Latvian women’s hockey team | Photo: LHF
On Friday, the Latvian women’s ice hockey team won the fourth game of the second division A group or the fourth level of the Mexico City World Championship (WC), which allowed them to win the opportunity to compete in the first division B group next season. In the final match, Latvian hockey players beat Spain with a score of 4:1 (1:0, 1:0, 2:1), securing the first place in the A group of the second division.
Līga Miljone stood out in the Latvian national team with two goals and an assist, Aija Balode had one assist and one assist, Karīna Šilajāne was accurate once, while Krista Nikola Jipa-Čaka, Anna Lagzdiņa, Anna Kubliņa and Agnese Apsīte earned one assist each. Vega Munoz scored the only goal for the opponents. Latvian goalkeeper Kristiāna Apsīte saved 36 of 37 shots, while Alba Gonzalo managed 23 pucks at the other end of the field.
It has already been reported that the Latvian national team started the tournament with a 3-2 victory over the Taiwanese national team, followed by a 6-0 victory over Iceland and an 8-0 victory over Mexico. After four matches, the Latvian national team took first place in the group with 12 points. Spain was second with nine points, Mexico was third with six points, Taiwan was fourth with two points, and Iceland was last in the five-team competition with one point.
As the winner of the group, Latvia got the right to play next year in the third level, or group B of the first division. The head coach of the Latvian national team, Hannu Saintulas, is assisted in his work with the national team by Paulis Zvirgzdiņš and Vladislavs Koniševs, as well as goalkeeper coach Ahto Kerne.
Latvian women’s national team:
Goalkeepers: Kristiana Apsite (Salzburg “Eagles”, Austria), Yelizaveta Stadnik (“Lions”/”Prism”);
Guards: Emilija Jakovljeva (Hockey school “Riga”), Aija Balode (“Laima”), Ksenia Kezika, Anna Šalašova (both – HK “L&L”), Anna Kubliņa (“Lauvas”/”Prism”), Sabine Kate Rubīna (“Karslkrona ”, Sweden), Luize Zemesaraja (TNSS/THK/”L&L”), Madara Saulīte (“Falkon”/”Laima”);
Attackers: Krista Nikola Yip-Chak (“LawDawgs”, Canada), Liga Milione (“Jaca”, Spain), Laima Elizabete Lukaševiča (HK “L&L”), Agnese Apsite (Salzburg “Eagles”, Austria), Linda Rulle (“Lulea” , Sweden), Hanna Strauss (“Kurbads”/”Laima”), Anna Katrīna Lagzdiņa (Lancaster “Reapers”, Canada), Samanta Pudule, Karīna Šilajāne (both – “Herning”, Denmark), Karīna Anisimov (“Odense”, Denmark), Evelina Kolīte (Hockey School “Rīga”).
