Venislav Antov played another strong match, but his team Tourcoing lost to Chaumont at home with 1:3 (20:25, 25:17, 16:25, 19:25), with objective factors contributing to the defeat. The hosts played without Thibault Loubet, who sprained his ankle in training on Monday and missed Tuesday evening's match. Mitchell Staal was also absent due to illness.
Despite the personnel setback, Tourcoing has reasons to regret. The team started the match with difficulty but managed to win the second set, but then allowed a slump that enabled the visitors to turn the tide and take a 2:1 set lead.
The decisive collapse: from 5:1 to lost control
In the fourth set, everything started well for Antov and company – Tourcoing led 5:1, but a turnaround followed, triggered by Chaumont's powerful serving run and their decisive presence at the block.
The visitors recorded a total of5 kill blocks, compared toonly 2for the hosts, and in this crucial set, Tourcoing also collapsed in errors –9 unforced, compared to6for Chaumont. In addition, Chaumont also scored1 ace, which finally broke the resistance of the hosts and tilted the match in their favor.
Antov – #1 in the match: 22 points and leadership in all elements
Venislav Antov finished as the top scorer in the match with22 pointsand an excellent overall contribution:
22 points
+7(efficiency)
2 aces
4 blocks
36% in attack
Three more of his teammates also reached double-digit scores, but the problem for Tourcoing came from the low support from the rest –only 5 pointstotal from all other players outside the four with double-digit scores.
Team statistics: Tourcoing led in key indicators, but blocking and errors killed them
Tourcoing had an advantage in several important components:
serve:4/3
positive reception:61%/43%
attack:39%/37%
But the match was decided by two things in which Chaumont clearly dominated:
block: 9/16
points from opponent errors: 18/33(for Chaumont)
Table: key team indicators
| Statistic | Tourcoing | Chaumont |
|---|---|---|
| Serve (aces) | 4 | 3 |
| Positive reception | 61% | 43% |
| Attack | 39% | 37% |
| Blocks (total) | 9 | 16 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 18 | 33 |
Tourcoing was actually the better team in terms of first touch – more secure reception and better game organization, which is also evident from their advantage in positive reception. But when the opponent's block is with7 points more, and you give away points from errorsa 15-point difference, the match is won almost regardless of other statistics. Chaumont literally "took" the match with blocks and by punishing every weakness of Tourcoing in decisive moments.
Standings: Tourcoing remains third, Chaumont got some breathing room.
After this loss, Tourcoingremained in 3rd place with 42 points, ahead of 4th-placed Poitiers, who has33.
Chaumont, on the other hand, recorded a vital success and made an important step in the battle for survival – the team is12th, withpoint more than Saint-Nazaire, which is13th.
