Because of his impressive performance, the editorial board of the Russian "BO Sport" nominated Asparuh Asparuhov for the team's MVP for the round! The Bulgarian outside hitter was among Kuzbass's leaders in the crushing away victory over Yenisei (Krasnoyarsk) with a 3:0 (25:20, 25:15, 25:18) win in the return leg of the preliminary playoffs. Thus, despite the 2:3 loss in the first match, his team advances to face the regular season winner \u2013 Zenit (Kazan). The 1/4-final series will be played to 2 wins out of 3 matches, with the first match on Wednesday (March 19).

Asparuhov recorded 14 points (3 blocks, 55% attack efficiency, 78% positive reception), with his stability and key points being crucial for the success.

The Bulgarian showed class right from the start of the match, neutralizing Yenisei's main weapons. In defense, Kuzbass was also on point, fending off 36 attacks against only 15 for the hosts. Asparuhov, along with Pakshin and Bragin, provided stable reception, which allowed setter Kovalikov to dictate the pace of the game.

With this victory, "Kuzbass" avoided the "golden set" and proved its superiority, while the criticized coach Sergey Trotsky responds with results \u2013 semifinals for the Legends' Cup, the Russian Cup, and now a quarterfinal in the championship.