Successful performances of handball players

8.2.2021

Students of the Institute of Physical Education and Sports successfully play for the “Handball Academy”.

10 students of the Educational and Research Institute of Physical Education and Sports of LTSNU including Maksym Vakula, Danylo Zorkin, Mykyta Litvinenko (1st year), Denys Nikulichev (3rd year), Oleksii Novikov (1st year of the magistracy), Ihor Odinokov, Danylo Plakhotin ( 4th year), Artem Popovych (1st year of the magistracy), Marat Sahdeev and Kyrylo Smelkov (3rd year) – are the players of the Handball Academy team, which plays in the highest handball division of the country – the Ukrainian Super League.

At the moment, the team has played 14 games of the first round of the Ukrainian Championship, in which the Handball Academy won 7 victories, and thus secured a place ahead of schedule among the four best representatives of the national handball tournament of the 2020/21 season.

In addition to team achievements, it is advisable to recall the individual achievements of students of our university. So, left back Ihor Odinokov is the best sniper of the Handball Academy (82 goals) and occupies the 4th position (out of 197) in the overall scorer race of the Super League.

Danylo Plakhotin (23 goals), whose main playing position is listed as left back, together with Igor Odinkov is the core of the team’s defense, the main central defender. Danylo has the potential of a versatile player, successfully realizes during matches: not only “cementing” the defense of the Handball Academy, but also playing as a back and lineman.

Kyrylo Smelkov (15 goals) is the main line player, the mainstay of the team play in the line.

The centre back Denys Nikulichev and left wing Marat Sagdeev are promising young players who are confidently making their handball path in the Super League.

Oleksii Novikov is one of the main goalkeeper figures of the team, the first goalkeeper, skillfully and courageously defends the last line, and also supports the team with numerous saves.

Artem Popovych and Mykyta Litvinenko are the conductors of the attacks of the Handball Academy, which set the vector for the development of games by controlling game combinations. The account of the players – 32 and 10 goals, respectively, as well as many assists passes to other teammates.

It seems appropriate to recall the scoring debut of right back Danylo Zorkin and left wing Maksym Vakula in matches against Zaporizhzhia “Motor” – the current champion of the country, a powerful representative of Ukraine in the Champions League. The handball performers of the Zaporizhzhia-Luhansk squad showed great determination, which led to the repeated scoring of the “Motor” goal.

All the players together form a team – an ambitious, goal-oriented and cohesive Handball Academy, whose virtues our university can be proud of.

Oleh LEONTIEV,
Handball Academy team coach,
Senior Lecturer of the Department of Sports Disciplines of LTSNU