On Saturday, Argentina added a new chapter to its strong relationship with BMV, a club that it has marked with its talent, elegance, and sportsmanship. They managed to transcend the Mulhouse team to achieve an unthinkable victory with a 3-0 success (25-19, 25-20, 25-22). It was a crazy night where the players excelled, merging their talents and emotions to bring down Mulhouse. Mulhouse had only lost one LAF game in 5 sets at Cannet and had just won the French Cup.
“They played with an energy that sometimes we lacked and from the beginning, cast doubt on Mulhouse,” said Guillaume Condamin.
The secret? The presence of Daniela Nielson at the beginning of the match instead of Yasmine Madsen, who hadn’t played much lately. “It allowed us to position Eva Svobodova at the top, as she plays in the national team,” explained Guillaume Condamin. “This is something we had been thinking about for a long time. It worked because all the girls embraced it.”
The end of a cycle
This was the key to success, as the Mulhouse team faced three of the best receivers in the LAF, Fricova, Janelle, Nielson, who also defended attacks relentlessly. The Mulhouse team seemed helpless, without a solution, against the effective attacking and solid blocking from Bordeaux. “The players raised their game,” said Condamin. “They played with energy that sometimes we lacked and from the beginning, cast doubt on Mulhouse, not giving them a chance to breathe.”
To qualify for the playoff semi-finals, Bordeaux must now win against Mulhouse on Friday, or Sunday in case of defeat. “It won’t be easy as there won’t be any surprises,” Condamin said. Daniela Nielson can be counted on to give her best performance. The departure of the Argentine player to Italy, where her partner plays, signifies the end of an era for BMV. “There are no two players like her,” said Condamin.
With Nielson’s departure, Bordeaux-Mérignac is at the end of a cycle, as they will also lose their top scorer, Eva Svobodova, who is also leaving for Italy, along with all other foreign players (Fricova, Chase, Madsen, Budrak). The next season will be a time for rebuilding.
