#France: Henno closes his career with the title. It is the eighth for Tours!

In Game 2 of playoffs final, Tours overwhelms Chaumont and become champion of France for the eighth time in its history. Tours, never defeated at home in French competitions this season, had already won the Coupe de France (followed admirably by our collaborators).
The last match of this 2018/19 season also closes the career of Hubert Henno who at almost 43 years had already announced his retirement, but should continue as a coach.

In 1st set, there was immediately a break of the hosts with Teryomenko, who sign a counterattack (3-1) and a winning-block (4-1). Saeta’s block which is worth 4-3 does not slow Tours, that attack with Wounembaina (6-3), then a Geiler’s error (8-4) and Husaj’s counterattack (9-4). Tours defends everything and places another 2 decisive counterattacks: 11-4. Maximum advantage on 12-4 and despite the changes Prandi has tried for his Chaumont, there is nothing to do. 25-15 and Husaj closes the set.
Repak and Ben Tara in the field for Chaumont in second set, and the guests impact to 6-6, then Egleskalns (8-6), Wounembaina (12-9) and Egleskalns (14-10) sign the flee of Tours. Chaumont’s setter Saeta returns in the field, but Husaj signs the 16-11. Chaumont finally finds a bit of regularity, but it wasn’t enough and Egleskalns closes the set 25-22.
The third set is a catwalk for the home team: Chaumont immediately suffered the shots of of Egleskalns (2-0), Teryomenko (3-0) and again Egleskalns (5-1), while Chinenyeze signs the 8-2. Egleskalns rages with 2 ace (11-3) and the game is gone: it ends with a clear 25-12 with an error in Ben Tara’s attack.

Really a great difference tonight between the 2 teams: 64% in attack for Tours (with a superb performances of Husaj at 76%, Teryomenko at 75% and Egleskalns – also top scorer- at 74%), against only 35% for Chaumont, which only found a bit of continuity in the 2nd set. 10 to 4 the count of the winning-blocks, 4 to 0 that of the aces. For guests only Atanasov reached a double-digit performance with 10 points, 45% in attack and 1 block.

FINAL GAME 1 – Chaumont-Tours 2:3

FINAL GAME 2 – Tours-Chaumont 3:0 (25:15, 25:22, 25:12) Serie: 2-0
Tours: Trinidad De Haro 4, Husaj 15, Teryomenko 9, Egleskalns 21, Wounembaina 7, Chinenyeze 5, Henno (L); Capet 0. N.E.: Van Rekom, Nevot, Stahl, Nicole. Coach: Duflos.
Chaumont: Saeta 1, B. Geiler 5, Averill 2, Winkelmuller 1, Atanasov 10, Fernandez 1, Bann (L); Ben Tara 8, M. Patak 0, Repak 0, K. Rodriguez 1, Morillon 0. Coach: Prandi.