Tirana, July 17, LETA. The Latvian U-17 men’s volleyball team will compete with Belgium for the seventh place in the fight for the seventh place in the final tournament of the European U-17 Championship (EC) in the Albanian capital Tirana on Saturday, the Latvian Volleyball Federation (LVF) reports.
Latvia gave way to Belgium in a fierce battle with 1-3 (24:26, 28:30, 25:19, 22:25).
In the Latvian national team, Kristians Fokerots scored 27 points, standing out with five blocks. Kristers Landzāns added 21 points and Armands Rokjāns added 11 points.
Aleksandars Kandevs was the most productive among the opponents with 16 points.
At the beginning of the game, the opponents were more successful, with the Latvians losing 1: 4 and 2: 6. Landzan reached 4: 6, but after Fokerot’s hit the result became 10:10. The Bulgarians scored three points in a row (14:11), but Fokerot scored 14:14.
Opponents were once again unable to organize a successful attack (15:14), after which the Latvian national team gained a greater advantage (18:16), but the Bulgarians responded with a series of four points (18:20). After the Bulgarian player hit the field, the result became 20:20, but after the elusive Rokjānis serves already 21:20. Fokerot reached 24:24 with the second pass, but the Bulgarians won the last set of the first set – 24:26.
Fokerot started the second set with an elusive service (1: 0), but then the initiative was taken by Bulgarian volleyball players, who were also supported by two drummers (7: 5 and 11: 7). The Latvian national team scored five points in a row (16:16), the opponents answered with two (16:18), and then the Bulgarian player did not hit the field (20:20). At the top they managed to take the lead (23:22 and 25:24), then into the drivers (25:26), Rokjan achieved 27:26, but the last two points were scored by the Bulgarians, winning with 30:28.
The Latvian volleyball players started the third set resolutely (6: 1), but the Bulgarians approached (8: 5). Fokerot successfully played with his foot, but in that episode the opponents won, leveling (12:12). The Latvian national team took care of a six-point series, including a long play that ended with a Landzan hit (18:12). Thus, the victory was celebrated in the third set with 25:19.
In the fourth set, the Latvian national team took the lead with 5: 3, the opponents were ahead (6: 7), Landzāns performed an elusive service (8: 7), and the Bulgarian volleyball player hit the field (12:10). Bulgarian volleyball players scored three points in a row (14:15), then made a mistake (16:15), and after the Latvian volleyball fight, Fokerot reached 20:18. The Bulgarians responded with two points (20:20), two blocks in a row gave them a 24:22 lead, gaining the next point – 25:22.
“Many elements of the game” limped, “this was definitely our worst game in the tournament,” the Latvian national team head coach Marcis Obrumans told the LVF press service after the match. “We demanded more use of the first pace attackers. We played quite predictably from the fourth zone, we also scored a lot of points, but all the time we struggled against the four-handed block. We had to play more diverse. And the reception of the serve so low. “
On Sunday, Serbia and Bulgaria will meet for fifth place and Latvia and Belgium for seventh place.
“Already in this game you could see that the forces may have already been exhausted, but it will be the last fight of the tournament. Therefore, all possible and impossible forces must be found,” says Obruman about Sunday’s fight. “The guys have to be intrinsically motivated. There is this famous saying that during one tournament, one team does not win the other twice, but no one will give us that victory, as they will have to win on their own.”
It has already been reported that the Latvian U-17 national team debuted in the European Championship finals in this age group with a 3-2 victory over their peers from Turkey, a day later gave way to Russia with 1-3, followed by the Albanians at home 3-0, on Wednesday failed 1- 3 against Belgium, but won 3-1 over Slovenia on Thursday.
In the first group, Latvia took the fourth place, but the second place or semi-final was only a victory away.
Bulgaria had a three-set victory over Italy, a four-set success over Austria, a five-set loss to the Czech Republic and Serbia, and a three-set failure against Poland. This performance gave Bulgaria third place in the second group.
The final tournament is attended by 12 teams, divided into two subgroups of six each. The winners of the first two places of both groups secured a place in the semi-finals, but the owners of the third and fourth positions are in the 5th-8th place.
In the second round of the qualification competition, the Latvian national team, led by Mārcis Obrumans, beat Croatia 3-1 and France and Belarus 3-0.
This is the first final tournament for Latvia in the three tournaments that took place, while Bulgaria entered the top four in the previous two championships, winning silver in 2019.
Before the final tournament, the Latvian national team in the Slovenian city of Maribor lost to Austria twice – 1-3 and 0-3.
The final tournament in Albania will end on Sunday.
Latvian U-17 men’s volleyball team candidates:
Gustavs Auziņš (“libero”), Gabriel Kokins, Edvards Apsitis, Christopher Niklavs Klavins, Leo Alexander Stolcs, Timur Aisens, Marat Selivanov, Nikita Dimitrijev, Krišs Liepins, Armands Rokjans, Kristians Fokerots, Kristers Landzāns.
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