RSU women's team repeats Latvian Cup success; men's team battles in five-set final

Writer: Ilze Āķe-Vīksne (Public Relations Unit)
Photo: Courtesy of Latvijas Volejbola federācija

On 13 December, the CEWOOD Latvian Cup volleyball finals turned into a real sporting celebration, with both Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) teams proving themselves brilliantly, treating spectators to high-class games, excitement and real thriller-worthy tension until the very last point.

Women's team win Latvian Cup

The RSU women's volleyball team defeated Mārupes SC in the final with a score of 3:1 (25:19, 18:25, 25:19, 25:15), defending their Latvian Cup title for the second year in a row.

'The women mostly performed very well. Perhaps due to stress, we weren't always as free in our offensive game as we would have liked, but we showed character at the decisive moments,'

Inguna Minusa, head coach of the RSU women's team, summarised after the final.

Viena no galvenajām uzvaras kaldinātājām, otrā tempa uzbrucēja Anna Cepurīte, uzsvēra komandas saliedētību: “Šis bija fināls, kurā bija svarīgi noturēt mieru un uzticēties komandas biedrenēm.

One of the main contributors to the victory, 2nd tempo attacker Anna Cepurīte, emphasised the team's unity: 'This was a final where it was important to stay calm and trust each other.

We knew we could do it, and we really wanted to win not only for ourselves, but for the entire RSU community.'

Men's team battles to the last point

Meanwhile, the men's final turned out to be a real drama with a capital D. The team Robežsardze/RSU lost to the team Ezerzeme/DU in a five-set, nearly three-hour battle with a score of 2:3 (26:28, 21:25, 29:27, 34:32, 15:10). The RSU men were very close to victory – they won several match points, endured emotional tension, and fought to the last point, thus giving performance worthy of a final.

In both games, the RSU teams demonstrated a lot of skill, unity, and fighting spirit, which inspired both the fans and the entire RSU community.

The finals were attended and supported by the university's management – Rector Prof. Aigars Pētersons, Chancellor Toms Baumanis, Vice-Rector Agrita Kiopa, Head of the RSU Sports Club Laura Ritova, as well as many RSU employees and sports enthusiasts.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the players, coaches, support staff, and all RSU fans for their emotions, support, and sense of togetherness.