MOL Women's National Water Polo League I: Finalists tuned up with straightforward victories
In the last round of the year, neither team made a mistake among the participants of the BENU Hungarian Cup final: Fradi, UVSE, and Dunaújváros all scored twenty goals or more, while BVSC also won convincingly - and on Friday-Saturday, the big four will play against each other for the trophy.
FTC-Telekom started the march on Friday in Tatabánya: it was clear from the start that the league leader would finish this year's stage with a perfect 10/10 record. Despite giving opportunities to several young players and resting key players, the greens started with a 0-6 run in the first nine minutes and eventually scored 21 goals, marking the second time this season they scored over 20 goals.
On Saturday, UVSE rolled over KSI, reproducing almost the same result as in their first match of the season (since this round marks the opening of the second half of the regular season) - they won 20-5 just like they did on October 9. Kata Hajdu was particularly in form, closing with six goals, which means she scored more than the whole KSI team, who attempted only 14 shots (with 13 on target).
Dunaújváros didn't hold back against Szentes either, the team from the Kurca shore once seen better days also conceded 21 goals, just like in the opening round, but at least this time they managed to score 7, as opposed to only four goals back in October. Despite the shot ratio of 41-23 (on target: 31-16) reflecting overwhelming dominance for Dunaújváros, the 14-goal defeat might even be considered flattering for the visitors.
BVSC's visit to Szeged was a bit more exciting, as the hosts trailed the favorites for three quarters, standing 5-8 before the last quarter, then the railway team, playing in the Champions League, capitalized on extra-man situations with ruthless confidence (9/7) and eventually comfortably took home the three points with a 0-5 closing streak.
We will see the clubs in this year's Hungarian Cup final: they will play for the trophy at Szőnyi Street on Friday and Saturday, with UVSE-Dunaújváros and BVSC-FTC matchups in the semifinals.
MOL Women's National Water Polo League I, 10th Round
Tatabánya WWP–FTC-Telekom 5-21
Szegedi VE–BVSC-Manna ABC 5-13
Dunaújvárosi FVE–Valdor-Szentes 7-21
The DIGI-Eger–III. Ker. TVE match will be played later.
