PKC win 18‑24 at Unitas after seven goals in a row

In a well-filled Sypel in Harderwijk, Unitas played their first home match of the season. It was also the evening on which mascot Uno de Eekhoorn made his debut.

A week earlier PKC beat KZ 24‑17, while Unitas lost 32‑18 at Fortuna. "Fortuna also just shot really incredibly well from outside", Unitas coach Erik van Brenk said about that.

Mark Kreikamp started for Unitas, after a year outside the squad. Van Brenk said beforehand that Kreikamp "also brings a bit of calm and clarity, also to the other players".

Read more: Meike van Hout chose mixed korfball because she "wanted to become world champion"

Van Brenk made a substitution right at the start: Meike van Hout came on to defend Rosalie Peet, Renee Havenaar moved to the other zone. "We really start with full defending, putting pressure on", he said. "Trying to push them outside and force long shots."

Lynn Bijkerk and Moniek van Renselaar had just returned from China, where they played beach korfball. PKC, with coaches Mady Tims and Johannis Schot, started with Olav van Wijngaarden, Niels Stuurstraat, Zita Schröder and Rosalie Peet in one zone and Arjen van Houwelingen, Jorien Jordaan, Brett Zuijdwegt and Jana Driesprong in the other.

Unitas start with 4‑1

Havenaar opened the scoring with a long shot. Jana Driesprong scored the first for PKC: 2‑1. Unitas led 4‑1 in the 6th minute, with two goals from Femke Faber and a penalty from Mike van Boven.

PKC came back with four goals in a row and took the lead in the 15th minute through Stuurstraat: 4‑5. Kreikamp then converted a penalty for 5‑5.

At 6‑7 PKC brought on Bo Oppe for Stuurstraat. Faber made it 7‑7 from a free pass, in the 19th minute. It was her third goal and the last time the scores were level in the match.

Seven in a row for PKC

From 7‑7 PKC scored seven goals in a row. Oppe scored 7‑10 in that run, and just before half-time Jordaan put the half-time score of 7‑12 on the board.

After half-time Zuijdwegt stayed in the dressing room. Fabiënne van Erk took her place and immediately made it 7‑13. After a penalty from Schröder it was 7‑14 in the 28th minute.

Unitas responded with three goals in a row, the last a long shot from Bijkerk: 10‑14 in the 34th minute.

Unitas got no closer. At 10‑16 they brought on Jort Wiegersma for Kris Boere, and Wiegersma scored 11‑16.

PKC then pulled away with three goals in a row to 11‑19 in the 39th minute. In the 45th minute it was 12‑21, the biggest margin of the match.

Matté Lipke only scored his first goal in the 47th minute. He then scored twice more, including the last goal of the match: 18‑24.

Nine scorers for PKC

Van Houwelingen was the top scorer of the match with five goals. PKC spread the goals over nine players. For Unitas, Faber scored four.

Jordaan and Van Wijngaarden each scored four goals for PKC.

Unitas converted four penalties, PKC two.

Faber was voted player of the match. "A bit of a difference in quality does show then, I think", she said about the second half.

For the next match she asked for patience: "I think we really have to be patient, be able to play well and also dare to shoot later in the shot clock." "I'm a bit more relaxed, I enjoy it more", she said about the difference from last year.

"You know, Unitas away is always a tough match", said Van Houwelingen. "Fortunately we loosened up a bit more as the match went on", he also said. "I did have the feeling that we had enough control, also in the pressing and in putting pressure on." He described his role like this: "Facilitating. Wherever I'm needed."

What's next

Unitas host DOS '46 on Saturday 21 November at 20:15. PKC play at LDODK the same evening at 18:30.

PKC won the previous meeting, in February, 30‑14 at home.