The women played last weekend the first round of the KNZB Cup. This weekend, their regular season begins. Let's take a look ahead!
Opening Weekend
In the season opener, Polar Bears have a bye. The women of PSV, coached by Danny Raaijmakers, will face the revamped GZC Donk. Reigning champion ZV De Zaan will host the ladies from Het Ravijn, who narrowly missed advancing in two Cup matches against UZSC. The Utrecht team led by Hans Blikslager will play at home against De Ham, who finished seventh in the regular season last year. On Sunday, the Zaan team will play their second match of the weekend, visiting ZVL-1886.
Title Contenders Expectations
Reigning champions ZV De Zaan and runner-up Polar Bears face serious competition for the title from GZC Donk. The Gouda team had a challenging last season with only two wins and finishing last in the Eredivisie.
With the arrival of international players Sabrina van der Sloot and Maartje Keuning (both Sabadell), Brigitte Sleeking (Vouliagmeni), Marit van der Weijden (Mediterani), Sarah Buis (UZSC), and Vivian Sevenich (CN Mataró), Erik Brugue's team is the team to beat in the Eredivisie. Sevenich extensively explained her motivations in this article.
In the Ede team, key player Lola Moolhuijzen departed. Fleurien Bosveld showed during the KNZB Super Cup and Champions League qualifications that she is an indispensable force for coach Petros Doudesis' team. Before the KNZB Super Cup, Polar Bears captain Iris Wolves and ZV De Zaan captain Lieke Rogge looked ahead to the season.
With the European placements in the Champions League (GZC Donk and Polar Bears) and the Euro Cup (ZV De Zaan), the question remains on how the additional matches will affect performance in the Eredivisie.
Competing for Playoffs
UZSC and ZVL-1886 women finished third and fourth, respectively, in the regular season last year. The Leiden team has a new experienced coach Niels Joor leading them. He saw four regular players retire and leave. Several talented players, with whom he was an under-17 national champion in the past, have joined the team.
Together with, among others, Olympic champion Biurakn Hakhverdian as assistant coach, the return of Esmée Kraaibeek from Gouda, and goalkeeper and captain Janieke Oosting, Joor is looking forward to a great season.
