Poland has become the inaugural team to secure a coveted spot in the Final Round of the EuroVolleyU22M Men`s European Volleyball Championship, following a decisive triumph over Latvia. In the pivotal Pool D qualifier match, held at the Daugavpils Olympic Centre, the formidable Polish national team delivered a clean sweep, defeating the Latvian side 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-19). This impressive victory not only cemented Poland`s first-place standing in the group with an unblemished record of three wins but also guaranteed their participation in next year`s tournament, set to take place in Portugal. Latvia concluded their campaign by finishing third in the group standings.
Poland exhibited a commanding performance throughout the contest, even as the Latvians intermittently mounted resistance. In the opening set, Latvia, buoyed by the efforts of Marats Selivanovs and Nikita Dmitrijevs, briefly seized the lead. However, Poland swiftly reasserted control, claiming the set 25-22. The second set saw the Polish squad, propelled by the potent serves of Bartłomiej Potrykus, rapidly extend their advantage, closing the set with a 25-17 score. The third set also remained under Polish dominance, despite a few moments of brilliance from Latvia, ultimately concluding 25-19 in Poland`s favor.
For Latvia, the top scorers were Kristers Landzāns with 16 points, Armands Rokjāns with 11, and Leo Aleksandrs Stolcs contributing 8 points. On the Polish side, Wojciech Gajek distinguished himself with 20 points, closely followed by Bartłomiej Potrykus with 13. In the other Pool D encounter, Israel secured second place by overcoming Croatia 3-0 (25-15, 27-25, 25-18).
Poland`s head coach Piotr Graban shared his satisfaction with the outcome: “We dedicated nearly a month to preparing for this European Championship qualifier. Every player demonstrated exceptional commitment, and we saw improvements in almost every facet of our game. Our aspiration for the final tournament is to secure medals, with gold being the ultimate goal, though any podium finish would be a significant achievement.” He also commended the event`s organization in Latvia, stating that “the standard of organization was excellent, and the sports hall was perfectly suited for such a qualification tournament.”
Latvia`s head coach Mārcis Obrumanis acknowledged his team`s need to “enhance all aspects of our play,” particularly serve reception, to effectively challenge formidable opponents like Poland. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism regarding the future prospects of his players: “This particular age group has previously qualified for the European Championship final tournament on two occasions. These young men undeniably possess substantial potential for growth and are poised to soon make their mark in the senior national team.”
