Teams from Ukraine, Latvia and Lithuania triumph at EEVZA Cup for sports schools and youth clubs

The second edition of the Eastern European Volleyball Zonal Association (EEVZA) Cup designed for teams representing sports schools and youth clubs was organised this past weekend in Daugavpils, Latvia. Ukraine’s Sokoliany (whose players are currently living in Poland) and Lithuania’s Palanga Sports Centre emerged victorious in the U16 competitions for boys and girls, respectively. On the other hand, Latvia’s Jēkabpils Sports School and Ukraine’s VK Ace claimed top honours in the U18 divisions for boys and girls – contested for the very first time this year. Six teams featured in each competition across both genders. 

The final standings of the U16 competitions, featuring players born in 2012 and 2013, read as follows: 

Boys 

1.    Sokoliany (Ukraine) 
2.    Riga Volleyball School (Latvia) 
3.    Aizkraukle District Sports School (Latvia) 
4.    Selver Tallinn (Estonia) 
5.    Klaipeda Volleyball Academy (Lithuania) 
6.    Daugavpils Sports School (Latvia) 

The best players from each team were: Artjoms Pritickis (Daugavpils Sports School), Rihards Šitss (Selver Tallinn), Emīls Eglītis (Riga Volleyball School), Klāvs Strazdiņš (Aizkraukle District Sports School), Nazar Maksim (Sokoliany), and Danils Ščegols (Klaipeda Volleyball Academy).

Girls 

1.    Palanga Sports Centre (Lithuania) 
2.    SK Rae (Estonia) 
3.    Mārupe District Sports School (Latvia) 
4.    Neemeco/Kohila Vald (Estonia)  
5.    Gulbene District BJSS (Latvia) 
6.    VK Ace (Ukraine) 

The best players were: Paula Vējiņa (Mārupe District Sports School), Lisanna Nēra (Neemeco/Kohila Vald), Denīze Dreiškena (Gulbene District BJSS), Anna Gushula (VK Ace), Rahela Rahuoja (SK Rae), and Deimantė Pečulytė (Palanga Sports Centre).

The final standings of the U18 competitions, featuring players born in 2010 and 2011, read as follows: 

Boys 

1.    Jēkabpils Sports School (Latvia) 
2.    Selver Tallinn (Estonia) 
3.    Mārupe District Sports School (Latvia) 
4.    Daugavpils Sports School (Latvia) 
5.    Klaipeda Viesulas Sports Centre (Lithuania) 
6.    Startas Kaunas (Lithuania) 

The top players per team are: Jans Eriks Prakss (Selver Tallinn), Neo Andrejevs (Jēkabpils Sports School), Mikus Zūlis (Mārupe District Sports School), Deniss Vesna (Daugavpils Sports School), Konrads Šiklo (Viesulas Sports Centre), and Vilius Simanavičius (Startas).

Girls 

1.    VK Ace (Ukraine) 
2.    Selver Tallinn I (Estonia) 
3.    Daugavpils Sports School (Latvia) 
4.    Klaipeda Viesulas Sports Centre (Lithuania) 
5.    Gulbene District BJSS (Latvia) 
6.    Selver Tallinn II (Estonia) 

Best players in this division: Simona Sova (Selver II), Viltė Garbinaitė (Viesulas Sports Centre), Maria Jefanova (Selver I), Marta Roziņa (Gulbene District BJSS), Oleksandra Labunska (VK Ace), and Jūlija Novičonoka (Daugavpils Sports School).