The disappointment after losing the playoff final against SC Bern is huge for the women’s team and its fans. But with a little distance, the 2024/25 season paints an extremely positive picture. The Zug team won two out of three titles with the EWHL Euro Cup and the National Cup. And they broke all attendance records in this country. The average attendance in the regular season was over 1,000, and the BOSSARD Arena saw a four-digit number of fans seven times over the entire season. The last playoff semi-final match against HC Davos Ladies attracted over 4,000 spectators, the first final match against SC Bern almost 4,000. Including the Cup match in Zug and the test matches, over 25,000 spectators attended Zug’s games.
In their second year of existence, the Zug team won two titles and attracted over 25,000 fans to the BOSSARD Arena.
“As a newly promoted team, the team played right up front, thrilled the fans with its performance and won two out of three titles. The players and staff can be very proud of what they have achieved – the organization is unreservedly so,” says General Manager Reto Kläy. He knows that negative experiences can also help a team to develop. “Last season, the team lost the cup final against SC Bern, learned its lessons and won the cup this time. The same can happen in the championship. Next year, the women’s team will attack again.”
Head coach Daniela Diaz has often had reason to be proud of the team over the past six months or so. She is now too, although she did not want to hide her disappointment after the last final game. Only 0.2 seconds were missing for the first victory. At that point, SC Bern tied the score at 2:2 and won in the ensuing overtime. “We were so close to reaching the fourth game and playing at home again to be able to turn the series around with the help of our fans. The way we lost hurts,” says Daniela Diaz, adding: ”But in a few days I’ll be even more grateful for what we all achieved together: the players, the staff, the organization, the fans and the sponsors. We pulled together throughout the season.”
With the exception of a weak phase at the end of November and beginning of December – four defeats in six games – Zug were also on a par with the top teams from Davos and Bern in the regular season. In the end, they were just one point short of qualifying. This was despite numerous injury-related absences. At times, the Zug team therefore only fielded twelve players. EVZ also had to cope with two absences in the playoffs. Lena-Marie Lutz and Naemi Herzig suffered injuries in the semi-final and final respectively, which brought an early end to their season – and thus to their time as players in an EVZ jersey. Eveliina Mäkinen and Julia Näf will also take on a new challenge. They have all played their part in ensuring that the EVZ Women’s Team has caused a sensation over the past two years. With Nicole Vallario and Alina Marti, two additions have already been confirmed. Others will be announced in the coming weeks.
