The women’s season in Europe has officially begun with the quarterfinals of the Copa Catalunya in Spain. The last of the two-legged quarterfinals, which have been going on for the past week, have concluded, and the final four have been determined, mirroring the top four teams in the Division de Honor last season.
In the semi-finals, which are to be played on the 1st of October, Mataro will go up against Mediterrani, while Sabadell will face Terrassa. Details of the teams and scorers from the quarter-finals can be seen at the bottom of the page.
22/09 – CN Astralpool Sabadell 25-5 CN Catalunya (6-2, 7-1, 6-0, 4-2)
27/09 – CN Catalunya 8-20 CN Astralpool Sabadell (1-6, 2-7, 0-4, 5-3)
Sabadell had no trouble at all in their two-legged victory over CN Catalunya, scoring twenty goals against the Catalunya defence in each match. Catalunya would have been mistaken if they thought the defending champions would keep their star players at home. Bea Ortiz (5), Paula Leiton (8), and Elena Ruiz (4), the three major summer additions to David Palma’s squad, all scored their first goals of the campaign.
28/09 – CN Rubi 8-12 CN Terrassa (2-4, 2-3, 2-3, 2-2)
29/09 – CN Terrassa 14-8 CN Rubi (6-1, 4-1, 2-3, 2-3)
Sabadell will face Terrassa in the semi-final after Xavi Perez’s squad showed remarkable consistency across both of their games against Rubi, winning 12-8 and 14-8, respectively. Even though Terrassa lost several key players over the summer (Ortiz, Leiton, Panicello), Terrassa proved they belong in the conversation for the best teams in Spain, and it was the experienced hand of Pili Pena who led the scoring in both matches, netting four goals in the first, and five in the return fixture.
27/09 – CE Mediterrani 12-11 CN Atletic-Barceloneta (2-2, 4-1, 3-3, 2-4)
29/09 – CN Atletic Barceloneta 12-14 CE Mediterrani (3-4, 5-5, 2-0, 2-5)
Despite Sant Andreu’s best efforts, a now star-studded Mataro team prevailed in their quarter-final bouts. Both games ended with narrow two-goal victories for Mataro (7-5 and 15-13). The crowd at Mataro was most excited to see Rita Keszthelyi and Silvia Avegno, two of their big summer signings, in action, and they were not disappointed. Dani Ballart had to wait until the second leg to give Simone Van de Kraats and Viviane Sevenich playing time upon their return to Spain, and neither had lost their sparkling summer form with the Dutch national team.
24/09 – CN Sant Andreu 5-7 CN Mataro (1-2, 2-4, 2-0, 0-1)
27/09 – CN Mataro 15-12 CN Sant Andreu (4-2, 3-3, 3-3, 5-5)
Mataro will have their hands full in the semifinals, as they will face Mediterrani, who were twice pushed to the limit by Barceloneta – who look to have improved significantly from last season. In the first leg, Barceloneta rallied from a 9-5 deficit to tie the game at 11-11. Only a Paula Crespi goal with 20 seconds remaining saved Medi’s blushes. Marian Diaz’s side had no such late drama in the second leg of their game, with the birthday girl Clara Espar netting a quad. Medi will have been glad to see two of their foreign imports playing tonight at Placa del Mar; Axelle Crevier, who scored a goal, and Gabi Palm in goal, fresh from her flight from Australia yesterday.
