Montpellier achieved an important victory against Nice, even though they were without Bulgarian center Nikolay Kartev. One of the big stars, Thomas Lopez, returned for the hosts, finishing the match with 14 points and providing the necessary stability in key moments.
Two more of his teammates also finished with double-digit scores and contributed to the success, while for the guests from Nice, only Piyo Lieberman surpassed the 10-point mark with 16.
Serving and attacking made the difference
Team statistics clearly show where Montpellier gained its advantage – primarily in serving and attacking efficiency.
| Statistic | Montpellier | Nice |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 6 | 1 |
| Attack | 58% | 49% |
| Blocks | 3 | 3 |
| Points from opponent errors | 17 | 17 |
Montpellier won the match with better serving and higher attack efficiency. The difference of +5 aces (6:1) is a significant bonus that directly brings points and disrupts the opponent's organization. With equality in blocks and points from errors, the attack (58% vs. 49%) proved to be the decisive factor.
The most contested moment in the match was the second set, when Nice took the lead early and at the end of the set managed to overcome a 21:16 deficit, but Montpellier maintained concentration and did not allow the sets to be leveled.
With this victory, Montpellier maintained its second position ahead of Tourcoing and behind Tours.
