić | Poitiers | 22 | 6 | 3 | 46% | - | +15 |
The data clearly shows that Garkov is not just stable, but also a decisive factor in key moments – especially in the fourth set and the tie-break, when Saint-Nazaire managed to turn the match around. The German opposite Hitter Philipp John was the main scorer, but without Garkov's stability in reception and attacks to the corners, the team would hardly have withstood the pressure. For their part, Poitiers can regret missed opportunities – especially at 26:24 in the third game, when they were on the verge of success.
The match was part of a special club initiative – Job Dating (organized jointly withLes Entreprises s’engagentandManpower France), held immediately before the match in the same hall between 6:30 PM and 8:00 PM. The event attracted many young people and business representatives, who then stayed to support the team – the atmosphere was festive, and the sports spectacle fully met expectations.
Saint-Nazaire started the season with character and will, and Garkov showed that he can be one of the team's leaders in the upcoming rounds. With such a crowd, organization, and sporting energy, Vladimir Garkov's team made a strong statement to be a factor in the French League this year.
