2024-01-14 20:42:23
– SSO loses with a smile, inglorious Chênois
Logic prevailed in the round of 16 of the Swiss Cup. Cheseaux was too strong for the young LNB players and the reigning winner, unrecognizable, foundered at Schönenwerd.
Published: 01/14/2024, 9:42 p.m.
Mélissande De Warlincourt (No 9) challenges the bloc de Cheseaux.
PBO
There was no miracle at the Racettes, nor any rebellion on the Solothurn side. The “youngsters” of Servette Star Onex suffered the law of Cheseaux (1-3), despite a superb last stand in the 3rd set, and Chênois, already beaten the day before in Lucerne, collapsed once morest Schönenwerd (0 -3). Of the three Geneva clubs still in competition, only Genève Volley, easy winner of Aarberg (3-0), will therefore compete in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Cup.
At Onex, the league gap left the newly promoted LNB with no chance. It was predictable. In volleyball, the “little one” cannot barricade himself in defense like in football and hold on while praying to heaven. Lead services are raining and the reception umbrella is not used to resisting such a deluge. “That’s especially where the difference is made. No matter how much we expect it, it’s hard to hold on,” confirmed center Tifanie Amato, full of empathy for her teammates, subjected to such a test of strength.
With Cheseaux, a solid resident of LNA and forced to fight back following his rout the day before in Lugano, the service was therefore understood and the addition for a long time bordered on correction. Jostled, the Geneva volleyball players never showed signs of discouragement or panic. However, they were deprived of one of their best offensive assets, the opponent Léna Van Leemput (injured), and of their… coach, Mehmet Yilmaz, bedridden since Friday!
“His unexpected absence certainly destabilized us a little,” admitted Tifanie Amato. But in the heat of the moment, in front of such a large audience, we fought for each ball to prolong the game and score the point. It was a great challenge, both impressive and very motivating. We all had a lot of fun doing it.” His smile is the most beautiful demonstration of this.
A collective feat
It must be said that the Racettes team, led at short notice by Yeans Acea Bernal, achieved the feat of snatching the third round (25-23) from the Vaud “pros”. A collective feat which would have made their official coach proud and which earned them the congratulations of the Cuban technician. “They played as a team, they took risks and they were very determined in attack,” he confided. A block from Tifanie Amato led to the charge at 6-9, a burst of services from Mélissandre De Warlincourt followed, then the setter Sarah Gomez, in the oven and at the mill, and the left-hander Elena Benguerel hit the nail on the head for the biggest happiness of the 200 spectators. But all of them are to be applauded.
With the return to the field of the American Lauren Harrison, the best scorer of LNA, and Oriane Hämmerli, the playing master of Cheseaux, order was restored in the 4th set, but without ever extinguishing the enthusiasm of the Geneva volleyball players. They have an average age of 20 and a heart like that to defend their place in LNB with Mehmet Yilmaz.
Chênois in the cabbages
At Schönewerd, on the contrary, the defeat brought no smile to the faces of the Chênois players, eliminated without remission by their rivals from Solothurn. Dominated in three sets (25-23, 25-18, 25-13), the outgoing champion was ejected through the back door. His dream of a hat-trick collapsed with it.
The day before, once morest Lucerne, Marco Camperi had nevertheless preserved three of his leaders (Maciel, Sanchez and Djokic) by aligning Poffet, Jucker and Kurik. Failed bet. Chênois lost the game by saving a point but he gained nothing in the affair. Sunday, he was an illusion during the first set, lost 25-23, before losing his footing definitively. Without a crutch, without energy and without a spirit of revolt.
What happened to the thunderous team, irresistible in the autumn before its elimination in the European Cup and its defeat once morest… Schönenwserd just before Christmas? She will have to meet once more if she intends to defend her place as leader by facing LUC next Saturday in Dorigny, then Amriswil a week later in Sous-Moulin.
Pascal Bornand follows local sport as a correspondent in Geneva. A sports journalist for forty years, specialist in athletics and cycling, he has covered numerous major events (Olympic Games, Football World Cup, Tour de France) and received the Nicolas Bouvier Prize in 2016.More info
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