The Croatian outfit edged the encounter 25-24 despite the fact that their opponents led for much of the game. 

"We had many obstacles, but after every game the girls got better and more successful, which resulted in victory," said Rijeka’s coach Andrijana Prosenjak. 

There was further home success in the third-place playoff as the University of Zagreb overcame the University of Ljubljana from Slovenia, 21-15.

In the men’s final, the University of Nis from Serbia beat German Sport University Cologne 38-35.

The two teams were joined on the podium by the University of Minho from Portugal after they registered a narrow 36-35 win over home side Vern University of Applied Sciences in the bronze medal match.

The University of Zagreb experienced mixed fortunes in the basketball finals with their women’s team triumphing and their men’s team having to settle for silver.

The women beat the University "1 Decembrie 1918" Alba Iulia of Romania 75-50 at the Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall, but the men lost 95-82 against Vytautas Magnus University of Lithuania.

The University of Belgrade from Serbia overcame the University of Bologna from Italy 76-59 in the women’s third-place playoff, while Fatih University of Turkey claimed a 77-72 victory over Vern University of Applied Sciences in the men’s bronze medal match.

"This is a phenomenal feeling, I’m really proud of the girls," said Anđa Jelavić, coach of the University of Zagreb women’s team.

"Our goal was to win the gold and we fulfilled it."

The event in Croatia continues tomorrow.