Quarter-final Results (played between 22-29 September)
CN Sant Andreu 5-7 CN Mataro (1-2, 2-4, 2-0, 0-1)
Sant Andreu: A. Lorca, Q. Boixadera, N. Mora Perez 1, X. Lahoz, G. La Farre 1, H. Ruckelshaus Shabb 1, M. Cordobes 2, A. Cella, A. Rego, I. Martinez, M. Palacio, A. Ruiz, M. Terre
Mataro: M. Sanchez, S. Morell, R. Gurri Capel, A. Gual 1, L. Blasco, R. Keszthelyi-Nagy 1, C. Cambray 2, C. Nogue, S. Avegno 1, Q. Bertran 1, L. Gil, M. Claveria 1, E. Carmona Herrera
CN Mataro 15-12 CN Sant Andreu (4-2, 3-3, 3-3, 5-5)
Mataro: M. Sanchez, S. Morell 2, S. Van de Kraats 3, A. Gual 3, V. Sevenich 2, R. Keszthelyi 1, C. Cambray 2, C. Nogue, S. Avegno, Q. Bertran 1, A. Espar 1, M. Claveria, E. Carmona
Sant Andreu: A. Lorca, Q. Boixadera 1, N. Mora Perez 2, X. Lahoz, G. La Farre 2, H. Ruckelshaus Shabb 2, M. Cordobes 2, A. Cella, A. Rego, I. Martinez, M. Palacio 1, A. Ruiz 3, M. Terre
CE Mediterrani 12-11 CN Atletic-Barceloneta (2-2, 4-1, 3-3, 2-4)
Mediterrani: I. Costa, A. Munoz 5, D. Moreno 2, A. Marcos 1, C. Vilanova, C. Rodriguez, C. Espar, L. Marsinach Ortega, M. Viladot, H. Dalmases, P. Crespi, S. Lizotte
Barceloneta: A. Farre Colomina, P. Rodriguez, N. Martin 1, C. Martin Buscarons 1, N. Josifovic 1, J. Cereijo, U. Del Sol Agusti, N. Mandic 2, I. Piralkova 1, R. Tarrago 2, S. Garcia 3, M. Madre Forte, B. Colominas
CN Atletic Barceloneta 12-14 CE Mediterrani (3-4, 5-5, 2-0, 2-5)
Barceloneta: A. Farre Colomina, L. Lopez, N. Martin 1, C. Buscarons 1, N. Josifovic, J. Cereijo 1, U. Del Sol Agusti, N. Mandic 3, I. Piralkova 3, R. Tarrago 1, S. Garcia 1, M. Madre 1, B. Colominas
Mediterrani: I. Costa, A. Munoz 1, A. Crevier 2, A. Marcos, C. Vilanova, C. Rodriguez 1, C. Espar 4, L. Marsinach, M. Viladot 1, H. Dalmases 1, P. Crespi 2, D. Moreno 2, G. Palm
CN Rubi 8-12 CN Terrassa (2-4, 2-3, 2-3, 2-2)
Rubi: E. Jiminez, N. Montero, C. Penalver 1, I. Onoro, M. Ungria, A. Rodriguez, L. Rion, C. Moreno 3, R. Prieto 1, J. Prados, E. Vesperinas, A. Trivino, M. Sampaio
Terrassa: S. Domene, L. Ferrer, A. Finestra Vilalta 2, N. Morillo, C. Cantero 1, D. Quinzada 1, N. Ten Broek, P. Pena 4, D. Menakerman, P. Camus 2, M. Fernandez, F. Bosveld 2, E. Arcas Monllor
CN Terrassa 14-8 CN Rubi (6-1, 4-1, 2-3, 2-3)
Terrassa: S. Domene, L. Ferrer 1, A. Finestra Vilalta, N. Morillo, C. Cantero 1, D. Quinzada, N. Ten Broek 2, P. Pena 5, D. Menakerman, P. Camus 2, M. Martinez 2, F. Bosveld 1, E. Arcas Monllor
Rubi: E. Jiminez, N. Montero, C. Penalver, I. Onoro, M. Ungria 1, A. Rodriguez, L. Rion, C. Moreno, R. Prieto 1, J. Prados 1, E. Vesperinas, A. Trivino 5, M. Sampaio
CN Astralpool Sabadell 25-5 CN Catalunya (6-2, 7-1, 6-0, 4-2)
Sabadell: L. Ester, M. Ortiz, P. Leiton 5, M. Bonet 1, M. Serrano, I. Casado 5, E. Ruiz 2, M. Garcia 1, J. Forca 4, B. Ortiz 2, N. Perez 1, I. Gonzalez 3, M. Carrasco
Catalunya: M. Terre, C. Ball, C. Diaz 1, O. Tarrino, G. Bellido 1, B. Pascual, P. Sanchez 1,M. Martinez, C. Leonard, S. Diaz 2, J. Frigola, H. Perez
CN Catalunya 8-20 CN Astralpool Sabadell (1-6, 2-7, 0-4, 5-3)
Catalunya: M. Terre, C. Ball, C. Diaz 3, O. Tarrino, G, Bellido 1, B. Pascual 1, P. Sanchez 1, M. Martinez, C. Leonard 1, S. Diaz 1, O. Sousa, J. Frigola, H. Perez
Sabadell: L.Ester, M. Ortiz 1, P. Leiton 3, A. Prados 3, M. Serrano, I. Casado 1, E. Ruiz 2, M. Garcia 3, J. Forca 1, B. Ortiz 3, N. Perez 1, I. Gonzalez 2, M. Carrasco
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