Lübeck-Schartau saw off Altengolz 37-25 in the German Cup on Saturday afternoon, moving comfortably through their opening round at the Fritz-Griesinger-Halle.
The visitors had lost ground in their last outing against Hagen, dropping a 33-37 result, and returned to winning ways with a performance that looked nothing like their recent struggles. Altengolz, meanwhile, paid for a sloppy opening, and never quite recovered their composure.
Lübeck-Schartau had been on a good run before the Hagen defeat—three wins from four—against Oppenweiler/Backnang, Fernndorf and Ludwigshafen. This time they played the second half a man up in spirit, if not in numbers, and ran riot from the 20th minute onwards.
The gap opened early and stayed wide. By then the visitors had seen the pattern of Altengolz's defence and exploited it without fuss. The score may suggest a comfortable evening, and to be fair it was.
For Altengolz the result means another cup exit at the first hurdle. They cannot afford another slip if they want to stay competitive domestically. The table goes out of the window in these games, but consistency still matters.
Lübeck-Schartau now turn their attention back to league duties. They have shown they can bounce back from a setback, and that resilience could prove valuable as the season unfolds.