Echeyde snatch shoot-out victory; play-off contenders all take maximum points

January 29, 2023

Clara Espar of Mediterrani. Photo: Sergi Crespi

Aragon was the place to be on matchday 13 in the Spanish women’s water polo league, as Tenerife faced the bottom-ranked Zaragoza in a nail-biting match that had a dramatic conclusion.

In the match of the week, the unconvincing looking Echeyde defeated Zaragoza in penalties after a thrilling 13-13 draw in normal time. Zaragoza missed two penalties in the sudden-death shoot-out, but they will regret not taking maximum points having led by two goals in the last quarter.

Closer to the epicentre of action in Catalonia, Sabadell won 20-6 against Rubi in their fifth consecutive game with 20 or more goals, led by Spanish scorers, while their title rivals they face next week, Mataro, won 27-5 against Boadilla courtesy of seven goals from Simone Van de Kraats and six scores from Rita Keszthelyi.

Sant Andreu and Mediterrani, who both currently occupy the 3rd and 4th play-off places respectively, both secured fairly routine victories over Sant Feliu and Catalunya respectively.

Terrassa were successful in the first leg of the Euro Cup against FTC Telekom, excusing their contest with Barceloneta for a few more weeks.

Astralpool Sabadell 20 – 6 CN Rubi (4-1, 5-1, 6-4, 5-0)

Sabadell: L. Ester, M. Ortiz, P. Leiton 4, S. Van der Sloot 3, M. Serrano 1, I. Casado, E. Ruiz 1, M. Garcia 3, J. Forca 2, B. Ortiz 2, N. Perez 1, I. Gonzalez 3, M. Carrasco

Rubi: E. Jimenez, I. Abril Onoro, C. Penalver, C. Abellan, M. Ungria 1, A. Rodriguez, L. Rion, C. Moreno 3, R. Prieto 1, J. Prados, E. Vesperinas, A. Trivino 1, M. Sampaio

Sabadell’s reign continues with a spectacular 20-6 victory over Rubi, marking their fifth consecutive game with 20 or more goals.

David Palma’s team was led by Spanish scoring sensations Paula Leiton, Maica Garcia, Irene Gonzalez, Bea Ortiz, and Judith Forca, who lit up the field with their unmatched skills.

At half-time, Sabadell held a commanding 9-2 lead and despite Rubi’s efforts to catch up in the third quarter, Sabadell’s defence was impenetrable, closing the game with a 5-0 shutout in the fourth.

Up next for Sabadell is a highly anticipated showdown with Mataro, who will be seeking revenge after their 16-9 defeat in November’s league meeting.

CN Mataro 27 – 5 CD Boadilla (7-2, 5-0, 9-1, 6-2)

Mataro: C. Palacios, A. Wu, L. Roca 2, J. Rovira, A. Hernandez, R. Bertran E. Castellanos 1, M. De Quinta, E. Prieto, L. Kocsis 1, C. Camaron, G. Gallinato 1, P. Quinones

Boadilla: E. Sanchez, S. Morell, S. Van de Kraats 7, A. Gual 1, L. Gil, R. Keszthelyi-Nagy 6, C. Cambray 2, C. Nogue 3, S. Avegno 3, Q. Bertran 1, R. Gurri 2, M. Claveria 2

Boadilla were at the mercy of two of the league’s top goal-scorers, as seven from Van de Kraats, and six from Keszthelyi guided Mataro’s 27-5 rout of Boadilla.

Van de Kraats netted one more than Keszthelyi today, but it’s the Hungarian summer signing who leads the scoring charts for the season, coincidently but a single score; Keszthelyi is on 54, and Van de Kraats is on 53.

Boadilla scored with their first attack, via Lidia Rocca, but that’s where the celebrations ended. Mataro netted the next seven to take a 7-2 lead after the first quarter. A second quarter blank from the Madrians ended the contest.

The real test for Mataro will be in their next game, as the latest instalment of the legendary Sabadell-Mataro saga is here.

CE Mediterrani 13 – 9 CN Catalunya (3-2, 3-1, 4-4, 3-2)

Mediterrani: I. Costa, A. Munoz 2, A. Crevier 2, A. Marcos 2, V. Bakoc 2, C. Rodriguez, L. Rodriguez, D. Moreno 2, M. Viladot, H. Dalmases 2, P. Crespi 1, L. Marsinach, G. Palm

Catalunya: M. Terre, C. Ball 1, C. Diaz 1, O. Tarrino, G. Bellido, B. Pascual 1, R. Schuijt 2, M. Martinez, C. Leonard, S. Diaz 1, M. Van Rijn 2, G. Ribo, H. Perez

Mediterrani were made to work against Catalunya, but came away with the points in a 13-9 victory for Marian Diaz’s team, who are starting to make the fourth spot in the league their own.

