Former T&T international men’s volleyballer Marc-Anthony Honore was not among his VfB Friedrichshafen’s team line-up but it mattered little as they dazzled fans with a dominant 25-17, 25-14, 25-18 win over FT 1844 Freiburg in the Germany Volleyball Bundesliga on Tuesday.
Playing at a packed Spacetech Arena, Friedrichshafen was led by Aleksa Batak’s game-high 17 points while “Player of the Match” Tim Peter added 15, George Young got 12, Michal Superlad chipped in with 11, and Israel Masso, ten in the win, their seventh in a row which was highlighted by eight aces and seven blocks—four credited to Masso.
With the win, Friedrichshafen improved to a 9-3 win-loss record and 28 points in the second spot on the 12-club standings, three behind the unbeaten Berlin RV (11-0) while Grizzlys (9-2), and Herrsching are next with 26 points each from 9-2, and 8-3 records respectively.
Luneburg with their 8-3 mark is fifth with 24 points followed by Powervolleys (7-4), VC Bitterfeld-Wolfen(6-6), and FT 1844 Freiburg (3-9) with 21, 16, and nine points to complete the top eight playoff spots while the quartet of ASV Dacchau (2-10), SSC Karlsrushe (2-8), Haching (1-10), and Netzhoppers (1-9) complete the rest of the table with seven, six, four, and minus three points respectively.
The 39-year-old south-Trinidad-born Noreiga is in his third stint with the top German club having begun his professional career with the same outfit back in 2007/08 after leaving local club Southern United Volleyball Academy.
A St Francis University graduate in the USA, Honore then joined the Brazilian club
Londrina/Sercomtel (2010/11 - 2010/11) followed by Portugal’s SL Benfica (2011/12 - 2014/15).
He then returned to VfB Friedrichshafen for his second stint from 2015/16 to 20015/16 which was quickly followed by a return to another ex-employer in SL Benfica from 2016/17 to 2021/22 during which time he racked up a host of domestic titles as part of his 21 gold medal, five silver and one bronze with the club.
However, at the start of the European club volleyball season for 2023/2024, Honore now in the twilight of his professional career opted to return to where it all started for him, and the move has been a stroke of genius so far on the domestic front with VfB Friedrichshafen as he continues to be a great service.
Honoré who won three league titles, and one German Cup during his previous two stints with the German club had actually long since retired as an active player, and played his last game for the Portuguese club at the end of October 2021, due to a shoulder injury but upon rejoining the German club has been part of their playing squad with the club very thin in his middle-blocking position.
Reflecting on the start of his career, Honore said, “ “Friedrichshafen was my first professional team and I have good memories of that time.”
Away from volleyball, Honoré has started studying and would like to work in the IT industry in the future.
At the same time, he is now looking after the young talent in Friedrichshafen and has been the assistant coach of the Volley Youngstars since the 2023/2024 season, taking the place of Bogdan Jalowietzki, who resigned from his position due to time constraints.