Pinoké ends unbeaten run by Den Bosch

Pinoké - Den Bosch 3-2
Pinoké pulled off a stunt by winning 3-2 against brand-new European champions Den Bosch at the Amsterdamse Bos. Thanks to this victory, the home team qualified for the play-offs for the first time in history and ended the reigning national champion's impressive run of sixty unbeaten matches after 953 days. Frédérique Matla put Den Bosch ahead early via a penalty corner, bringing her season total to 19 goals. 

In the second quarter, Joosje Burg doubled the margin, but even before half-time, Maria Steensma brought Pinoké back into the game. Imke Verstraeten became the matchwinner in the third quarter, first scoring the equaliser with a penalty corner and then taking the decisive penalty stroke. The win is extra special for Pinoké, as it is the very first victory over Den Bosch in 48 Hoofdklasse meetings. It is also the fourth victory in a row for the team from the Amsterdamse Bos, taking their unbeaten run to six games.

Kampong - Amsterdam 2-2
Amsterdam will have to wait at least another week to qualify for the play-offs after the team came up short of a 2-2 draw against Kampong at De Klapperboom. With two league games to go, the difference between the two teams remains five points. The Amsterdammers started strongly and took the lead as early as the fifth minute through Michelle Fillet. When Fiona Morgenstern scored the 0-2 five minutes later, victory seemed within reach. 

However, Kampong showed resilience and reduced the deficit before the end of the first quarter through a penalty corner by Guusje Moes. After half-time, Bente van der Veldt completed the comeback by scoring the equaliser in the third quarter. Amsterdam had another great chance to win after all, but a penalty stroke by Agustina Gorzelany was turned away by Kampong goalkeeper Babette Beckers. The draw means Kampong remain unbeaten against Amsterdam for the fourth time in a row.

SCHC - HGC 6-1
SCHC won convincingly over HGC 6-1 in Bilthoven on Sunday, extending its unbeaten run in the Tulp Hoofdklasse to 12 matches. Maud van den Heuvel opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute, on a pass from Xan de Waard, who delivered two more assists later in the match. Trijntje Beljaars extended the lead by scoring twice, giving SCHC a comfortable 3-0 going into the break. In the third quarter, Van den Heuvel further increased the margin by cashing in on a penalty corner. 

Although Valentina Raposo came back with a penalty corner on behalf of HGC, Yibbi Jansen - with her nineteenth goal of the season - and Pien Dicke secured the big win for SCHC. With that, SCHC remains the dominant side in the mutual meetings: HGC has now been waiting for a win against the team from Bilthoven for fifteen games. For HGC, the defeat also meant the end of a three-match winless streak.

HDM - Rotterdam 2-2
In an exciting matches in The Hague, HDM and Rotterdam shared the points: 2-2. For HDM, it meant a welcome break from a run of five consecutive home defeats, while Rotterdam ended seven consecutive losses away from home. The home team started strongly and took the lead as early as the seventh minute thanks to Imme van Es. 

However, Rotterdam showed resilience and equalised in the second quarter through a penalty stroke scored by Julie van Dam. After half-time, Van Dam, again from the penalty spot, even gave Rotterdam the lead with her second goal of the afternoon. However, the visitors' joy was short-lived: Margot van Hecking Colenbrander equalised just two minutes later from a penalty corner, which also turned out to be the final score. The draw keeps HDM two points ahead of Rotterdam in the Tulp Hoofdklasse.

Oranje-Rood - Hurley 2-1
Oranje-Rood recorded an important 2-1 victory over Hurley thanks to two goals by Janneke van de Venne. With this win, the Eindhoven players climb from tenth to the safe ninth place in the Tulp Hoofdklasse, at the expense of HDM. Hurley took the lead early in the match when Fleur Loomans scored the opening goal in the fourth minute. 

The home team did not let up and quickly came alongside. Van de Venne provided the equaliser in the 11th minute. In the last quarter, Van de Venne scored the winning goal. With these two goals, she brings her season total to four goals. The victory gives Oranje-Rood a one-point lead over HDM on the league table with two games to go. Hurley suffered its second defeat in a row.

Huizen - Tilburg 1-1
The second meeting between Huizen and Tilburg in the Tulp Hoofdklasse ended in a 1-1 draw on Sunday. With that, Huizen postponed relegation for at least another week. The home team took a point at home against Tilburg: after half-time Iris Dominicus brought the visitors into the lead, but in the closing stages Sam Luttmer equalised from the penalty spot. It was only the second goal for Huizen in its last seven home games. 

Moments earlier, Mikki Schaap had had the chance to bring Huizen alongside, but her penalty stroke was stopped by Tilburg goalkeeper Ingeborg Dijkstra. For Tilburg, the draw meant the first point after four consecutive defeats. Despite the draw, relegation is only a matter of time for Huizen, with tough matches against Den Bosch and Amsterdam ahead.