RSU Volleyball Team Beats Baltic League Champions in Five Sets in Kaunas

In the first weekend of the new Baltic Volleyball League season, a regional club competition, the women's team of Riga Stradiņš University (RSU) won 3-2 (18:25, 25:19, 21:25, 25:20, 15:11) away in Kaunas, Lithuania, against the reigning champions Kaunas-VDU. The result gives RSU a successful start to the season against the title holders.

The team, coached by Inguna Minusa, lost the first set. Setter Elvita Dolotova said that after a four-hour journey the players could not adapt to their opponents' pace, and their own serve was not aggressive enough. After a discussion with the coach, the attacking rhythm was changed: instead of trying to break through the block, the team varied its attack more. Dolotova praised newcomers Katrīna Paula Krustkalne and Anabella Maļina, as well as Monta Urbāne and Emīlija Tralmaka, who together scored 8 points with the block.

The number of teams in the women's Baltic League has fallen to seven. Dolotova noted that the competition among the four or five leading teams promises to be intense. The opponents had strengthened their squad with Italy national team player Indre Sorokaite, a two-time Champions League winner.

Men's competition

In the men's competition, Robežsardze/RSU won 3-0 (25:16, 25:11, 25:10) at home against Tallinn's Audentes/Solarstone. The top scorers for the winners were Eduards Dūdens (12 points), Toms Kalniņš (9) and Jānis Teikmanis (8). Next week, last season's bronze medallists Viru Barrus visit Riga.

Meanwhile, Ezerzeme/Daugavpils University/Homelike lost both games in Estonia: 1-3 against Viru Barrus and 0-3 against Tartu Bigbank. Against Viru, Iļja Makarovs scored 14 points and Armands Rokjāns 12; against Tartu, Sandis Vilcāns led with 13 and Rokjāns added 12. Next week the Daugavpils team travels to Tallinn for games against Audentes/Solarstone and TalTech/Selver, and a setter will join to strengthen the squad.