Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote came close to achieving an incredible victory at the Florentino Ibáñez Pavilion but ultimately fell short, losing 24-23 to Elda Prestigio in the Match of the Day, broadcast live on Teledeporte. It was a fiercely contested encounter in which Juanmi Pérez’s team battled intensely but slipped due to several turnovers and 12 penalties awarded against them.

Match Overview

The match began with frequent lead changes. Brenda Roger opened the scoring, followed shortly by a penalty from Gleinys Reyes that put Zonzamas ahead (2-3). Goalkeeper Valentina Menucci excelled from the outset, saving two penalty shots during the first fifteen minutes, helping the Lanzarote side stay competitive. However, nerves and ball losses soon crept in, allowing Elda to take their first significant lead (10-8). Despite this, the visitors refused to back down: a counterattack from Marie Louis and a goal from Paula García brought Zonzamas to a 12-12 tie by halftime.

Second Half Struggles

The second half started poorly for the Canary team, with consecutive turnovers allowing the home side to pull ahead by three (17-14). The exclusion of Nahomi Márquez shortly after further complicated matters, but the team regrouped after a timeout. Goals from Paula Fernández and Márquez reduced the deficit to 17-16, with an inspired Menucci, who had made eight saves by then, keeping them in the game.

Final Moments

In the closing stages, Zonzamas never gave up. Despite the exclusion of Marie Louis – the team’s top scorer with five goals – the visitors remained competitive thanks to strong teamwork and a crucial save by Alicia Robles against another penalty. With just four minutes remaining and two goals down, the island bench called for a timeout and the team responded: Lorena Zarco scored to bring it to 22-21 before Reyes equalised in minute 58.

Heartbreaking Conclusion

The finale was cruel. A penalty converted by Elda restored their lead, but Louis levelled from the spot once again. In the dying moments, the referees awarded another seven-metre throw in favour of Elda. Malena Vallés, the standout player with ten goals, remained calm under pressure and sealed the victory for the home side at 24-23.

Looking Ahead

Zonzamas leaves Elda feeling they competed well against a challenging opponent, confident that by correcting their turnovers, future results will improve.

Technical Details

Elda Prestigio (24): Meriem Ezbida, Lucía García, Lora Sarandeva (1), Virginia Fernández Robles (1), Sol Azcune (1), Agda Rafaella Gonçalves (3), Malena Vallés (10), Emiliana Heilmann (2 min), Julia Terrado (1), Elena Cuadrado (1), María Rodríguez, Maddi Bengoetxea (2), Claudia Martínez (1), Paula Lluch (2 min), Marina González (2), Aitana Pastor (1).
Coach: José Ignacio Prades.

CB Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote (23): Valentina Menucci, Marie Louis (5, excl. 43’), Brenda Roger (2), Ingrid Roger, Gleinys Reyes (3), María Paula Fernández (3), Agustina López (1), Luna Vončina, Alicia Robles, Irene Botella (3, excl. 7’), Paula García (1), Nahomi Márquez (2, excl. 38’ and 45’), Claudia Kaulback (1), Daniela Jerónimo, Lorena Zarco (2), Mbongo Masseu.
Coach: Juan Miguel Pérez.

Referee Statistics

The match was officiated by referees Cristina Martín Delgado and Libertad Martínez Schilling, who issued two-minute penalties to Emiliana Heilmann (2:24 and 4:18) and Paula Lluch (37:59) for Elda Prestigio. For CB Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote, Irene Botella (7:55), Nahomi Márquez (38:42 and 45:11), and Marie Louis (43:46) received exclusions.

Score Progression

Partial scores: 2-2, 5-6, 7-7, 8-8, 11-9, 12-12 (halftime); 14-14, 17-14, 18-16, 19-18, 22-20, 24-23 (final).

Observations

The match was televised live as the Match of the Day by Teledeporte and held at the Florentino Ibáñez Pavilion.