Yibbi Jansen produced a brilliant hat-trick to give SCHC a big victory over reigning champions Den Bosch to continue their excellent start to the women’s Hoofdklasse season.
It has given them the early season momentum as they share the lead with AH&BC Amsterdam and HDM at the top of the standings after two weeks.
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Given the style of the win, suggestions have already been made that this could be a potential breakthrough year for the Bilthoven club but Jansen is cautious about that idea.
“I wouldn’t call us favourites,” Jansen told hockey.nl. “People forget that Den Bosch still has a great team. Even now that they have lost three top players with Lidewij Welten (Kampong), Margot van Geffen (HGC) and Marloes Keetels (retired), there are still a lot of internationals in their line-up.
Den Bosch – SCHC 1-3
“It is not for us to make statements about who is the favourite to win the league title this season. We should show it with our play instead of with our mouth.”
“Of course we are happy with this victory but we want to be careful not to be too euphoric. The prizes are only distributed at the end of the season.”
Jansen opened the scoring in the first quarter with a powerful drag-flick but Den Bosch levelled via Maartje Krekelaar’s lovely deflection goal from another corner, 1-1 by half-time.
Jansen put her side back in the lead from play, her shot from the right of goal scrambled in off a defensive touch and the win was complete when Jansen netted from the penalty spot after her drag hit a body on the goal line.
Michelle Fillet’s double gave Amsterdam a strong win against tough opposition as they edged out HGC 3-2.
Mariona Serrahima’s close-range tip opened the scoring for HGC from the second wave after a corner. It was level before half-time when Felic Albers – recently nominated for the FIH Player of the Year – raced down the right wing to set up Fay van der Elst.
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They went in front early in the fourth quarter via Fillet with a sharp first time finish and then she swept home another within a minute, Albers once again the assister with a baseline cross.
Dirkie Chamberlain pulled one back with 10 minutes still to go following a defensive error but Amsterdam held on for an important win.
Elsewhere, HDM defeated Klein Zwisterland 3-1; Bloemendaal were 2-1 winners over Rotterdam; Tilburg beat Kampong 3-1 while Pinoké and Hurley tied 1-1.