Metzingen (dpa / th) - The handball team of Thüringer HC surprisingly missed the quarter-finals of the DHB Cup. Coach Herbert Müller's team lost the round of 16 duel at TuS Metzingen on Wednesday evening with 32:34 (16:14). Right winger Nathalie Hendrikse was the best THC thrower in front of 183 spectators. The Dutch shone with eleven goals.

Three days after the 29:31 defeat in the Bundesliga summit against SG BBM Bietigheim, the Thuringian team struggled to get back into the game. They were often a step too late on defense and didn't bring enough speed into their offensive actions. The Metzingen women, who clearly lost the league duel against THC on September 24th by 27:38, forced a balanced game and even took the lead with 11:10 (19th minute) through Katarina Pandza. After Müller took a break, the guests then increased their intensity on the defensive and thus gained a narrow lead at the break.

The Thuringian women opened the second half at high speed, but did not manage to break away because Metzingen was able to follow the open exchange of blows. In the 51st minute, the outstanding Lena Degenhardt brought the hosts back into the lead for the first time since 11:10 (29:28). The THC equalized through Hendrikse to 30:30 (53rd), but in the final phase the Metzingen women had better nerves. The guests missed their last chance to turn the game with two hits against the post within five seconds. In return, Marte Juuhl Svensson scored the decisive 33:30 (59th).