Olympique Nice Natation was defeated Saturday evening by the Dolphins of Sète 8-7, in the consolation final of the French Championship. In the “real” final, it was Montpellier that prevailed over Marseille.
ONN had stumbled on Friday in the last step before the championship final, ten years after their last title in 2004, by losing 10-8 against Marseille. Despite finishing 2nd in the regular season, the team from Nice had strong arguments to support their cause, with the best defense in the championship (180 goals conceded), and their victory in the first edition of the League Cup. Therefore, they will have to wait longer to see the team from Nice crowned champions of France again.
But this final phase was not over yet. The team from Nice had to play one last match, yesterday, for 3rd place against Sète, prior to the final. After another defeat against the Dolphins, ONN finishes 4th and last in this 4-team final of the Elite Championship.
The Azur players might harbor regrets about this last match, especially due to the excellent performance by Sète’s goalkeeper, Bily Noyon, who made 10 crucial saves for his team.
