Handball club E&O celebrated its 90th anniversary in Emmen on Saturday evening with a big party in the canteen. Both the men’s and women’s teams took action with varying degrees of success.
The handball players of the combination team Oosting E&O/Hurry-Up were too strong for the second of Volendam with 34-29. The women of Misker E&O were unable to repeat this success later in the party evening. Despite a strong second half, they came out on top 23-27.
The men of coach Martin de Hoop did not start the match against the much higher ranked Volendam 2. The visitors took a 7-13 lead. De Hoop brought in some other players, such as Sjoerd Grit in the E&O/Hurry-Up goal. In addition, the coach had access to Sverre Jansen, who normally plays for Hurry-Up’s main force in the BeNe League. But the player, who is returning from a serious injury, does not yet get much playing time for the Zwartemeers. That is why he was now available for the combination team of both clubs in the Premier League.
E&O/Hurry-Up is creeping closer point by point
The home team started to play better after the conversions in the match, which was free of charge due to the festivities. This led to E&O/Hurry-Up creeping closer point by point. Going into halftime, the visitors were only ahead 13-14.
Goalkeeper Grit became an increasing obstacle for the Volendam shooters in the second half. The match started to turn in favor of the people of Emmen and the Zwartemeers, who kept things tight at the back. After a 16-16 draw, circle player Wouter Grevink put E&O/Hurry-Up ahead. The game was then evenly matched again, with Volendam taking the lead, but the home team equalized again.
Very little is successful at Volendam 2
Only at 23-23 did E&O/Hurry-Up create a gap. The people of Emmen and Zwartemeer made the score 25-23 after a goal by captain Daan Molenbroek. Little was achieved by the visitors, so they soon found themselves behind 32-25. The game was over with five minutes to go. The victory could no longer escape E&O/Hurry-Up. Volendam occasionally did something back, but the home victory was a fact with 34-29 moments later.
In the women’s race, where Jan Gerald Mulder replaced the ill head coach Henrik Bergholt, the weak start suggested the worst. The players from Emmen were already 0-6 behind the much higher ranked Quintus from Kwintsheul within seven minutes. A major defeat was announced for E&O, which has not yet achieved a point in the Premier League and is in last place.
E&O handball players rights their backs after a weak start
But the injury-plagued home team, which also saw Alysa Korterink drop out with a knee injury, straightened out and did not want to simply be led to the slaughter. This led to a good second half in particular for E&O, which returned to the highest level this season after a five-year absence. From 11-16 at half time, the home team came close point by point in the second thirty minutes. The coverage was a lot better and Romy Stadens and Benthe de Haan scored important goals. Stadens, who has a fiery shot, became E&O’s top scorer with eight goals.
Handball players just lack a bit of luck and ingenuity
Fifteen minutes before the end, the handball players from Emmen fought to a 20-20 tie. It was Stadens who intercepted the ball in the opponent’s half, turned around and threw the ball behind the Quintus goalkeeper in one movement. After that, the home team just lacked the bit of luck and ingenuity to push through. That first E&O victory never came. Quintus took advantage of the Emmen team losing possession and took the lead 20-23 and 23-26. Judith van der Helm, who was Quintus’ top scorer with twelve goals, made the final score 23-27 for the team from Kwintsheul with a penalty.
Then the party could start in the canteen of the Angelslo sports hall.