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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Pala--La Liga Kutxabank--Semi-final and independent non-league match

La Liga Kutxabank competition began on October 29, 2016 at Bizkaia Fronton, Bilbo (Bilbao) (1)(2). This tournament includes the entire InnPala roster, divided into 5 teams which will participate in a double round robin League competition, followed by a semi-final between the 2nd and 3rd place teams. The winner will face the League winner in a final on January 7th, 2017. Most of the matches will be at Bizkaia. There will also be matches at Sopela and Gallarta. For more on the tournament see the tournament page at InnPala.

Week 1--October 29, 2016

Week 2--November 5, 2016

Week 3--November 12, 2016

Week 4--November 19, 2016

Week 5--November 25-26, 2016

Week 6--December 2-3, 2016 

Week 7--December 10, 2016


Week 9--December 23, 2016

Semi-final (Source for all scoring information and match video: EITB)

December 30, 2016

Necol-Ibargarai defeated Fusto-Gordon 3-1 (9-10, 10-7, 10-9, 10-8)

Match article (InnPala Fronton Facebook page). Auto translate may be available.

Statement of Iker Gordon and Fusto response (InnPala Fronton Facebook page). Auto translate may be available.

Full match video (match begins at 1 hour, 6 minutes, 48 seconds on the recording.

Scoring: Necol +13 -12; Ibargarai +9 -8 --- Fusto +11 -9; Gordon +3 -8

N-I 39 F-G 34

499 balls in play

Necol 110; Ibargari 141 --- Fusto 159; Gordon 89

Time of the match: 1:03:19

Individual joko (set) linescores (winner of the match always listed 1st).

Joko 1:  0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 2-2; 3-2; 4-2; 4-3; 4-4; 5-4; 5-5; 5-6; 6-6; 6-7; 6-8; 7-8; 8-8; 9-8; 9-9; 9-10 (F-G 1-0)

Joko 2: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 1-3; 2-3; 3-3; 4-3; 5-3; 6-3; 6-4; 6-5; 7-5; 8-5; 8-6; 8-7; 9-7; 10-7 (1-1).

Joko 3: 1-0; 2-0; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 3-3; 3-4; 3-5; 4-5; 5-5; 5-6; 6-6; 7-6; 7-7; 7-8; 7-9; 8-9; 9-9; 10-9 (N-I 2-1)

Joko 4: 0-1; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 2-3; 2-4; 3-4; 3-5; 3-6; 4-6; 5-6; 6-6; 7-6; 8-6; 9-6; 9-7; 9-8; 10-8 (N-I 3-1)

The match was tied 18 times. The lead changed hands 12 times (J1-4, J2-1, J3-4, J4-3). The largest lead by either team was 3 points.  These are measures of how close a match is. Though N-I won in 4 jokos, it could have easily gone the other way. The key turning points came in the Jokos 3 and 4. F-G couldn't hold a 9-7 lead in the former. In the latter N-I turned a 3-6 deficit into a 9-6 lead with  the biggest run either team had in the match. After that F-G fought back, but a Gordon service fault at 9-8 ended their tournament. Gordon felt so bad about the defeat that he issued a public apology. Fusto (see above) was having none of it. And he was correct. In Iker Gordon's first professional tournament, he came within inches of going to a final. In addition, after a very slow start (0-2 in matches, 1-6 in jokos), F-G finished 5-1 (16-9). They finished the tournament 5-4 (18-18). N-I move on to the final on January 7. They are now 4-5 (20-20). They face League champions Gaubeka--Ibai-Perez (6-2 (21-15)). F-G will play Zubiri-Brefel in the preliminary 3rd place match. Finally, one of the highlights of the match was the dual in front between Fusto and Necol during the last 3 points of Joko 3 (1:53:07-1:55:11 on the video). Two power hitters bashing it out like a couple of heavyweight boxers. What a show they put on!

On November 12, 2016 G-I defeated N-I 3-2 (10-4, 10-9, 4-10, 6-10, 10-3)

Full match video

On December 23 2016, at Gallarta, G-I defeated N-I 3-1 (10-5, 10-8, 8-10, 10-7).

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The first match of the evening was an independent match.

Landeta-Imanol defeated Zubiri--Ibai-Perez 3-1 (10-8, 7-10, 10-9, 10-7).

This is the first match on the full match video linked to the semi-final.

L-I stayed together in this match, winning their 3rd in their last 4 (including an upset victory over the League champions). Their only loss was a last ditch effort 3-2 win by Fusto-Gordon in the final League match last week.

Scoring: Landeta +10 -11; Imanol +10 -10 --- Zubiri +7 -10; Ibai-Perez +6 -7

L-I 37 Z-I 34

664 balls in play

Landeta 167; Imanol 166 --- Zubiri 179 Ibai-Perez 152

Time of the match: 1:03:24

Watch the speed of Zubiri and Landeta. Then compare to the power game of Necol and Fusto.

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Table of wins and losses for the 2016-2017 season.

Key: Player, Position (d=delantero (front court), z=zaguero (back court)) match wins-losses, joko (set) wins-losses, winning-losing streak, championships won. Matches that are single partidos will be noted. Table will be according to match winning percentage. 1st tie breaker will be number of wins. 2nd tie breaker will be joko win-loss differential.

 December 30, 2016

Gaubeka(d)..6-2....21-15..+1*
Fusto(d).......5-4....18-18....-1
Zubiri(d)......5-5...21-17....-1*
Necol(d).......4-6...20-23....+1
Landeta(d)...3-6...15-22....+1

Ibai-Perez(z)..6-3....22-18...-1*
Ibargari(z).....5-5.....23-20..+1
Gordon(z).....5-5....18-21....-1
Brefel(z)........4-4....17-14...+1
Imanol(z).......3-6....15-22...+1*

Includes Dec. 30, 2016 independent match: Landeta-Imanol defeated Zuberi--Ibai-Perez 3-1 (10-8, 7-10, 10-9, 10-7) at Bizkaia.

*Does not include the result of Nov.25, 2016 independent match Gaubeka--Ibai-Perez v Zubiri-Imanol. The result is unknown at this time. I will add it when I find it.

Includes Nov. 19, 2016 independent match: Zuberi-Ibargari defeated Necol-Gordon 3-0 (10-8, 10-3, 10-9) at Bizkaia.

For cumulative accounting of this player table see the InnPala Player win-loss table under the Pala page on the right side of the blog.