Luxembourg has set the direction for the U18 Championship title by winning the first 2 matches 3-0, this morning against the home team of Malta. The first 2 sets were a clear cut for the Luxembourg team, winning 25-13 and 25-16 but it came close in the third set where Malta had a big chance in the position, 23-23 but the curtain fell for the home team that lost the 2 last points and the set 25-23.
In the afternoon match, Luxembourg played against San Marino, where there was a tight clash in the first two sets but the girls from the Grand Duchy delivered a 25-20 win in the first set then followed by a 29-27 where Luxembourg team managed to stay extremely calm when it counted the most. In the third set, it was never a question as Luxembourg dominated the set from start to finish to win 25-8 and take the lead of the tournament with 2 wins.
Malta claims victory over Northern Ireland
Malta needed a definite win in its second match of the day to stay in the race for a medal. It was clear from the start that the home team was well prepared as they dominated the field in every aspect of the game. The Maltese team took the lead in the first set and never looked back, winning 25-15, 25-18 and 25-13 as likely contenders for a medal at this year‘s SCA Championships.
Northern Ireland beats Ireland in a derby
It looked like Northern Ireland would win easily 3-0 in the derby between the neighbour countries in the north, instead, it was a five-set thriller. Northern Ireland took the first 2 sets with 25-12 and 25-22. In the third set, it was simply a rebirth of the Irish team that came back with a strong answer winning 25-12 and 25-18 to open the match for a golden set. In the golden set, the Northern Irish girls reigned like queens winning 15-4. With this victory, Northern Ireland has still a good chance of a medal.
CEV Small Countries Association 