Latvian U17 and U18 volleyball teams celebrate victories in EC qualifying games

Latvian U18 volleyball national team Photo: volejbols.lv

Latvian U18 national team

The volleyball players of the Latvian U18 national team won the second round of the European Youth Championship qualification on Sunday in Sigulda. Latvia defeated Estonia 3-1 (25:17, 25:23, 19:25, 25:15), securing the second place in the group. Kristers Landzāns won the victory of Latvian volleyball players with 16 points, Timurs Aisens added 11 more, but Ralfs Kļaviņš stood out with eight points. Ranel Rahuoja was the top scorer with 17 points, while Johan Matthias Upruss scored 14 points.

It has already been reported that in the first game on Saturday, Latvia conceded 2-3 Greek volleyball players, beating the Estonians 3-1. Belarus was expected to play in the group, but after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) decided to exclude Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from international competitions. The winners of the groups will enter the final tournament, as well as the best second place winner. The results of the top three will be taken into account in determining the second place winners. The final tournament with the participation of 12 teams will take place from 9 to 17 July in Tbilisi. The Latvian national team is led by Mārcis Obrumans, assisted by Ģirts Mārtiņsons.

Composition of the Latvian U18 volleyball team

Gustavs Auziņš, Edvards Apsītis, Leo Aleksandrs Štolcs, Kristofers Niklāvs Kļaviņš, Timur Aisens, Marat Selivanovs, Nikita Dimitrijevs, Matīss Šalkovskis, Ralfs Kļaviņš, Armands Rokjāns, Kristers Landzāns and “libero” Kārlis Jaundžs

Latvian U17 women’s team

The Latvian U17 women’s volleyball team won the European Championship qualifying game on Sunday. Latvia beat Estonia 3-0 (26:24, 25:20, 25:19) but did not make it to the final of the European Championship.

Katrīna Struka and Anete Čelnova each scored 11 points, but Līva Ēbere added nine more points. Meanwhile, Carmel Varese did not save Estonia from losing by 22 points. In the last game of the subgroup, Romania and Greece meet, winning the first two games and fighting for a ticket to the final tournament.

It has already been reported that in the first game, Latvians with 1-3 conceded from their peers from Croatia, but in the second match with 0-3, they acknowledged the superiority of Romania. The final tournament, which will feature the winners of the groups, as well as the best second place winner, will take place in July 2022 in the Czech cities of Olomouc and Prostejov with the participation of 12 teams. The Latvian national team is led by Ieva Ņččoruka, assisted by Jānis Jerumanis.

Composition of the Latvian U17 women’s volleyball team

Katrīna Struka, Aleksandra Timbere, Diāna Sedliņa, Marta Gintere, Rēzija Bikava, Eva Brokāne, Līva Ēbere, Carmen Struka, Renāte Krūklīte, Jeļizaveta Izotova, Anete Čelnova, Ginta Leveika.

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