HKC open Korfbal League 2 with 28‑21 against Mid-Fryslân

On Saturday 7 November, HKC played their first match of the indoor season in Het Dok in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, against Mid-Fryslân. Last season the team beat the Friezen twice.

HKC's goal is to return to the Korfbal League. Coach Wouter Blok kept it broader beforehand. "Well, we want to finish as high as possible", he said. "We have four new people on the court."

Lisa van Gorp, a Belgian international, played her first match for HKC and started, as did Sydney Schol, who came over from KCC, for the first time in a long time. Sven Advocaat was absent.

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"I just want to challenge for that top four", said Gerald Aukes, the coach of Mid-Fryslân. "I just want to make sure we get into the play-offs." He had to do without Jesper Tolsma, who was playing beach korfball in China. Niels Posma, who came over from LDODK, and Sabine Beuten are new to his team.

Klop starts, HKC pull away

Mark Klop scored the first goal from a penalty. After that it was level. Eveline Boonstra put Mid-Fryslân 1‑2 up and Matthijs Draaisma made it 2‑3, Klop made it 3‑3 and Resy Weijts 4‑4 from a penalty. Mirthe van Houten made it 5‑5.

Job Brouwer made it 6‑5, after which HKC pulled away. Lieke Kamsteeg made it 8‑5 and also 9‑5 from a free pass. At 10‑5 Mid-Fryslân took a time-out.

The Friezen immediately came back to within three goals, but HKC stayed ahead. Three minutes before half-time it was 13‑8.

Then it turned. Jennie Terpstra made it 13‑9, Anniek Ensing 13‑10 from a free pass and 13‑11 from a penalty. Richard Kunst made it 14‑11. HKC seemed set to go into half-time with a four-goal lead, but a minute before the break Mid-Fryslân scored two more: 15‑13.

"Then we keep Mid-Fryslân alive", Blok said afterwards. At 13‑8, according to him, his team actually started attacking faster. "And really you then have to bring the tempo down and wait for the good chance."

All balls to Weijts

At half-time Kamsteeg was told she had to move more on the inside, Blok said. Straight after the break she made it 16‑13 from a penalty. Jacco de Necker made it 16‑14. Mid-Fryslân then brought on Sabine Beuten for Ensing, and according to Blok this gave Kamsteeg more space.

The difference came from the other zone. Weijts stepped inside at the right moment and made it 17‑14. From the stands there were then calls for all balls to go to her, and she finished with six goals.

Blok felt she has been in form all season. "Then make use of it", he said. According to him, that did not happen automatically in Brouwer's zone: "It did take some coaching, but in the end they managed it."

Posma came on for De Necker, and shortly afterwards HKC led 19‑15. De Necker later returned in the other zone.

Closing stages for HKC

Martijn de Bruin made it 23‑17, but with four minutes on the clock it was 25‑19 and Mid-Fryslân called another time-out.

Klop scored two more goals in the closing stages. Beuten made it 27‑20 from a penalty. Isa Wolleswinkel, who had come on for Van Gorp, made it 28‑20 and Van Houten scored the final score, 28‑21, with half a minute left to play.

"No grip anymore"

"The first bit of the second half still went reasonably, but later we simply had no grip anymore", said Terpstra. Mid-Fryslân had set up to deal with HKC's two attacking men. "And yes, that went reasonably. Only then the women do indeed score too much, and the rebound men too."

Aukes saw enough to build on. "We defended well. In attack we have a bit more trouble", he said. On the many penalties: "HKC handled that more cleverly than we did."

Van Gorp was often blocked. "It was also really a search for me, because I had actually only played one match in this zone", she said. About her new club: "A very warm club."

"When you start a season it is super important to win the first one", he said.