Thanks to a three-set victory at home over Poitiers, following their win in the first match, Montpellier secures their ninth French championship title.
Montpellier dominated in the Marmara SpikeLigue playoffs. After defeating AS Cannes and Arago de Sète in the quarter and semifinals with only two sets lost, Loic Le Marrec’s team continued their dominance in a one-sided final against Poitiers. A week after their victory in Poitiers in the first match (18-25, 22-25, 17-25), the Hérault team had to secure the title in front of their home crowd at the Palais des Sports Chaban-Delmas in the second match. They took an early lead, but MHSC-VB quickly responded with a 6-0 run to take control.
Montpellier Takes Control
Poitiers fought hard, but Montpellier surged towards the end of the first set with a single set point required to lead. The Poitevins initially showed promise, but Montpellier took the lead in the second set with five consecutive points. With a seven-point lead, the Hérault team managed to stay in control and eventually secured the set with two set points, thanks to a remarkable play by Tomas Lopez Pascual. With their backs against the wall, Poitiers had to give their all in the final set.
Poitiers Struggles
However, they never led in the third set, except briefly after Tom Picard’s ace. The lead fluctuated between one and three points, with Poitiers managing to equalize twice. But when Montpellier needed to pull away, they responded. With just one match point, validated after a Poitiers challenge, Montpellier claimed their ninth French championship title without the need for a tiebreaker match (25-15, 25-17, 25-20). Four years after their last victory, the Hérault team once again reigns supreme in French volleyball and aims to stay at the top despite increasing competition.
