Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) successfully started their participation in the Russian Cup Final Six, after defeating Dynamo-LO (Sosnovy Bor) 3:1 (25:17, 25:23, 23:25, 25:19) in Moscow.
Bulgarian setter Simeon Nikolov finished with 5 points, a +1 efficiency rating, and 1 block. It was his block that ended the first set, and in the second, Moni closed the set with a clever drop shot for 25:23. The third set was the most contested, ending after a service error by Nikolov
– 23:25.
Sem Derou was Lokomotiv's top scorer with 21 points and 62% attack efficiency. Ilya Kazachenkov added 18 points, and Fyodor Voronkov scored 15, of which 11 were for a break.
| Indicator | Lokomotiv | Dynamo-LO |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 11 | 5 |
| Attack | 59% | 44% |
| Points from attack | 60 | 44 |
| Positive reception | 45% | 30% |
| Aces | 5 | 3 |
| Service errors | 23 | 16 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 22 | 32 |
Lokomotiv had a clear superiority in blocking and attack, where the 15 percentage point difference was decisive. However, the Novosibirsk team made too many service errors – 23, which allowed Dynamo-LO to stay in the match and win the third set.
In the first set, Lokomotiv completely neutralized the opponent's leader Osniel Mergarejo, and in the fourth set, stable blocking and Roman Murashko's errors gave the Novosibirsk team an early lead.
Tomorrow Lokomotiv will finish the group stage against Zenit (Kazan).
