Set took the lead in the quarter-final series after defeating Tourcoing 3:2 (23:25, 25:23, 25:23, 22:25, 15:12) in the first match between the two teams.
The match offered a serious battle, and the big figure on the court was the Bulgarian opposite Venislav Antov, who played an exceptional match and finished with 30 points (+18 efficiency, 1 ace, 2 blocks, 47% in attack). Despite this, his team could not secure the victory.
The decisive fifth set started difficultly for the hosts, as Tourcoing took a 7:4 lead after a block against Antov. However, the Bulgarian reacted like a champion and brought his team back into the game with key plays for 8:5, 9:6, and 12:10. The visitors came within one point of their opponent after another block at 13:12, but a service error and an ace by Set ended the dispute.
Scorers:
Set: Van der Ent 13, De Leon Guimaraes 10, Marttila 17, Sablatnig 14
Tourcoing: Antov 30, Stach 11, Luengas 17
Team Statistics:
| Category | Set | Tourcoing |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 13 | 13 |
| Attack (%) | 47% | 42% |
| Attack points | 59 | 56 |
| Positive reception | 48% | 49% |
| Aces | 3 | 3 |
| Service errors | 24 | 28 |
| Points from opponent errors | 35 | 36 |
| Total points | 110 | 108 |
The match was completely even, but the difference came from Set's higher attack efficiency and better management of key points at the end. Tourcoing heavily relied on Antov, who carried the main burden in offense, but the lack of sufficient support in decisive moments tipped the scales towards the hosts.
The second match of the series is on April 9th in Tourcoing.
