Moni Nikolov and Lokomotiv Novosibirsk know no stop, after securing their sixth consecutive victory, this time against Belogorie with 3:0 (26:24, 25:18, 25:19) in a match played in Novosibirsk. Thus, Plamen Konstantinov's team continues to lead the standings.

This is the 66th official match between the two clubs: 31 victories for Lokomotiv, 35 for Belogorie. Before this match, the two teams met again in Novosibirsk in the second round of the Victory Cup, where the hosts lost 1:3 (22:25, 23:25, 25:22, 18:25).

🔹 First set

The guests from Belogorie started better and took the lead after an ace, but Lokomotiv quickly equalized at 3:3. Lyzik's serve and a quick combination with Sam Deroo brought a turnaround – 4:3. An exchange of errors and long rallies followed, in which the Belogorod players temporarily took the lead – 5:7.

Moni Nikolov brought freshness to the game, surprising the opponent with a technical drop shot on the first ball for 9:9. Kurbanov and Deroo took turns with good attacking plays, but both teams continued to make errors on serve. The set proceeded nervously and in waves – only at the end did the hosts' stability prove decisive.

Kurbanov was on fire – a block, a pipe attack, and a finishing attack after a saved ball in defense secured the 26:24 victory.
The first set lasted 26 minutes and was marked by a total of 16 service errors (8 for each team). Lokomotiv showed better attack efficiency – 50% against 39% for Belogorie, and Kurbanov finished with 5 points.

🔸 Second set

Belogorie took the lead again, but the hosts immediately responded. After a soft touch on an attack in defense and a quick ball through the center by Kurkaev, the score became 3:2. Moni Nikolov showed perception and stability – an excellent block, followed by two consecutive counter-attacks, with which Lokomotiv took an 8:5 lead.

The guests reduced the deficit, but blocks from Kurkaev and Radjab returned the initiative to Novosibirsk. Moni further contributed with a short serve, leading to a difficult reception and another break point. In the end, Deroo and Kazachenkov's service run definitively decided the set – 25:18 and 2:0 for Lokomotiv.

After the second set, the statistics were:

• Aces: 3 against 1

• Blocks: 3 against 3

• Attack efficiency: 57% against 34%

Lokomotiv showed confidence and maturity, and Moni Nikolov already had 3 points, playing with precision in setting. The hosts dominated in attack and defense, while Belogorie continued to search for rhythm after the coaching change. Head coach Gheorghe Cretu left the team after five matches, and Sergey Baranov is temporarily in charge.

🔹 Third set

The beginning was again for the guests, but Lokomotiv quickly turned it around with a stable block and good plays by Kurkaev. At 10:7, Belogorie's timeout did not bring a change – the hosts played with confidence and composure.

Moni Nikolov added finesse – he feigned an attack but set Radjab for an easy "naked net" point (without a block), and shortly after, he also scored an ace with a short serve for 13:9. This was the moment the hosts gained confidence that they could close the match cleanly.

After a series of successful attacks by Kurbanov and Radjab, Lokomotiv pulled ahead 20:14 and, without losing control, closed the set 25:19 after a service error from the guests, and the match with a clean 3:0.

⚙️ Moni Nikolov – the engine of the orchestra

The Bulgarian setter finished with 6 points "," 1 ace and 2 blocks. Moni showed high class and intelligence in his decisions, alternating precise passes, good defensive digs, and calmness in key moments.
The top scorer for the winners was Radjab with 13 points, followed by captain Kurkaev with 10, Sam Deroo with 8, and Kurbanov with 7. For the guests, the only player to finish with a double-digit score was Pavel Tetyukhin with 10 points.

Lokomotiv Novosibirsk now has a perfect record of six wins and thus maintains its leading position in the Russian Super League standings.