UZSC-train continues to steam ahead
In matchday six and seven, all men's Water Polo teams were in action yesterday. Title contender UZSC secured their seventh consecutive victory and, just like ZV De Zaan, remains undefeated. ZPC Amersfoort drew with rivals ZPB H&L Productions, maintaining their unbeaten streak in the Eredivisie. Check the full standings and the schedule for the upcoming matchday. The matches between ZV De Zaan – BZ&PC and Het Ravijn – GZC Donk can be viewed via the livestream on the Eyecons platform.
UZSC – PSV 15-11 (4-4, 6-7, 11-8, 15-11)
In the seventh match of the season, UZSC's men continued their unbeaten streak. Coach Sebastiaan Brands saw his team win 15-11 against PSV, the club he had managed in the past two seasons. PSV had the upper hand in the first half at De Krommerijn pool (7-9). However, in the second half, UZSC turned things around. With sharp counterattacks and converting man-up situations, the Utrecht team took a three-goal lead and reached 11-8. Robin Lindhout, who was on target early in the game, made it thrilling for PSV in the final part of the match. But Joep de Jong, the returning from injury Maximilian Molnar, and top scorer Andras Garancsy secured the victory for UZSC in the closing minutes. Brands and his team lead the top level of Dutch water polo with a perfect record after seven matches. Zaan is also undefeated but has played one game less. PSV sits seventh with seven points from seven matches.
ZPC Amersfoort – ZPB H&L Productions 14-14 (4-3, 7-7, 11-11, 14-14)
The current third-place team in the standings, ZPC Amersfoort, and fourth-place ZPB H&L Productions played out a draw on Saturday evening. Ton van der Velden scored the 14-14 equalizer for ZPB with 29 seconds left. ZPB's versatile center forward had opened the scoring (0-1). In the second quarter, ZPC Amersfoort, led by coach Mark Siewers, built a three-goal lead (6-3), but most of the game saw a close contest between the two teams. Max van de Werve and Thijmen Karel contributed significantly to Amersfoort's offense with four goals each. On the ZPB side, Jens Wijgers, Maurice Dentro, and Ton van der Velden each scored three times.
Het Ravijn – GZC Donk 6-18 (2-5, 4-9, 4-14, 6-18)
GZC Donk's water polo players put on a solid performance after their successful first round in the European Challenger Cup last week in Malta. Back on Dutch soil, coach Yuri Szeles' team defeated Het Ravijn 18-6. The vice national champions were already leading 9-4 at halftime. However, the Gouwenaren did not let up. From a strong defensive position, led by goalkeeper Joran Westerveld, the visitors extended their lead on the scoreboard. Het Ravijn struggled to penetrate their defense, with only Stan Schuring and Cas Legtenberg finding the net in the second half. Guus van Yperen led GZC Donk's scoring with four goals. Szeles' team converted all six penalty shots they received. Het Ravijn now stands sixth in the Eredivisie with twelve points from seven matches, while GZC Donk is fifth with the same points from six matches.
ZV De Zaan - BZ&PC 22-4 (6-0, 9-2, 17-2, 22-4)
The promoted team knew they were in for a tough match against the reigning champions. They were also missing four players due to suspensions and injuries. The Zaanse men took a 6-0 lead in the first period. BZ&PC played a decent second period, scoring twice. The home team maintained their rhythm and skillfully navigated towards the final score. 15-year-old Boris van Wijk made his debut for coach Andreas Mirales' team.
MNC Dordrecht - ZVL-1886 12-20 (2-5, 7-9, 11-12, 12-20)
In Dordrecht, Leiden took an early lead through Stan van Ruiten, extending it to 2-5 in the first period. Dordrecht put up a strong fight in the following two periods, coming level three times in the third quarter. However, in the last period, the visitors pulled away, turning an 11-12 scoreline into a comfortable victory.
Polar Bears - De Ham 9-10 (3-2, 5-5, 7-6, 9-10)
At De Peppel pool, the home team took the lead. Until the third period, the visitors struggled to break the deadlock in a balanced game. Tim Groenedijk gave De Ham the lead for the first time in the third quarter (5-6), but Polar Bears responded with two quick goals. The climax of the match came in the final moments, with De Ham scoring three consecutive goals, putting pressure on Edenaren to mount a late comeback. Kimi Christ’s 9-10 for Polar Bears also sealed the final score, keeping coach Kike Garcia's new club without points.
