Irbe Lazda named most valuable player in Italy's Serie A2 volleyball

Irbe Lazda, an opposite hitter for the Latvian women's national volleyball team, stood out over the weekend in Italy's second-tier volleyball league, A2, helping her club Monviso win a direct duel against a rival. She scored 19 points and was named the match's most valuable player. The Latvian Volleyball Federation reported on how Latvian players fared in foreign leagues.

Italy

Monviso beat Club Italia 3-0 (25:19, 25:17, 25:20). Lazda also added three blocking points and was effective with her serve. It was the fourth win in five games this season for the Pinerolo club, which is sixth in the standings with one game fewer played than most other teams.

Germany

In the German Bundesliga, Karmena Struka scored eight points, including two blocks, but her team, Aachen's Ladies in Black, lost 1-3 (29:27, 15:25, 18:25, 21:25) to Rote Raben Vilsbiburg. With two wins in six games, Aachen is 10th.

In Germany's second-tier league, Junora Vagele scored eight points as Stralsund's Wildcats beat Dusseldorf's Eintracht 3-0 (25:17, 25:16, 25:15). With three wins in four games, the team has moved up to fourth place.

France and Spain

In the French league, Katrina Struka came off the bench and scored four points in a 1-3 defeat for Terville's Florange against Beziers, the championship's runner-up. With four points from six games, the club is 11th.

In France's second division, Marcq Baroeul, represented by setter Elza Rekners and middle blocker Anija Jurdza, won for the second time in a row, beating last-placed Harnes 3-0 and moving up to fourth.

In Spain's top league, Latvia national team captain Paula Nikola Neciporuka started in the lineup but moved to the bench after a poor first set. She scored two points in Sayre La Ballena's 2-3 loss to Cajasol. The Gran Canaria club has five points from five games and is ninth.