Serviti Hold Their Nerve Against Dragunas

February 14, 2026

Põlva Serviti avenged their narrow defeat from the first round of the Baltic Handball League by edging HC Dragunas Klaipeda 31:29 in a dramatic and high-intensity home match on Friday evening.

Serviti laid the foundation for victory with a dominant first half, going into the break with a convincing 16:10 advantage. Strong defensive discipline, efficient fast breaks and near-perfect execution from the seven-meter line allowed the Estonian champions to control the tempo early on. Dragunas, who had won the previous meeting between the sides 32:31 back in November, struggled to find rhythm in attack during the opening 30 minutes.

The home side started explosively, with Stanislav Kholodiuk opening the scoring inside the first minute and Ülljo Pihus quickly doubling the lead. Despite early resistance from Dragunas – including goals from Lukas Juskenas and Deividas Virbauskas – Serviti pulled away midway through the first half. A decisive run between the 17th and 25th minute, highlighted by goals from Hendrik Varul, Mathias Rebane and Kermo Saksing, stretched the margin to as much as seven goals (14:7), forcing the Lithuanian side into a timeout.

After the restart, Dragunas came out with renewed energy and gradually clawed their way back into the contest. Virbauskas led the comeback with a standout performance, finishing the match with 10 goals, while Daniil Plakhotin and Emmanuel Gustavo Ferreira Paiva added important strikes to keep the pressure on Serviti. The visitors reduced the deficit to just two goals in the final minute, setting up a tense finish.

However, Serviti showed composure in the decisive moments. Mathias Rebane, who delivered a flawless shooting display with 9 goals from 9 attempts (including 3/3 from seven meters), struck late to restore breathing room. Despite Dragunas scoring twice in the final minute, the hosts held on to secure a vital 31:29 win.

Top Performers

• Põlva Serviti: Mathias Rebane (9 goals), Kermo Saksing (5 goals), Stanislav Kholodiuk (5 goals), Hendrik Varul (4 goals before his late disqualification).
• HC Dragunas Klaipeda: Deividas Virbauskas (10 goals), Daniil Plakhotin (4 goals), Matas Kairys (4 goals).

The victory not only delivered revenge for Serviti after the earlier one-goal loss in Klaipeda, but also underlined their strength at home in the Baltic Handball League. For Dragunas, the narrow defeat showcased their fighting spirit, but lapses in the first half ultimately proved too costly.