In the game of Group E, the Latvians lost 2:3 (1:1, 1:2, 0:0).
In the fourth minute, the home team took the lead after a goal scored by Jodi Anderson-Smith, but 32 seconds later, Liga Milione tied the score at 1:1 after a pass from Karina Šilajane.
In the 26th minute, the home team took the lead for the second time during the dismissal of Krista Nikola Jipczak, with Katie Henry scoring a goal, and in the 27th minute, Katerina Gale made it 3:1.
In the 37th minute,one goal was recovered by Jipčaka after Šilajane’s pass – 2:3.
For the home team, all three scorers scored two (1+1) performance points each.
Kristiāna Apsīte saved 35 of 38 shots in the goal of the Latvian national team,while Ella Howarda managed 14 of 16 shots for the hosts.
The Netherlands beat Spain 2-0 in the first match of the tournament.
latvian hockey players will meet the Netherlands on Saturday, and Spain on Sunday. Only the winner of the group will enter the qualifying final round.
The Olympic qualification final round tournaments in Japan, Germany and sweden will take place from February 6 to 9.In the final round, the winners of each tournament will win a ticket to the 2026 Olympic Games.
Head coach Hannu Saintulas is assisted by coaches Vladislavs Koniševs and Paulis Zvirgzdiņš and goalkeeping coach Ahto Karna.
The last time Latvian ice hockey players participated in the qualification tournament of the olympic Games was in December 2016, finishing in third place in the battle with the national teams of France, Italy and China, but the ticket to the final qualification tournament was won by the French national team.
Latvian women’s hockey team:
goalkeepers – Guna Esther Gailīte (L&L), Kristiāna Apsite (Salzburg “eagles”, Austria);
defenders – Aija Balode, Aline Shardina (both – “Laima”), Emilija Jakovleva, Madara Saulite (both – “Riga Hockey School”), Ksenia Kezika, Sabine Kate Rubina (both – Ankara “Yukselis”, Turkey), Rachel Taube ( “Jelgava Ice Sports School””
forwards – Agnese Apsite (Salzburg “Eagles”, Austria), Anna Lagzdiņa (Lancaster “Reapers”, Canada), Evelina Kolīte (Stockholm “Hammarby”, Sweden), Hanna Strause (Cornwall “Ontario Hockey Academy”, Canada), Karina Šilajane , Charlotte Stäle (both – ”Riga Hockey School”), Kjara Paula Želubovska (Rustiko “Mount Hockey Academy”, Canada), Krista Jipczak (Barracudas of Burlington, Canada), Laima Elizabete Lukaševiča (L&L), Linda Rulle (Tigers of Henrietta, USA), Liga Milione (Lady Hawks of Villach, Austria).