In the Netherlands, the semi-finalists are known in the highest women’s water polo league: UZSC, ZV De Zaan, Polar Bears and GZC Donk qualified for the last four teams to compete for the national championship. In the quarterfinals (best-of-three), all four dealt in two matches with their opponent. The men are far from the play-offs. They played a regular round.
Women
GZC Donk had the hardest time to reach the semis. Opponent ZVL-1886 forced a penalty shootout series twice, but GZC Donk was slightly cooler on both Friday and Saturday. ZVL-1886 got off to a good start in Gouda on Friday. After four goals from ZVL, GZC Donk only scored for the first time at the end of the first period. That gave the team such a boost that the roles were reversed in the second period and the score was tied (5-5). In the third period, the home team continued to run to 8-6. But in the last period ZVL came up again to 9-9 and dragged out a penalty shootout. A day later, GZC Donk had a comfortable margin Leiden for a long time; at the beginning of the third period, Kayleigh Schonewille made it 2-7 and GZC Donk went into the last period with still a calming lead (5-8). But then the catching up of ZVL-1886 began. In the last minute Esmee Roijen made it 10-10 out of a quick man-up and again it was decided by penalty throws. Just like Friday, GZC Donk did just that slightly better.
UZSC had no trouble with Het Ravijn (11-7) on Friday. A day later it was a lot more exciting in Nijverdal. The home team was in little less than the team of Joachim de Ruijsscher, only UZSC was more accurate in front of the goal. On Saturday, the decision came just at the end of the match. After Charlotte Mensink (2x) and Lieke Schokker had initially brought Het Ravijn from 4-6 to 7-7, the strong playing Sam Jutte secured the victory with two goals in a row: 7-8.
ZV De Zaan and Polar Bears had nothing to fear from their opponents in the quarterfinals. ZV De Zaan won twice easily against PSV (22-3 and 4-16) and also Polar Bears defeated De Ham twice without much effort (17-10 and 6-12).
Men
De Ham and ZPB pushed BZC deeper into trouble this weekend. The team from Borculo had the chance to regain some of their flair against both teams, but BZC barely got involved in Krommenie and Barendrecht. On Friday it was a clear win for the lower ranked De Ham (19-11) and on Saturday ZPB was clearly the better (19-6).
Het Ravijn is still in the running to finish the regular season in third place. On Saturday, Polar Bears was defeated with 13-7. A day later, Het Ravijn was too strong for ZPB in a goal-rich game: 18-15. It was a hard-fought victory for Het Ravijn. Only after Jorn Muller’s 13-11 in the third period Het Ravijn ran out a bit.
PSV showed its good side. On Saturday they lost against title candidate ZV De Zaan with an acceptable score (5-9) and on Sunday they were supreme against SVH. In Eindhoven it was 14-7 for the home team. The day before, SVH had already encountered a major defeat. Against GZC Donk it became 21-8.
UZSC easily won against Waterpolo Den Haag (12-3). Only after Gies Wijnhoven’s 11-1 in the third period The Hague wake up. Much too late, of course, to offer UZSC a serious match. Leader AZC and number 7 ZPC Amersfoort also had an easy afternoon. They won on Saturday against ZVL-1886 (13-20) and De Ham (15-6).
Eredivisie Women
Quarterfinals
Friday 4 March
UZSC – Het Ravijn: 11-7 (4-3, 3-1, 2-0, 2-3).
UZSC: Nerida Drewes 4, Kila van der Veen 2, Sam Jutte 1, Esther Scheij 1, Hanna Hogervorst 1, Lois den Ouden 1, Robin Jutte 1.
Het Ravijn: Lieke Schokker 2, Nina Scholten 2, Margreet ter Schure 1, Pien Gorter 1, Susan de Vries 1.
ZV De Zaan – PSV: 22-3 (7-0, 3-1, 5-1, 7-1).
ZV De Zaan: Maxine Schaap 6, Takyiwa Sam 5, Lieke Rogge 3, Danique Sap 3, Bente Rogge 2, Sigrid Vleeshakker 2, Yara Galjé 1.
PSV: Annelot van Rooijen 2, Eline Bekkers 1.
