Elfic Fribourg dropped to an 0-2 record in FIBA EuroCup group play after falling 88-63 to French club Landerneau in Brittany, where physical intensity overwhelmed the Swiss visitors.
Elfic Fribourg Struggles Against Physical Play in Brittany
The 88-63 final score reflects a stark difference in physical intensity between the two squads on the floor, laliberte.ch reported. Despite welcoming new Latvian recruit Dita Versakova—who was signed specifically for European competition—the Swiss side ultimately cracked under the pressure applied by the hosts in front of 2,150 spectators.
Atmospheric elements defined the night in western France, featuring Celtic rap music from the group Manau, traditional biniou and bombarde performances at halftime, and the black-and-white Breton Gwenn ha Du flag waving across the venue. Lauren Heard and her Fribourg teammates fought through the physical duels, but the visitors were worn down as the game progressed.
European Campaign Begins with Back-to-Back Losses
The defeat in Brittany compounds a difficult start to the continental campaign. In their opening fixture at St-Léonard, Elfic Fribourg suffered a 71-60 loss to Italian side Castelnuovo Scrivia, frapp.ch reported. During that home opener, the team struggled through a difficult first half, putting up only 17 points before halftime while trailing 38-17.
While the team demonstrated resilience by mounting a second-half push against the Italian visitors, the recovery arrived too late to alter the outcome. Coupled with the subsequent setback against Landerneau—a side that also dropped its opening match—the consecutive losses leave Fribourg searching for their first European victory of the season.
Next Steps in the European Schedule
Elfic Fribourg includes new addition Dita Versakova as the team competes in the EuroCup. The team looks toward their upcoming fixtures to regain momentum following the challenging opening fortnight in European competition.
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