The Latvian men’s volleyball team started the European Gold League tournament with a loss on Friday. Latvian volleyball players in Tartu conceded to Belgium with 1-3 (25:19, 16:25, 14:25, 21:25).
Toms Švans, Kristaps Šmits, Edvīns Skrūders, Gustavs Freimanis, Kristaps Platačs and Atvars Ozoliņš, as well as “libero” Ingars Ivanovs went to the square.
In the first set, Latvia achieved a 6: 3 lead after a similar start, but a 9: 4 lead after the attack of Atvars Ozoliņš. With such a predominance, the whole set remained, after Ozoliņš’s attack Latvia won the set with 25:19.
The Belgian won the next two sets convincingly. In the second set, after a similar start, the Belgians increased their lead by winning 25:16, but in the third set, the Belgians gained a 3-0 lead from the start, but Belgium only gained the lead in the second half of the set, scoring seven points in a row after 15:12. and winning the set with 25:14.
In the fourth set, the fight was fiercer. Latvia reached 7: 5, but soon the result was similar again. The last time there was a draw in this match, the result was 15:15, but the end of the set was better for Belgium – 25:21.
In the Latvian national team, Schmidt scored 17 points, scoring three points in the block. Ozoliņš scored ten points, Platačs eight, Freimanis seven, Švans six. The Belgians with 20 points stood out Sams Dero, who scored three points each with “aisles” and a block.
Despite the impressive result in the second and third sets, the head coach of the Latvian national team Avo Kēl remained satisfied with the first match of the Golden League.
“After winning the first set, the reception of the service deteriorated, and we regularly allowed our opponents to score a series of three or four points. In the overall game, however, the opponents are better, because it is not for nothing that they are in the third place in the European ranking. The second pace players are very good for them, although ours also played well today. Opponents blocked us a couple of times, served us elusively a couple of times, knocked the ball into the net a few times less than us – that’s the difference. This was such a work game, and I am more or less satisfied, ”the Latvian Volleyball Federation (LVF) quotes Kel.
The coach praised the service of Latvian volleyball players, attacks in the quay, Freimanis’ play with Skrūder, but mentioned the reception of the service and the amount of mistakes among the things to be improved.
All the attention before the Tartu stage was paid to the Belgian national team, so tomorrow’s match with Estonia was not yet planned. After the first day of the competition, evaluating the balance of team strength, the coach noted that most likely Estonia and Belgium will fight for the first place in the group.
“Maybe we can provide a pleasant surprise. And if we continue to play as we do today, if we eliminate the shortcomings of today’s second and third sets, then we can play against the Spaniards here as like with like, ”said Kehl.
The Latvian women’s volleyball team debuted in the European Silver League tournament in Zenica on Friday with a loss to the housewives.
The Latvian women’s volleyball team led by Olympic champion Pavels Selivanovs lost 0-3 to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European Silver League tournament (19:25, 20:25, 18:25).
The historical game for Latvia was started by Elvita Dolotova, Ingrīda Šveigere, Lāsma Ozola, Vlada Pridatko, Paul Nikola Nechiporuka, Anna Rīta and “libero” Kristīne Kramēna, but later 11 out of 13 volleyball players entered the field, leaving only Paula Katrīna Krusta Elīna Zvaigzne.
The most productive in the Latvian team was Anija Jurdža, who replaced him. Give her ten points. Paul Nechiporuk scored eight points and Ozola scored five points. Dajana Boškoviča scored 17 points for opponents, and Imana Isanoviča scored 12 points.
“In all three sets, at the beginning we allowed our opponents to take the lead, we approached in the middle of the set, but at the end something was missing again. I would say that we had to fight harder in the end, ”commented Anija Jurdža, the most productive player in Latvia, in a conversation with the Latvian Volleyball Federation (LVF).
“Today, the Bosnians had a good serve, and we adhered to the reception. They were also better in the attack, because we could not play in defense, “said George. “I’m happy with my game today, I liked it myself,” asked Anija about her performance. “Serve was good, I also played well in the attack. It was good in the block, although it needed to be even better. ”
On Saturday, a game with Portugal is waiting for the Latvian volleyball players in the European Silver League Group A, and on Sunday – with Estonia.
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