Sunday night round six o’clock the principle subject of Tilburg was Amsterdam territory for a second. Everybody and every little thing with a Hurley coronary heart was delirious with pleasure after the crew from the capital maintained its place within the massive league. Hjalmar Voskuil made the successful shoot-out in a weird collection wherein hardly any targets had been scored. ‘I went in that course with buckling knees.’
They had been pleasant scenes on the finish of a grueling weekend. Hurley’s males walked honorary rounds previous the various Amsterdam supporters. Afterwards stormed their teammate Voskuil and that different hero, goalie Chris Combe, who stepped in through the shoot-outs. One after the other, the frenzied Hurleyans jumped on one another. The pile acquired larger and better.
Then adopted a crew photograph. As if they’d develop into champions. And one other. And one other. Captain Lex Tump nearly missed it as a result of he was speaking to the viewers. With an amazing dash – the final of the exhausting season – he joined the crew and high hockey administrator Hanna Kernkamp, who ran like a real fan in Indra Aerts’ shirt.
So it was outright celebration at Hurley after that miraculous afternoon. In it, just like the day earlier than, it was 2-3, however this time of their favor. A day with three targets in a minute and a half within the scrumptious final quarter. With fourteen shoot-outs, the primary eight of which had been all missed or caught. It was bizarre, weird and at occasions barely maintaining. Additionally for gold medalist Voskuil.
Tense pleasure for Voskuil after his fortunate shoot-out. Picture: Willem Vernes
An excessive process through the shoot-outs
Godsamme, what a recreation … Unbelievable, proper?” the striker shakes his head. He did have a really excessive set of duties through the blood-curdling shoot-outs. Missed his first try, took benefit of his second – thus decisive – and in addition took a penalty ball in between. ‘That truly wasn’t the intention in any respect,’ he sounds overwhelmed. Aerts was truly the designated penalty taker within the shoot-outs for Hurley, however the striker missed on shoot-out quantity 4. That made the second try from the spot a prey for Voskuil. Laughing, “However I had missed a shoot-out proper earlier than that. So I too went in that course with my knees buckling for that pingel.’
‘HJ’ as Voskuil is at all times referred to as, can nonetheless barely comprehend what occurred within the minutes earlier than. ‘We’re so completely happy to have mounted this. For the crew and for the membership. I do know we didn’t at all times present it this season. However we actually belong within the massive league.’ In between, captain Tump additionally shouts: ‘Man of the match, that Voskuil.’ He tries – as greatest he can – to recall fragments of the match. Many of the stress was gone after yesterday. It was extra nervous then. At this time we knew they wouldn’t begin with a superb feeling, due to our comeback yesterday.’
Then Hurley fell behind 3-0, however nonetheless ended up with a ‘sort of acceptable deficit’ of 3-2 within the books. ‘We secretly like that strain. We confirmed loads of resilience once more in the present day. Nevertheless it was shut. For a similar cash, it will have gone their method. I feel our expertise was the deciding issue, ultimately. We are actually within the playoffs for the third 12 months in a row. With them, loads of guys are going via this for the primary time.’
In 2023, Hurley relegated by way of the playoffs, towards HDM. Final 12 months, the Amsterdammers promoted once more after the duel with HGC, which additionally resulted in shoot-outs. These went in comparatively simply, particularly in comparison with this 12 months’s insane collection. Hurley’s first 4 makes an attempt went mistaken. ‘However fortunately that utilized to them, too. By no means seen that earlier than, not to mention skilled it. Have you ever? After which additionally with Chris Combe, our second goalkeeper in it. Undoubtedly want to speak to that one. He had truly stop. And now he was fabulous, of an out of doors class.’
The top of a leaden 12 months
His coach Enzo Torossi mentioned it after the relegation showdown towards Nijmegen: it was a leaden 12 months for Hurley. Due to the seventeen defeats, 101 targets towards and a great deal of accidents, which ran like a thread via the season. However particularly the demise of crew supervisor Jeroen Kagenaar made the 12 months logically very emotional for Voskuil and his mates. ‘This win can also be for him,’ the goalgetter echoed with emotion. ‘Now we have one other crew wrap-up, to which his spouse can also be invited. That one thing so intense occurred through the season additionally performs a task at a time like this.’
In fact the crew goes to have a good time retention. Amsterdam’s hospitality trade can get its enamel moist this Sunday evening. ‘You don’t have to fret about that. We needed to create a narrative right here, we instructed one another this morning. That 5 years from now you’ll nonetheless bear in mind what occurred right here, in Tilburg. He displays once more on the unlikely match sequence. ‘Nicely, that can work. Don’t you assume?
Reduction with Teammate Indra Aerts. Picture: Willem Vernes
