Tough victory for HC Vilnius, HC Dragunas Klaipeda back on track after forced break

February 5, 2022

Tough victory for HC Vilnius, HC Dragunas Klaipeda back on track after forced break

Today’s games of the Baltic Handball league have ended with victories for leaders – Põlva Serviti, Viljandi HC. Quite easy wins for Granitas-Karys Kaunas and HC Dragunas Klaipeda against SK Latgols and Raasiku/Mistra. The most interesting game today was held in Kehra, where HC Kehra played against HC Vilnius. Two minutes and 15 seconds until the end of the game it was a draw. At the end HC Vilnius celebrated lucky win by one goal – 32:31.

  • HC Dragunas Klaipeda – Raasiku/Mistra                               38:27 (16:9)

After the “Covid break”, HC Dragunas returned with power, they gained an impressive advantage already in the first 14 minutes – 11: 2. It was enough for them to keep it that way not only until the end of the first half, but also until the end of the game. Great game for Laurynas Simonavicius (HC Dragunas) who scored seven out of eight goals.

Gintaras Cibulskis, HC Dragunas Klaipeda coach
“Victory is always a good thing. That’s the result I was hoping for. The opponents came with an incomplete squad; they were weakened by the coronavirus; and there were a number of players from their second team. It was not an even match, but we were also just coming back from illness. Some of the players who were sick have respiratory problems and find it harder to play. I’m glad that Rokas Palskys is recovering from appendicitis, and I was able to get him on the court for a bit.
We are trying to recover, to get back in shape and to move forward, because we have matches scheduled throughout February, which are very important. There can be no relaxation. We need points and we cannot waste them. The standings are so tight that after one defeat, you can drop down even a few positions. Every point is very important to us, and we are going to fight for them.”

HC Dragunas Klaipeda – Simonavicius 7, Lapiniauskas 6, Draksas 6, Hlushak 5, Plakhotin 5, Bucius 3, Naghavialhosseini 2, Palskys 1, Lobchuk 1, Cimbaras 1, Butkus 1
Raasiku/Mistra – Naumenko 5, Kask 5, Sokorovich 5, Keskkula 5, Slastinovski 4, Vare 1 , Žigadio 1, Rouk 1

  • SK Latgols Ludza – Granitas-Karys Kaunas                             25:45 (15:24)

SK Latgols Ludzas are the only team who still haven’t won any game in this season and also Granitas-Karys was a hard nut to crack, which they could not crack. First 15 minutes SK Latgols kept it up, but after that Granitas Karys took over the lead. After first half of the game 25:15, after 60 minutes – 45:25.

SK Latgols Ludza – Matvejenko 11, Grebeņņikovs 3, Mikijanskis 3, Usāns 2, Rancāns 2, Malahovs 2, Seņkāns 1, Kušners 1
Granitas-Karys Kaunas – Jurkevičius 9, Pijus 7, Jovaišas 5, Lazauskas 5, Kairys 5, Vilutis 3, Monvilas 3, Šarkauskas 2, Zeringas 2, Giedraitis 2, Gurskis 1, Dambrauskas 1

  • HC Kehra/Horizon Pulp&Paper – HC Vilnius                        31:32 (15:18)

Although HC Vilnius started better, HC Kehra managed to get back in games and five minutes till the break it was 13:13. In next five minutes HC Vilnius scored five against Kehra’s two gaols (18:15). In the second half there was more than once a draw on the scoreboard. Last time a draw was two minutes and 15 seconds till the end of the game, after that Aridas Petronis scored HC Vilnius 32nd gaol, as it was later known – last and winning point in this game. For the winners Airidas Petronis scored 12 goals.

HC Kehra/Horizon Pulp&Paper – Mamporia 10, Seermann 9, Liedemann 4, Vilks 4, Barouski 3, Soikka 1
HC Vilnius – Petronis 12,Lapinskas 7, Žala 6, Drevinskas 3, Urbonas 2, Skobas 1, Raudonius 1

  • Viljandi HC – SK Tapa                                                                     36:27 (19:11)

HC Viljandi slowly but steadily increased their lead – plus three after 15 minutes played, plus eight after 30 minutes, plus nine after 45 minutes, which remained until the end of the game. Great game for Hendrik Koks and Kristo Voika who both helped the team to win the game, each scoring seven goals.

Marcus Rättel, SK Tapa player
“Already in the warm up our motivation wasn’t there and it felt like we weren’t ready for the game. The game spirit also wasn’t how it usually is and thanks to that our game suffered. In conclusion, we didn’t get our game running either. Viljandi got some easy goals and we made easy mistakes, what usually doesn’t happen. It was a great learning point and we will continue to work hard.”

Viljandi HC – Koks 7, Voika 7, Varik O., 6, Maasalu 5, Varik M., 3, Koovit 2, Basarab 2, Pertelson 1, Liinsoo 1, Lopp M., 1, Ruut 1
SK Tapa – Rattel 10, Oolup 6, Parve 3, Trofimov 2, Ageni 2, Himma 1, Saar 1, Jaanis 1, Kosmirak 1

  • HK Ogre/Hydrox – Varsa-Stronglasas Alytus                        31:38 (14:17)

From the start of the game Varsa-Strongalas did their job better and after 20 minutes gained three-point advantage – 12:9. It stayed plus three until the teams went in the break. Alyta’s team played more successfully and convincingly in the second half of the game, gradually increasing the difference in the result and winning with the result 38:31.

HK Ogre/Hydrox – Haisa 10, Lazdiņš 6, Hovratovičs 5, Putniņš 4, Renfordt 3, Patsykailik 2, Iljinihs 1
Varsa-Stronglasas Alytus – Micevičius 8, Buronko 8, Čepulis R., 5, Čepulis D., 4, Grebliūnas 3, Tamulionis 3, Eidukonis 3, Civinksas 3, Tumasonis 1

  • Põlva Serviti – VHC Šviesa Vilnius                                            32:26 (18:12)

VHC Šviesa Vilnius started better and took a lead after almost four minutes were played – 3:1. That was the only time Lithuanians were leading in this game. After 30 minutes Põlva Serviti were already six points ahead their opponents. In the second 30 minutes nothing match changed on the court. Põlva’s biggest advantage was plus 9, but the game ended with the result – 32:26

Põlva Serviti – Celmiņš 8, Kase 5, Muuga 5, Hiiend 4, Uibo 4, Sarapuu 2, Meikšāns 2, Chezlov 1, Pihus 1
VHC Šviesa Vilnius – Rasakevičius 6, Pleta 4, Palevičius 3, Bernatavičius 3, Ugianskis 3, Antonovičius 2, Urvikis 2, Sinkevičius 1, Mahmoud 1, Piragis 1