Once their last thickness has been eliminated and the victory acquired (13-3) for Montpellier, the Boucaniers remained for a moment on the field of Veyrassi, in a circle, in communion. To say things. On the semi-final, lost in three acts, no doubt on their journey, the end of an adventure. And she was beautiful for La Rochelle, who had obtained her ticket for the play-offs on the last day of the regular phase.
But facing the Hérault leader, there was nothing to do. Especially not Saturday, for the third lifting, while Montpellier had won the first two the previous weekend outside its bases, on the Atlantic coast. Unbeaten at home, the Barracudas confirmed their superiority and La Rochelle made too many small defensive errors, pierced gloves, to stand up to it.
Under pressure
From the first strike, Paolo Brossier landed in the first base and from the first attack position, he crossed marble with, glued to his Basques, Mathis Guiraud for the first two Montpellier points. The launcher, Anderson Vera, contained the Rochelais assaults from the mound. He conceded a point, helped by Monks who took a bullet on the fly; Two others in the 3rd attack position for visitors, then the Montpellier defense locked the bases. And struck wonderfully.
With each offensive rotation, La Rochelle was under pressure, until you collect five points in the 5th, then another two, which gave ten points ahead of the Barracudas. The perfect gap which allowed them to put an end to the game, in seven rounds instead of nine (13-3).
Montpellier 13 (2 0 2 2 5 2 x) – La Rochelle 3 (0 1 2 0 0 0)
Lieu Montpellier (Greg Hamilton Park, in Veyrassi)
MONTPELLIER Lancers : True, Enrique Quonez Landinez. Line up : Brossier, Chaviel, Monks, Cross, Kovacs, Guiraud, Beauty, Zan, Rodriguez, Doat, Bouniol.
La Rochelle Lanceurs: De La Rosa, Wilce Nieves, Perrois. Line Up: Crawford, Esteban, Carmona, Johnston, Tovar Colet, Briones, Esteban, Krzykawiak, Hernoux, Laufenbuchler.
