Ezkurdia delivered a masterclass at the Navarra Arena on Sunday, dismantling Zabala and Iztueta 22-13 alongside teammate Albisu to secure a spot in the Masters CaixaBank final, diariovasco.com reported. The dominant performance upended expectations for a final showdown between elite back-court players, setting up a title clash against Elordi and Mariezkurrena II.
Ezkurdia Outpaces Zabala and Iztueta in Pamplona
Widely anticipated pre-match narratives focused heavily on a back-court battle between Mariezkurrena II and Iztueta. Instead, the 35-year-old Ezkurdia seized the spotlight at the Navarra Arena in Pamplona, producing an attacking display that left opponents struggling to match his pace. Ezkurdia tallied 13 open-play points, dictating the tempo with rapid ball movement and an array of clinical finishes.
Supporting him in the back court, Albisu anchored the exchanges against Iztueta. While Albisu conceded a few straightforward balls, he contributed three points to the winning effort, offsetting Zabala’s struggles to close out plays. Zabala finished the match having surrendered five errors.
Match Statistics at the Navarra Arena
Official match data from the fixture highlights the stark difference in finishing efficiency between the two sides:
- Duration: 61 minutes and 29 seconds
- Total Pelotazos: 573
- Service Points: Ezkurdia 0, Zabala 1
- Open-Play Points: Ezkurdia 13, Albisu 3, Zabala 3, Iztueta 0
- Errors: Ezkurdia 4, Albisu 5, Zabala 5, Iztueta 1
The encounter unfolded in front of approximately 900 spectators at the venue, concluding with a 22-13 scoreline after a progression that saw Ezkurdia and Albisu maintain control through the middle phases of the match.
Elordi and Mariezkurrena II Advance past Artola and Rezusta
In the opening semifinal of the day, Elordi and Mariezkurrena II fulfilled pre-match expectations by defeating Artola and Rezusta 22-13. The contest remained tightly contested early on, deadlocked at 7-7 following initial nervy moments from Mariezkurrena II, who struggled to find his rhythm during the opening exchanges.
Artola and Rezusta capitalized on early errors to claim a 4-0 lead. However, a service winner from Elordi shifted the momentum, sparking a devastating 9-0 run that pushed the blues ahead 15-7. Artola and Rezusta were unable to recover, managing only to narrow the deficit late in the match before conceding defeat.
Finals Schedule for the Masters CaixaBank
The Navarra Arena will host the Masters CaixaBank Serie B final on Saturday. Jaka and Eskuza will face Peio Etxeberria and Landa in a matchup featuring high-caliber front-court players. Landa enters the final seeking to capitalize on strong recent form, while Eskuza has delivered an impressive summer campaign. The two pairs previously met on July 19 in Barakaldo, where Jaka and Eskuza claimed a 22-18 victory.
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