Polar Bears – De Ham: 17-10 (6-6, 5-1, 3-1, 3-2).
Polar Bears: Lola Moolhuijzen 5, Storm Willemsen 5, Fleurien Bosveld 3, Nina van de Geijn 2, Lotte van Wingerden 1, Laura Schinkel 1.
De Ham: Amy Rozemeijer 3, Lizette Rozeboom 2, Femke Ritman 2, Marije Hekhuis 1, Rianne Stam 1, Regina van t Veer 1.
GZC Donk – ZVL-1886: 14-13 (1-4, 4-1, 3-1, 1-3, 5-4).  Â
GZC Donk: Kahly Kruisinga 3, Saskia Vos 3, Isabella van Toorn 2, Sabine Bergsma 2, Sanne Keijzer 1, Gaby van Dijk 1, Yente de Zwaan 1, Daphne Verhulst 1.
ZVL-1886: Duchanka Kammerman 4, Laura Roels 3, Renée de Kleer 2, Nikki Meijer 1, Noha Zwiers 1, Anna Pauli 1, Jolijn Joor 1.
Saturday 5 March
Het Ravijn – UZSC: 7-8 (2-0, 2-3, 0-3, 3-2).
Het Ravijn: Charlotte Mensink 3, Lieke Schokker 2, Nina Scholten 1, Kari Ankone 1.
UZSC: Sam Jutte 4, Esther Scheij 3, Hanna Hogervorst 1.
PSV – ZV De Zaan: 4-16 (1-5, 1-3, 1-4, 1-4).
PSV: Annelot van Rooijen 1, Nian van der Beek 1, Eline Bekkers 1, Alex Schouten 1.
ZV De Zaan: Maxine Schaap 6, Bente Rogge 4, Sigrid Vleeshakker 2, Takyiwa Sam 1, Yara Galjé 1, Marit van Tol 1, Danique Sap 1.
De Ham – Polar Bears: 6-12 (2-4, 0-2, 2-3, 2-3).
De Ham: Regina van t Veer 2, Amy Rozemeijer 2, Rhea Damianos 1, Roza Helmstrijd 1.
Polar Bears: Lola Moolhuijzen 2, Storm Willemsen 2, Laura Schinkel 2, Fleurien Bosveld 2, Jasmijn Dikmans 1, Silvanne Slot 1, Nina van de Geijn 1, Nienke Vermeer 1.
ZVL-1886 – GZC Donk: 12-14 (1-3, 1-3, 3-2, 5-2, 2-4).
ZVL-1886: Anna Pauli 3, Esmee Roijen 2, Jolijn Joor 2, Duchanka Kammerman 2, Renée de Kleer 2, Nikki Meijer 1.
GZC Donk: Anouk Vermeulen 3, Isabella van Toorn 3, Sabine Bergsma 3, Gaby van Dijk 2, Kayleigh Schonewille 1, Kayly Kruisinga 1, Saskia Vos 1.
Eredivisie Men
Friday 4 March
De Ham – BZC: 19-11 (4-4, 6-3, 4-3, 5-1).
De Ham: Kjeld Gravesteijn 6, Tom Geestman 5, Gino de Groot 2, Tim Groenendijk 1, Floris vant Veer 1, Florian Lukas 1, Vince Plouvier 1, Hamish Booker 1, Sjoerd Beets 1.
BZC: Filip Kljajevic 4, Frank Groot Kormelinck 3, Adam Tamas 2, Dynand Muller 1, Dorian Lukacs 1.
Saturday 5 March
PSV – ZV De Zaan: 5-9 (0-2, 1-1, 3-4, 1-2).
PSV: Niels van den Hout 2, Levy Kort 1, Wessel Brands 1, Mees Schouten 1.
ZV De Zaan: Pascal Janssen 3, Don Rempt 2, Angelo Corver 2, Phil Brantjes 1, Casper van der Struijk 1. Â
ZPC Amersfoort – De Ham: 15-6 (4-1, 3-3, 5-1, 3-1).
