PETAH TIKVA (Interstat) — Elitzur Holon will try to move above .500 on Sunday when it visits Hapoel Petah Tikva in a women’s professional basketball game.

Elitzur Holon enters at 1-1 after splitting its first two games of the season. Its most recent outing was a 72-71 loss at Hapoel Rishon, a one-point decision that followed an 84-73 home win over Bnei Yehuda Tel-Avi. The visitors showed scoring promise in the victory and stayed close on the road in defeat. They will look to carry that form into a road matchup against a team still seeking its first win.

Hapoel Petah Tikva is 0-2 and searching for its first victory. The home side opened with a 78-54 loss to Holon and then fell 76-54 at Maccabi Bnot in its latest game. Hapoel Petah Tikva has been held to 54 points in each of its first two contests. The home team will need a stronger offensive performance to keep pace with an Elitzur Holon side that has already scored 84 points in a game this season. The visitors will look to take advantage of that scoring gap on Sunday.

The matchup offers both teams a chance to set a tone. Elitzur Holon can build on a solid start and keep pace in the early-season standings. Hapoel Petah Tikva can use home support to generate momentum and avoid an 0-3 start. The home team’s defense will need to limit Elitzur Holon’s transition chances and force half-court possessions. Elitzur Holon will aim to use its edge in recent form and overall record while avoiding a letdown against a winless opponent. The visitors have already shown they can score at a high rate, while the home side is still working to find rhythm on offense.

Elitzur Holon’s upcoming schedule includes road games at Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Karmiel, Maccabi Bnot, Hapoel Jerusalem and Bnei Yehuda Tel-Avi, along with home games against Holon, Hapoel Rishon, Hapoel Petah Tikva and Maccabi Haifa. Hapoel Petah Tikva is set to visit Holon before hosting Bnei Yehuda Tel-Avi. The club will then travel to Hapoel Rishon, host Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Haifa, visit Maccabi Karmiel and Holon, host Maccabi Bnot, visit Elitzur Holon and host Holon. Those games will shape the early portion of the season for both clubs, but the focus first falls on the contest on Sunday. A return meeting between the teams is also scheduled for later in the season.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Elitzur Holon 70, Hapoel Petah Tikva 64. Interstat’s ELO system gives Elitzur Holon a 72 percent probability to win.