Image: LanzaroteDeportiva
Puerto del Carmen and Logroño Sporting La Rioja arrived tied on points to the last day of the competition and with one of the places to play the promotion phase at stake. The Tiñoseras needed the victory and a stumble of the Riojan team to take the position. Puerto del Carmen did their homework in a comfortable victory against Aiala Azarautz KE and the surprise from La Rioja never came. The third position achieved by Puerto del Carmen in group B of the Women's Silver Division should not tarnish the excellent season made by the Lanzarote team, fighting until the last day for the promotion phase.
The first minutes of the match were tentative. The two teams studied each other on the court, exchanging goals and without managing to mark wide differences on the scoreboard. It was Puerto del Carmen who enjoyed the first advantages, keeping the Basque team of Aiala Zarautz KE at bay. The Tiñoseras needed a great ball circulation to open the closed defense of Aiala Zarautz.
Puerto del Carmen tightened in defense and imprinted speed to their attacking game, which would allow them to open the difference in the score as the minutes passed. The Tiñoseras were not successful in attack, failing many of the attacking actions, with shots to the posts or on the goalkeeper. Puerto del Carmen failed to take off on the scoreboard and even Aiala Zarautz tied the game with eight minutes left for the break (12-12).
The coach of Puerto del Carmen requested a time-out, to break the dynamics of the visiting team and try to get his team into the game. After the time-out requested by Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Santana, Puerto del Carmen achieved a 3-0 partial and went to the break with a three-goal advantage. At the conclusion of the first 30 minutes of the match, the score reflected 18 to 15 in favor of Puerto del Carmen.
The news coming from La Rioja was not as expected. Logroño Sporting La Rioja was winning their match with authority, so there was no other option than to have fun on the last day of the season and offer a new victory to the fans who had come to the stands of the Municipal Pavilion of Tías.
Zarautz changed their defensive system in this second part of the match, making a mixed defense on Rosa Álvarez. The Basques tried to stop one of the players who was doing the most damage to their defense. The ball circulation of Puerto del Carmen managed to pierce the defense of Zarautz.
The second half was a mere formality, with Puerto del Carmen adding a comfortable victory against Aiala Zarautz KE. At the conclusion of the match, the score reached 37 to 29. A victory that serves to dismiss an exciting season for the squad of CB Puerto del Carmen, fighting at all times for the dream of playing the promotion phase to the Division of Honor. The Tiñoseras finish the regular season in third place, tied on points with the second classified. The goal average against Logroño Sporting La Rioja deprives Puerto del Carmen of playing the promotion phase.
Technical Sheet
CB Lanzarote Puerto del Carmen (37): Paula Santana, María Sánchez (12), María Cedrés (2), Kenia Hernández (5), Lourdes Alonso (1) and Atteneri Morales (10) –initial team- Andrea Armas, Eva Morales (1), Lucía Betancort (1), Paula González, Nereida Montelongo (2) and Natalia Guadalupe (1). Coach: Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Santana
Aiala Zarautz KE (27): Maider Collantes, Nerea Arregui (9), Irati Eizaguirre, Maialen Fernández (1), Ainhoa Granado (3), Yone de la Maza (1) and Eider Uria (1) –initial team- Ane Merketegui (5), Araitz Urtiaga (4), Ainhoa Arruti, Maitale Iruretagoyena, Mireia Aizpuru (2) and Maitale Fernández (3). Coach: Luis Ujembarrena
Partials every 5 minutes: 2-2, 6-4, 10-7, 11-9, 15-12, 18-15 (break) 20-17, 23-19, 26-21, 28-24, 33-26, 37-29 (final)
Referees: Andrés Martín and Víctor Navarro, from the Canary Islands Committee. They excluded Eva Morales (1) and Atteneri Morales (1) for Puerto del Carmen and Nerea Arregui (2) and Ainhoa Granado (1) for Aiala Zarautz KE
Incidents: Municipal Pavilion of Tías, about 100 spectators. Match corresponding to the 18th day of group B of the Women's Silver Division of Handball.
