Baltic League Playoff Picture Set After Granitas-Karys Triumph Over Mistra

March 1, 2025

Baltic League Playoff Picture Set After Granitas-Karys Triumph Over Mistra

The Baltic Handball League clash between Mistra and Granitas-Karys ended in a hard-fought battle, with Granitas-Karys emerging victorious by a score of 35-32. Despite Mistra’s strong start and an even contest at halftime (13-13), the Lithuanian side powered through in the second half to secure the win.

Match Recap

Mistra came out strong in front of their home crowd, quickly establishing a 4-0 lead within the first five minutes. Urmas Rõuk and Serhii Orlovskyi were instrumental in the early offensive surge, capitalizing on Granitas-Karys’ missed opportunities. However, Granitas-Karys responded with goals from Marius Kairys and Modestas Štarolis, cutting the deficit and eventually equalizing before halftime at 13-13.

The second half saw both teams exchanging goals, with the lead changing multiple times. Mistra’s Aron Leppik and Serhii Orlovskyi continued to deliver, but Granitas-Karys’ Simas Butkus and Modestas Štarolis proved too much to handle in the final stretch. Granitas-Karys gradually pulled away in the closing minutes, sealing the 35-32 victory.

Key Performers

  • Mistra:
    • Serhii Orlovskyi – 9 goals (2/2 from seven-meter shots)
    • Urmas Rõuk – 5 goals
    • Aron Leppik – 6 goals
    • Arno Vare – 6 goals
  • Granitas-Karys:
    • Modestas Štarolis – 10 goals
    • Simas Butkus – 9 goals (3/3 from seven-meter shots)
    • Titas Janušonis – 4 goals
    • Manvydas Lazauskas – 3 goals

Turning Points

  • Mistra’s early 4-0 lead put Granitas-Karys on the back foot, but the visitors’ resilience helped them recover.
  • A key timeout at 15:45 by Granitas-Karys helped them regain composure and shift momentum.
  • Mistra struggled with missed opportunities in the final ten minutes, while Granitas-Karys capitalized on fast-break chances to extend their lead.

Playoff Implications

This match marked the final game of the Baltic Handball League main round for this season. With this result, it has been confirmed that Granitas-Karys will face last year’s champions, ZRHK Tenax Dobele from Latvia, in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Mistra will meet Viljandi, an Estonian club, in their quarterfinal matchup. The playoffs promise intense matchups as teams battle for a spot in the semifinals.