Defending champions France pushed the United States to the tie-break, where they lost to the Americans, winners 25-21, 25-18, 17-25, 24-26, 15-9 in the quarter-finals of the Volleyball Nations League, Wednesday in Gdansk.
The French players, whose priority is above all the Euro (August 28-September 16), managed to come back to the score when they were down two sets to nothing.
If they had conquered the League of Nations last year in Bologna (Italy) by beating the United States in the final, the French had however lost in the preliminary round this year against them.
The absence of Earvin Ngapeth, still injured in a knee, was felt during this competition and the French had only qualified for the Final 8 thanks to a victory against Germany during the last day.
A little lost in the first set, the defending champions clung to the second by managing to take the advantage 12-10, changing tactics to favor floating serves. But their rivals quickly came back to score to easily win this set 25-18.
The third set took place under better omens for the French who won 25-17, thus avoiding an elimination in three straight sets.
They remained at the level of the Americans in the fourth set, thanks in particular to an ace from Jean Patry, the sharp point of the France team. But while the two teams were still at 10-10, the French, unfazed, took off thanks to counters from Barthélémy Chinenyeze and a service at 122 km / h from Patry. Opposite, the American duo made up of Thomas Jaeschke and Max Holt ensured the block.
The Americans saved two set points at 24-22, but a block from Antoine Brizard offered the round to his teammates (26-24).
In the tie-break, Timothée Carle confirmed his status as a French revelation in this League of Nations by thwarting attempts against Americans. But a foul whistled against the French gave a three-point advantage (9-6) to their opponents, who did not let go to win 15-9.