Põlva Serviti edge VHC Šviesa in semi-final thriller to book place in Baltic Handball League Final

April 11, 2026

Põlva Serviti secured their place in the Baltic Handball League Final after a hard-fought 31:29 victory over VHC Šviesa in a gripping semi-final clash on Saturday afternoon.

After a perfectly balanced first half that ended 16:16, the Estonian side delivered a decisive second-half performance, led by a standout display from Jurgen Rooba, who scored 11 goals, including three from the seven-meter line.

Strong start from Šviesa, Serviti respond

The Lithuanian side came out firing, racing to an early 4:0 lead within the opening minutes through sharp finishing from Šarūnas Ugianskis and Domantas Ivanauskas. Serviti struggled initially in attack, missing several early chances.

However, the home side gradually found their rhythm. Rooba opened the scoring for Serviti and quickly became the focal point in attack, while contributions from Tõnis Kase and Mathias Rebane helped close the gap.

Midway through the first half, Serviti turned the momentum, taking their first lead at 13:12 after a strong defensive stretch and fast-break execution. Despite this, Šviesa responded through consistent scoring from Ivanauskas and Ugianskis, leveling the score at 16:16 by halftime.

Second-half surge decides the match

The second half continued in a tight, goal-for-goal fashion until Serviti managed to create a crucial three-goal cushion at 21:18. Rooba remained unstoppable, while Alfred Timmo and Rebane added important goals to extend the lead.

A key turning point came in the 54th minute when Šviesa’s Tadas Rasakevičius received his third two-minute suspension and was disqualified, significantly weakening the Lithuanian side during a critical phase.

Serviti capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Rooba converting another seven-meter throw to make it 29:27. Although Šviesa continued to fight back, narrowing the gap to just one goal late in the match, decisive finishes from Ülljo Pihus in the final minute sealed the 31:29 victory.

Top performers

For Serviti, Rooba led all scorers with 11 goals, supported by Kase (5 goals), Timmo (4), and Rebane (4). Pihus added two crucial late goals under pressure.

Šviesa saw strong performances from Ivanauskas (7 goals), Ugianskis (6 goals, including three penalties), and Alan Bogdiun (5 goals), but ultimately fell short in the closing stages.

What’s next

With this victory, Põlva Serviti advance to the Baltic Handball League Final, scheduled for Sunday at 15:30, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between Mistra and HC Dragūnas Klaipėda.

VHC Šviesa will have another opportunity to finish on the podium, competing in the 3rd place match on Sunday at 13:00 against the loser of the second semi-final.

This semi-final encounter delivered high-intensity handball and sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the Baltic Handball League Final 4 weekend.