SCHC and Den Bosch have taken the initial advantage in the Dutch women’s playoffs as they won Thursday night battles against AH&BC Amsterdam and hdm, respectively. 

SCHC took the laurels in their first of three potential meetings this week, edging out Amsterdam at the Wagener Stadium. Laurien Leurink’s classy individual goal put them one up with 17 minutes to go before Sabine Plönissen’s much-debated penalty corner shot equalised with seven minutes to go.

In the shoot-out, though, SCHC won out 3-0 with Yibbi Jansen, Kyra Fortuin and Anna de Geus all scoring while goalkeeper Alexandra Heerbaart completed a clean sheet.

The two sides meet in game two on Saturday in Bilthoven with a win for SCHC putting them through to the final and will earn them an EHL ticket. An Amstedam win sends the series to a Sunday decider.

For Den Bosch, they eventually broke through with two goals in quick succession in the fourth quarter. It was a game filled with chances before Imme van der Hoek volleyed in a corner rebound after Sanne Koolen’s sweep shot bounced up high for her.

And then, a minute later, Joosje Burg scrambled in from close range to make it 2-0 and record a first win from this best of three series.

Like the other semi-final, they will play game two of their series on Saturday with a Den Bosch victory putting them through while a hdm success would send the series to a third game.