Tours edges out Saint-Nazaire in Thrilling Coupe de France Matchup
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Saint-Nazaire’s remarkable run in the Coupe de France came too an end on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, with a hard-fought 3-2 defeat against Tours. The Nazairiens,fresh off a stunning victory against SpikeLigue leaders Montpellier,were unable to replicate that success against the reigning champions.
A Rollercoaster of Sets
The match proved to be a captivating back-and-forth affair, with both teams demonstrating moments of brilliance. Burel initially gave Saint-Nazaire an early advantage (8-10) in the first set, but Tours quickly seized control, capitalizing on opposing errors and the strong play of Mujanovic, Kavogo, and ultimately, a crucial fault on a serve by John (25-22).
Saint-Nazaire swiftly rebounded, claiming the second set in a dramatic finish (27-29).The set was marked by a scare for Tours’ passer Coric, who sustained an ankle injury (12-11). A tense exchange ensued, with John proving particularly effective in attack. Despite struggling with reception, Tours fought back from a set point deficit and ultimately saved three before Garkov secured the equalizer with a decisive block-out.
Dramatic Shifts in Momentum
However, the momentum swung dramatically in the third set, as Saint-nazaire experienced a complete collapse. Punished by the relentless attacks of Voss and the tourangeaux counterattacks, they quickly fell behind (12-5). Tours dominated the remainder of the set,with aracaju contributing eight points to close it out powerfully (25-13).
The fourth set saw a resurgence from Saint-Nazaire, fueled by Licek’s strong performance (3-6). Exploiting errors from Tours,they maintained the lead (12-14,19-21). Despite holding a lead, Saint-Nazaire faltered, allowing Tours to tie the score four times. Ultimately, Aponza Carabali secured the tie-break for Saint-Nazaire (27-29).
Tours Closes Out the Match
The fifth and final set began promisingly for Saint-Nazaire, with John shining early (1-3). However,they were unable to sustain the momentum. Aracaju, Voss, and Miujanovic effectively closed out the game for Tours (5-3). A formidable series of five blocks by the Tourangeaux (13-5) sealed Saint-nazaire’s fate, extinguishing their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
“The TVB experience made the difference in key moments,” noted libero Romain Deveze. “We played a little euphoric for two hours, but it turned out unfortunately for them. It’s a shame, as there was room…”
Final Score and Details
TOURS – SAINT-NAZAIRE: 3-2
25-22 (26′), 27-29 (34′), 25-13 (20′), 27-29 (35′), 15-6 (15′).
judges: Mme Hepp and M. Brassart.
TOURS: Coric 4, Aracaju 18,
SAINT-NAZAIRE: Arjones 1, burel 9, Aponza Carabali 9, Garkov 15, Jenness 2, John 23. Libero: Loubeyre then Devèze, Schalk 1, Nack-Minyem 2, Bougerolles, Gonzalez Marti 1, Licek 10.
Did you know?-Tours is the reigning champion of the Coupe de France.
Pro tip:-libero Romain Deveze attributed Tours’ victory to their experience in key moments.
Reader question:-John of saint-Nazaire led all players with 23 points in the match.
