France earns 3-0 win over Switzerland in the opening match – Volleyball News
Women’s national volleyball teams from France and Switzerland met in the opening match of Pool B during the last leg of the 2012 CEV European League Prelims on Thursday.
French City Metz hosted the match, while home team pulled off success in straight sets. The final set scores were 25-20, 25-22, and 26-24. French team was supported by scores of local fans including many of the school pupils and students. The match was played
at the Complexe St. Symphorien Metz.
Hélène Schleck of France emerged as the best scorer of the match with a total of 15 points.
France had better record against Switzerland in the previous three legs of the preliminary round. Hence, the home team was in much better position to launch authority on the rivals. The match started out with an early onslaught of volleys from French side,
which allowed the hosts to take three-point lead at the first technical timeout (8-5).
Ladies around head coach Svetlana Ilic struggled to catch up with the hosts and put up a valiant effort. They managed to shorten the gap of points, but still could not go up on scoreboard. Equipped with stupendous support of home fans, the French continued
with hard-hitting until the set points and claimed opening set.
Swiss coach regrouped the players in the following set and urged them to overcome their flaws. Comparatively saying, Switzerland improved in second set and gave a better competition to France. Nevertheless, home team denied all their efforts and bagged second
set-win.
Next up, the third frame featured an incredibly close competition. France was in a hurry to put an end to the game, while Swiss team resisted in full force to save the match. Swiss team fought bravely, but suffered the damaged with narrow gap of two points.
France achieved success and delighted the home fans with a splendid victory.
Swiss Head Coach Svetlana Ilic congratulated France for victory and made positive remarks about the match. She added: “I cannot say that we are disappointed because we still have a lot of work to be done to be able to edge a team like France. My group is
just at the start of its adventure and I am happy because since our first matches we have improved in many fundamentals.”
The skipper of French team Hélène Schleck stated: “We did not play good this afternoon and we need to get rid of these stupid mistakes for the next matches.”
Team France will return to action on Friday when they will take on Turkey in the second match.
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