ZPC Amersfoort: Max van der Werve 5, Gergely Palotas 2, Jort van der Werve 2, Mark Siewers 2, Sebastiaan van Mil 1, Milan Borcsok 1, Jaime Bertus 1, Dominic van de Bunt 1.
De Ham: Floris vant Veer 3, Reinier van t Veer 1, Tom Geestman 1, Florian Lukas 1.
ZVL-1886 – AZC: 13-20 (4-2, 3-8, 3-5, 3-5).
ZVL-1886: Stan van Ruiten 3, Attila Kincses 3, David Spijker 2, Jasper Haasnoot 2, David Voorvelt 1, Lars van Nobelen 1, Ruben van Vierzen 1.
AZC: Jesse Nispeling 5, Jacoppo Mandolini 3, Lars Reuten 3, Milos Filipovic 2, Nathan de Zwaan 2, Robin Lindhout 2, Tim Reuten 1, Jort Stienstra 1, Thomas Glansdorp 1.
Het Ravijn – Polar Bears: 13-7 (5-1, 1-3, 3-1, 4-2).
Het Ravijn: Emiel Wouters 5, Yoran Loos 3, Lars Gottemaker 2, Jorn Muller 1, Ivar Schilstra 1, Thijmen Karel 1.
Polar Bears: Kas te Riele 2, Sam Kunz 2, Guus Wolswinkel 1, Sander Roels 1, Tijn Slings 1.
GZC Donk – SVH: 21-8 (7-3, 5-1, 4-3, 5-1).
GZC Donk: Stan van den Heuvel 6, Guus van Yperen 4, Quint van den Heuvel 4, Mart van der Weijden 2, Tijs Schouwerwou 2, Cas Westerwoudt 2, Rick Terlouw 1.
SVH: Kerem Gemalmazoglu 2, Laszlo Balasz Nagy 1, Gergo Bernula 1, Mathijs Haksteen 1, Sven Nieuwstraten 1, Menno Venema 1, Unknown 1.
ZPB – BZC: 19-6 (5-1, 1-2, 4-2, 9-1).
ZPB: Maurice Dentro 4, Petar Filipovic 4, Ton van der Velden 4, Jari Krijgsman 3, Onno Kuller 2, Tom van der Veen 1, Eleftherios Chelioudakis 1.
BZC: Dynand Muller 3, Filip Kljajevic 2, Frank Groot Kormelinck 1. Â
UZSC – Waterpolo Den Haag: 12-3 (4-1, 5-0, 2-1, 1-1).
UZSC: Joep de Jong 3, Bram van den Bersselaar 3, Flemming Kastrop 3, Tom ten Wolde 1, Hugo de Vrije 1, Gies Wijnhoven 1.
Waterpolo Den Haag: Koen Heiden 2, Bart Turk 1.
Sunday 6 March
Het Ravijn – ZPB: 18-15 (6-3, 4-5, 4-4, 4-3).
Het Ravijn: Yoran Loos 5, Bas ter Brake 4, Jorn Muller 3, Jorrit Aanstoot 2, Lars Gottemaker 2, Emiel Wouters 2.
ZPB: Petar Filipovic 4, Ton van der Velden 3, Kevin van Baarle 2, Onno Kuller 2, Marco Booij 1, Sven Silvis 1, Tom van der Veen 1, Michael de Kreek 1.
PSV – SVH: 14-7 (4-1, 0-1, 6-2, 4-3).
PSV: Niels van den Hout 3, Quint Pijnenburg 3, Wessel Brands 2, Melle Evers 2, Tijn Ritman 2, Levy Kort 1, Stijn Simons 1.
SVH: Rudolf Cvanciger 3, Tomas Kostelnik 2, Sven Nieuwstraten 1, Unknown 1. Â
1 AZC 21-54
2 ZV De Zaan 22-52
3 Polar Bears 21-46
4 Het Ravijn 21-45
5 UZSC 21-43
6 GZC Donk 20-39
7 ZPC Amersfoort 21-39
8 ZVL-1886 22-28
9 ZPB 21-18
10 De Ham 18-14
11 BZC 19-13
12 Waterpolo Den Haag 21-13
13 PSV 22-13
14 SVH 20-4
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