Medi rushed to a 3-0 lead (Crevier, Marcos and Moreno), but the hosts were pegged back by Catalunya, with Maartje Van Rijn netting within the last twenty seconds of the quarter (3-2).

And despite a second score from Catalunya’s Dutch sharpshooter, Mediterrani opened up a three-goal cushion at the half-time whistle, with Crevier adding her second, followed by a well-taken penalty from Verica Bakoc, and an extra-player conversion by Paula Crespi (6-3).

From there, Catalunya never closed the gap to less than three goals. Alba Munoz netted twice from centre-forward to Medi, while the Canadian left-hander Bakoc, and Spanish youngster, Moreno, both completed their braces (10-7).

A double score in the last eight minutes from Helena Dalmases sealed the game, despite late strikes for Catalunya from American Cassidy Ball, and Maria Martinez’s finish with 0:22 on the clock.

ESC Zaragoza 16 – 17 Tenerife Echeyde (2-6, 4-2, 4-1, 3-4, PSO: 3-4)

Zaragoza: I. Moreno, A. Escolano 1, M. Herera 1, I. Betran 2, A. Sarinena 1, N. Coloma, N. Manero 3, I. Grima, R. Fernandez, S. Burgos 1, L. Gomez Lopez 2, J. Tazueco 5, S. Betran

Tenerife: J. Gaudreault, M. Sagrera, C. Rios 2, B. McDowell, E. Dominguez, J. Rodriguez 1, E. Heloise 1, J. Bennasar, M. Ramos 4, E. Alcon 5, E. Nicholson 4, A. Sanchez, F. Perez

Tenerife Echeyde needed penalties to ensure victory over bottom of the table Zaragoza, who were agonisingly close to securing their first win of the season.

There were sublime performances on both sides; Julia Tazueco netted four vital goals in normal time, in addition to her penalty-shoot-out penalty. Elena Alcon, Maria Ramos and Emily Nicholson, three of Tenerife’s top players this season, were all equally as influential.

With the teams tied at 13-13 after regulation time after a rollercoaster of a match, the new rules since the start of the season dictate that there must be a winner.

Tenerife held their nerve in the shoot-out, although initially both sides missed their first penalties (Herrera for Zaragoza, Pirat for Tenerife). It was Andrea Moya Escolano that later missed Zaragoza’s second penalty, which proved costly.

Despite a strong start from the visiting team, who lead 5-1 in the first (Ramos 2, Pirat, Alcon, Nicholson), Zaragoza really fought back well over the next eight minutes, before two scores from Julia Tazueco late in the third gave Paula Esteban’s team a 10-9 lead heading into the final quarter.

Zaragoza had a two-goal lead with their first attack of the fourth quarter to put the score at 11-9. Both sides netted not long after (12-10), but a last-quarter hat-trick from Elena Alcon turned the tables once more, with Julia Tazueco’s goal inside the final two minutes sending the game to penalties, which Echeyede ultimately won.

CN Sant Andreu 14 – 6 CN Sant Feliu (2-3, 5-1, 5-1, 2-1)

Sant Andreu: A. Lorca, Z. Lahoz, N. Perez, Q. Boixadera 2, G. La Farre Colominas 2, H. Shabb 1, M. Cordobes 1, E. Lemay-Lavoie 1, I. Martinez, T. Prentice 1, M. Palacio 3, A. Ruiz 3, M. Terre

Sant Feliu: N. Trojan, J. Soler, M. Bargallo 1, A. Temprano, B. Goset, L. Herrera 1, M. Gomez 1, M. Manchego 1, I. Almeda, J. Panicello 2, L. Hidalgo, J Figueroa, P. Carilla

In Pegaso, Sant Andreu defeated Sant Feliu with little difficulty, prevailing 14-6.

Despite a hiccup in the first quarter in which they trailed 3-0 (Panicello 2, Bargallo), Andreu regained their composure in the remaining twenty-four minutes and appeared quite sharp.

Four consecutive goals in the second period gave them a 7-4 halftime lead (Cordobes, Lemay-Lavoie, Prentice, and Ruiz). Another 5-1 quarter all but secured the result for Andreu ahead of the match after a null last quarter.

Sant Andreu is looking really good so far this season, and third place does not flatter them at this stage. With the Copa de Reina to play next month, Javi Aznar will hope his side has the endurance to secure a play-off place and a European spot for the next campaign.

Andreu will hope not to be troubled when travelling to Barceloneta next week, while Feliu will travel to the Canary Islands for their next game.