On Friday, Team Denmark secured a hard-fought 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 16-25, 15-8) victory over host nation Latvia in their opening match of the #EuroVolleyU22W qualifier, held at the Daugavpils Olympic Centre. The match proved to be a dramatic encounter with fortunes swinging between the two sides.
The young players of Denmark fought their way through ups and downs to edge hosts Latvia in the tiebreak
The first set was a tightly contested affair, with neither team managing to establish a lead of more than two points until the closing stages. Denmark, however, won the crucial final three points, securing the set 25-22 with effective attacks by Nikita Maria Egemark Clausen.
Latvia started the second set strongly, taking a 5:2 lead. But Denmark quickly responded, leveling the score at 5:5 after a block by Clausen. The Danes then pulled ahead after 12:12, capitalizing on Latvia’s difficulties in reception and an attack error, to claim the second set 25-22.
The third set saw Latvia regain their footing. Although Denmark initially took an 8:5 lead, Latvia responded with a 4:0 run, including a decisive ace by Rūta Putene, to take a 16:14 lead. Denmark couldn`t recover, and Latvia took the set 25-21 following a successful attack.
Continuing their momentum, the home team dominated the fourth set. Two service aces from Anna Cepurīte helped build an early lead, which grew to 15:8. Latvia comfortably won the set 25-16, sending the match into a tiebreak.
In the decisive fifth set, Denmark quickly established a lead, scoring the first two points. They maintained control throughout the tiebreak, securing a clear 15-8 victory with a final attack, clinching the match 3-2.
Latvia`s top scorer was Karmena Struka with 13 points (2 from serves, 2 from blocks). Rūta Putene contributed 11 points, while Katrīna Struka, Anna Cepurīte (including 4 service aces), and Marta Gintere each added nine points.
For Denmark, Veronika Kjaer Sørensen and Mille Bassøe were joint top scorers with 15 points each. Nikita Clausen tallied 14 points, notably securing five blocks. Marie Sonne Kristensen also reached double digits with 12 points, four of which came from blocks.
Denmark outblocked Latvia 11 to five in their 3-2 winning effort
Danish player Nikita Maria Egemark Clausen commented on the match: “I knew Kristīne Leskinoviča from the Latvian team – we had played together at club level. Latvia has a good, physically strong team. It was a great match from both sides, and I’m really happy we managed to win the final set. We kept our energy until the end and played our game.” She added about her team, “I can’t even say what exactly made us better. We’re friends as a team, even off the court. We talk to each other and know what it takes to get the best out of our game. We have to keep doing that in tomorrow’s match.”
The Danish team started the match more aggressively and confidently, while our girls were more cautious and maybe a bit too nervous. I’m proud of the team for continuing to fight and tying it at 2-2. Still, in the fifth set, Denmark proved they came here to fight for a place in the final tournament. Today, the team that was more aggressive and confident won. We definitely can play better, and we had limited information about the opponents beforehand. Denmark, whose game was shaped by two key players, surprised us. Sunday’s match against Ukraine will be decisive.
Atvars Ozoliņš
Team Latvia Head Coach
Latvian U22 head coach Atvars Ozoliņš, in his official debut as a women’s national team coach, shared his thoughts: “It’s hard to say whether it’s easier to coach – sometimes I wished I could be on the court myself – but it’s an interesting process. I’m happy to be part of it, helping the girls while learning a lot myself from Inguna [Minusa] and Daniele [Capriotti].”
Looking ahead in the qualifier, Denmark is scheduled to face Ukraine on Saturday, while Latvia will play against Ukraine on Sunday.
The qualification format sees the winners from all five qualification groups and the two best second-placed teams advancing to the final round. They will join the host nation, the Netherlands. The final tournament is scheduled to take place in The Hague, Netherlands, from July 7 to 12, 2026, and is open to players born on or after January 1, 2005.
Torin Vale