Thüringer HC goes down in Ludwigsburg

The women's handball club Thüringer HC got off to a false start in the playoff semi-finals of the German league. The team of Head Coach Herbert Müller suffered a clear 23:37 (10:19) defeat at HB Ludwigsburg in the first game of the best-of-three series and so already faces elimination. Johanna Reichert was THC's best scorer with seven goals in front of 1,662 spectators and the team has the chance to level the series in front of a home crowd next Wednesday (7:30 p.m.). National player Xenia Smits stood out for Ludwigsburg with nine goals.

Six days after winning the European League title for the first time, the club from Thuringia looked tired and unfocused in Ludwigsburg. They only kept the game somewhat open in the scrappy opening spell, after which the home side produced a 5:1 run to take an 11:5 lead in the space of four minutes (15').

Thüringer HC weak in defense

They consistently punished the THC's weak retreat at high speed. In attack, the visitors' play suffered from the fact that Reichert hardly got a chance against HBL's attacking defense. In addition, Ludwigsburg goalkeeper Johanna Bundsen shone with twelve saves in the first half. As a result, the favorites had already pulled nine goals ahead by the break.

After the break, the club from Thuringia injected more dynamism into its attacking moves, but still found no defensive means against the brilliantly poised home side. Ludwigsburg produced a 4:0 run to make it 26:14 (40') early in the second half and did not let up until the end.