Latvian men ‘s volleyball national team Photo: LVF
The Latvian men’s volleyball team suffered a loss in Liepaja on Friday in the first game of the second round of the European Gold League tournament. Latvians with the result 1-3 (28:30, 23:25, 25:19, 16:25) acknowledged the superiority of the Belgian team. Kristaps Šmits was the most productive in the Latvian national team with 18 points, Kristers Dardzāns added 17 points, but Atvars Ozoliņš had 13 points. Smith and Ozolina had three points each in the block, but Gustavs Freimanis scored one point more in the net. Thomas Rousseau scored 23 points for the Belgians.
In the first game of the day, Estonia was 3-1 (22:25, 25:13, 25:18, 25:16) superior to Spain. It has already been reported that in the first match Tartu Latvians gave up to Belgium with 1-3, in the second with 0-3 – Estonians, and in the third with 1-3 – Spaniards. After four games in group A, the first place with 11 points is taken by Estonia, the second with ten points is Belgium, three points were won by Spain, but Latvia is in the beige.
This Latvian men’s volleyball team has its second season in the European Gold League competition. The Latvian national team started for the first time in 2019, when the team led by coach Avo Kēl took the second place in the group, not entering the final four. Last season, Latvia had to start in the European Silver League competitions, but due to Covid-19 restrictions, both the Gold and Silver League competitions were canceled.
Together, this men’s team is already the fourth start in European league tournaments of various formats. On Saturday at 15.45 Latvia will meet with Spain, and on Sunday at 17.30 – with Estonia. It has already been reported that in preparation for the tournament, Latvian volleyball players lost to their northern neighbors, Estonians, in all 14 sets during the previous three weekends in various configurations.
Herman Egleskalns and Denis Petrov have been given a rest in the Latvian national team in the European Gold League competition cycle. The European Gold League group tournament for men takes place from May 28 to June 6, running two laps in the races. First the teams met in Tartu, but in the second round they meet in Liepaja. The fights of the final four are planned for June 19 and 20 in the Belgian city of Kortrijk.
The final tournament of the European Championship, which will include the Latvian national team among 24 teams after a 26-year break and for which the Latvian national team is preparing to start in the European Gold League, is planned for September 1-18 in four countries – Estonia, Finland, Czech Republic and Poland. The Latvian national team will play group tournament games in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The national unit in subgroup D is drawn together with Estonia, France, Germany, Slovakia and Croatia.
Composition of the Latvian national team
builders – Edvīns Skrūders (Jēkabpils “Lūši”), Jānis Jansons (Nicosia APOEL, Cyprus);
attackers of the second pace – Romans Saušs (“VaLePa”), Kristaps Šmits (Jēkabpils “Lūši”), Atvars Ozoliņš (“Parnu”, Estonia), Edvarts Buivids (“Lindaren Volley Amriswill”, Switzerland), Patriks Pinka (“RTU Border Guard”) / “Jūrmala”);
diagonal players – Kristers Dardzāns, Jānis Medenis (both – Jēkabpils “Lūši”), Kristaps Platačs (“Parnu”, Estonia);
first pace players – Renārs Pauls Jansons (“RTU Border Guard” / “Jūrmala”), Toms Švans (“Parnu”, Estonia), Gustavs Freimanis, Vladislavs Blumbergs (both – Jēkabpils “Lūši”);
“Libero” – Ingars Ivanovs (“RTU Border Guard” / “Jūrmala”).
