The table tennis players of TSV Hohenpeißenberg started with a win - but then lost three times, some very heavily.
But the team doesn't panic about it.
Hohenpeißenberg - After all: The season in the Verbandsliga Südwest began for the men's team of TSV Hohenpeißenberg with a sense of achievement: In the home game they defeated TV Dillingen II 9: 3.
For the men from Rigi it was the first victory in a league game since March 16, 2019, when they defeated SG Hausham 9: 4 - at that time still a division lower in the regional league.
In the 2019/20 season, which was canceled due to Corona, they remained in 14 games without a double point win.
After the success against Dillingen, the Hohenpeissenbergers had to admit defeat clearly three times with 1:11.
However, there was no trace of panic at last year's bottom of the table: "We knew that we wouldn't win anything in these games," said team spokesman Martin Goldbrunner.
TSV Hohenpeißenberg: A 9: 3 success at the start of the season
A look at the current table shows that Goldbrunner's low-key work is not without reason.
TSV Dachau 65 (6: 2 points), TSV Graefelfing II (5: 1) and TSV Schwabmünchen (4: 0) occupy the first three places in the Verbandsliga Südwest.
Graefelfing and Dachau, against which Hohenpeißenberg lost on a double game day within a few hours, have significantly upgraded their team according to Goldbrunner.
"Players who were number one and number two last season are now number five and six," said Hohenpeißenberg's team spokesman.
In the duel against Gräfelfing, at least Daniel Bartl had reason to be happy: In his duel in the middle pair cross against Vadym Vekselman, who was much higher in terms of skill level, Bartl won through in three sets (11: 6, 11: 4, 13:11) .
"Every now and then you can annoy your opponent a little," said Goldbrunner with a wink.
However, it should remain the only point win by the Rigi team against the Graefelfinger.
The point of honor in the game against Dachau went to Michael Plörer's account.
He is also this season as the strongest player in the Hohenpeissenberg ranks.
David Assmann almost managed a surprise, who only lost in five sets against Michael Schaller, who was far superior in terms of skill level.
Since the Hohenpeißenberger, according to Goldbrunner, also went into the field as an underdog against Schwabmünchen, the high defeat came as no surprise to them.
The outsider role had at least one good thing for the TSV men in the duels against the top teams in the league: "We were able to play in a relaxed manner and gain competitive practice," said Goldbrunner.
"We all enjoyed it."
TSV Hohenpeißenberg: outsider role as an advantage
However, the Hohenpeißenberg team spokesman is already aware that isolated success stories of his team will not help in the fight to stay up.
At some point she has to score again.
If Goldbrunner has their way, this will already be the case in the coming game on October 31st in the home game against TTSC Warmisried.
"In terms of strength and player structure, they are similar to us," said Goldbrunner of the tied opponents from the Unterallgäu district.
He also expects chances for the duels at SC Siegertshofen (November 7th) and TSG Thannhausen (November 14th), as well as in the home game against Post SV Augsburg (November 28th).
"In terms of personnel, we are not yet at the level we were already on," says Goldbrunner - but he is confident about the topic of "staying up".
Balance of the Hohenpeissenberg games in the first four games:
Michael Plörer 3: 5, Sebastian Sander 1: 7, Martin Goldbrunner 2: 2, Daniel Vögl 1: 7, Daniel Bartl 2: 4, David Assmann 3: 5, Michael Bürger 0: 6.