This weekend’s leg started on Friday with a game on the popular Côte d’Azur between two clubs with a long history together: Le Cannet and Saint-Raphaël. The evening ended up with a clear away victory for Marchesi’s girls, 9 aces and 8 blocks. Final score: 7/25, 14/25, 20/25, a rough loss for rookies St. Raphaël which buries them even more on the last place after the 17th leg. Hainaut, on the other hand, seem to have found the pace of victory and managed to claim vital away victory on the court of Vannes: 23-25, 14-25, 25-22, 20-25 – three important points for Hainaut and their attempt to save themselves from demotion.

Both Cannes and Béziers routed their opponents this weekend. Champions rebounded with a straight sets’ victory against Terville a couple od days after being outplayed by arch-rivals Volero from CL. Béziers, on their side, sealed a new success against Istres, and fly on to the 5th position, with 33 points, as much as Nantes.

The 17th leg concluded with a surprising result – Paris St. Cloud managed to rout last season’s second place, Nantes, to move on to the podium for the first time this year. Twelve victories so far for the capital team which allow them to castle an out of shape Nantes. On winners’ side Esther Van Berkel (17 p), Nina Coolman (15 p) and Grace Carter (13 p) hit the scorers’ stats, while for the opponents only Clémentine Druenne leveled up with 12 points.

St-Raphaël 0-3 Le Cannet (7-25, 14-25, 20-25)

Vannes 1-3 Hainaut (23-25, 14-25, 25-22, 20-25)

Istres 0-3 Béziers (22-25, 17-25, 22-25)

Cannes 3-0 Terville-Florange (25-14, 25-20, 25-12)

Mulhouse 3-2 Venelles (24-26, 23-25, 26-24, 25-19, 15-5)

SF Paris St-Cloud 3-0 Nantes (25-19, 25-15, 25-20)