Latvia stun neighbours as Greece keep immaculate record in Sigulda
News
As a #EuroVolleyU16W second-round qualifier continues in Sigulda, hosts Latvia defeated their neighbours from Estonia, while Greece overcame Croatia to keep an immaculate record in the competition after two days.
Team Latvia, playing in front of their home crowd, beat Estonia 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-11). The home team started the match with two straight points, but Estonia quickly equalised. Latvia then pulled ahead with three points following an attack by Adriana Bukovska, and the decisive lead came after scoring nine consecutive points. During that run, Samanta Liepa stood out with three unreturnable serves, bringing Latvia ahead 21-10. The set ended with a successful attack by Melānija Belova (25-12).
In the second set, Estonia never managed to take the lead. After a 7-7 tie, Latvia increased their lead and won the set 25-17 following an attacking error by Estonian player Melinda Sõrmus.
In the third set, Estonia scored the first two points and gained an 8-5 lead after Helene-Lisette Jürilo’s serve. However, Latvia responded with six straight points and eventually secured victory after a block by Lote Actiņa (25-11).
Bukovska led the winners with 13 points, while four other Latvian players contributed six to seven points each. Estonia’s top scorer was Iida Mari Tamm with nine points.
The best players of the match were named as Latvian setter Kristīne Niedra and Estonia’s Tamm.
Kristīne Niedra“The plan was to play organised and emotionally, to fight together as a team. We managed to do that – there was positive energy on the court and we followed the coach’s instructions really well. We were able to move past our mistakes and continue to play with heart and structure.”
Player of Latvia
“Compared to our friendly matches, I can highlight the team effort today. When our training camp started, each player was mostly focused on themselves, but now we are really playing as a team and supporting each other. Even when things do not go well, we do not dwell on it, we just move forward,” said Latvia’s head coach Raivis Mizāns after the match. “The Estonian team, on the other hand, either looked tired or simply not quite ready. I do not know the real reasons for their underperformance.”
On Saturday, Latvia will face pool leaders Greece. “Today we continued the team effort we had started yesterday, and we must continue that tomorrow, because our players are not worse than Greece’s. Our girls also jump high and hit hard. The game plan is to win,” added the Latvian coach.
Earlier in the day, Greece defeated Croatia 3-2 (25-23, 27-25, 20-25, 17-25, 15-12), thereby claiming their second win of the tournament. Greece’s Dorothea Christina Karagkouti scored 25 points, including five blocks, while Croatia’s Lana Drviš scored 30, three of them from the service line. Five other Croatian players added nine to 11 points each to their team’s tally. Greece was significantly more effective in blocking, outscoring Croatia 17 to 6 in that category.
In the second set, Greece rallied from a 19-23 deficit by scoring five straight points. Croatia convincingly won the third and fourth sets, but only led once in the fifth (6-5), with the match ending after an unsuccessful attack by Drviš.
In the first round of qualifiers held last November, which also served as the Eastern European Volleyball Zonal Association (EEVZA) U16 Championship, Latvia placed fourth, while Poland secured a spot in the final round scheduled for later this summer in Albania and Kosovo.