Sant Andreu finish one goal short of their first women’s water polo league title

The Sant Andreu pool knew it could be a big night. Javi Aznar's team were seeking their first League title and started the match with the ambition of those who do not want to let such an opportunity pass. Jewel Roemer put Mataró ahead, but Paula Camus and Queralt Antón responded quickly to keep the contest alive from the first quarter.

The match progressed with the feeling of a tight final, of small details and mistakes that weigh twice as much. Mataró found an advantage in the second period thanks to Roemer's efficiency, especially from five metres, and went into the break with a narrow 5–6 lead. Nothing was settled, but the match was beginning to tilt.

After the break, Sant Andreu tried to get back into the scoreline, although Dani Ballart's team knew how to manage the moments of greatest pressure better. Mataró opened up a three-goal lead at the end of the third quarter and forced the home side to play the final period against the scoreline and the clock.

Sant Andreu did not give up. They pushed until the end, reduced the gap and kept the suspense alive, but the equaliser did not come. The 9–10 gave CN Mataró their third League title and left the Barcelona side with a bitter mixture of pride and frustration.

The defeat hurts because the title was so close, but it does not erase Sant Andreu's season. The team has competed toe to toe with one of the giants of Spanish water polo and has shown that its project is no longer a promise: it is a reality capable of contesting finals.

Now it is time to shift focus quickly. From 10 June, Sant Andreu will compete in the Champions Final Four, an opportunity to end the European season with a different reading. The League slipped away on a detail, but the team arrives at the continental event with one thing clear: it already knows how to compete on big nights, even when they hurt.