The Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote narrowly missed an extraordinary victory at the Florentino Ibáñez Pavilion, ultimately losing 24-23 against Elda Prestigio in the Match of the Day, broadcasted live on Teledeporte. The match was intensely competitive, with Juanmi Pérez’s side battling closely, but they suffered from too many turnovers and 12 penalty shots conceded.
Match Overview
The encounter began with constant back-and-forth. Brenda Roger opened the scoring, followed shortly by a penalty from Gleinys Reyes, which put Zonzamas ahead at 3-2. Goalkeeper Valentina Menucci shone from the start, saving two penalty shots in the first fifteen minutes, keeping Lanzarote in contention. However, nerves and turnovers began to creep in, allowing Elda to build momentum. The Alicante team managed to establish their first significant lead at 10-8, but the visitors didn’t back down. Following a counterattack from Marie Louis and a goal from Paula García, Zonzamas levelled the score at 12 by halftime.
Second Half Action
The second half started poorly for the Canary Islanders, as they suffered multiple consecutive turnovers, allowing the hosts to pull ahead by three goals at 17-14. The exclusion of Nahomi Márquez further complicated matters, yet the team regrouped after a timeout. With goals from Paula Fernández and Márquez, the Lanzarote side narrowed the gap to 17-16. Menucci, now with eight saves, helped the team stay in the game.
Climax of the Game
In the final moments, Zonzamas refused to give up. Even with Marie Louis—who had scored five goals—sitting out due to exclusion, the team kept their hopes alive through collective effort and a crucial save from Alicia Robles on another penalty. With four minutes remaining and trailing by two, the Lanzarote bench called for a timeout, leading to goals from Lorena Zarco and Reyes, equalising at 22-22 with two minutes left. The finale was dramatic. A penalty converted by Elda restored their lead, but Louis answered back with another penalty to equalise once more. As time expired, the referees awarded Elda another penalty. Malena Vallés, the standout performer of the match with ten goals, converted, sealing the victory for the Alicantinas at 24-23.
Concluding Thoughts
Zonzamas leaves Elda with the feeling of having fiercely contested the match against a challenging opponent and with the belief that addressing their turnovers will lead to better results in the future.
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.
Refereeing Details
The match was officiated by referees Cristina Martín Delgado and Libertad Martínez Schilling, who penalised Emiliana Heilmann (for 2 minutes at 2:24 and 4:18) and Paula Lluch (37:59) from Elda Prestigio. From CB Zonzamas Plus Car Lanzarote, Irene Botella (7:55), Nahomi Márquez (38:42 and 45:11), and Marie Louis (43:46) were also excluded.
Score Breakdown
Score sequences: 2-2, 5-6, 7-7, 8-8, 11-9, 12-12 (half-time); 14-14, 17-14, 18-16, 19-18, 22-20, 24-23 (final).
Additional Notes
This match was televised live as the Match of the Day by Teledeporte, held at the Florentino Ibáñez Pavilion.
