Lokomotiv Novosibirsk's first loss of the season came in Moscow, where local Dynamo won 3:1. Despite good individual performances from some of Plamen Konstantinov's players, the hosts' superiority in key elements was categorical.
Lokomotiv's Performances
Setter Simeon Nikolov finished the match with 2 points, a -3 efficiency rating, 15 serves, 5 of which were errors, no aces, and 1 block. The Bulgarian once again distributed attacks evenly, but the team's poor reception severely limited him.
Among the attackers, Razha Shakhbanmirzaev was the most prolific with 12 points, followed by Ilya Lyzik with 11, while Kurbanov and Kurkaev added 9 points each. However, the centers' productivity was not enough for more than one set in favor of the Novosibirsk team.
The heroes for Dynamo
Outstanding in the match was former Montana opposite hitter Maxim Sapozhkov, who delivered a phenomenal performance:
24 points, +11 efficiency, 4 aces and 54% attack success rate.
Strongly contributing alongside him were:
Semenov – 16 points,
Zhuk – 11,
Bogdan – 10.
This allowed the Muscovites to maintain constant pressure, which Lokomotiv failed to control.
Key team statistics
Dynamo subdued Lokomotiv despite the efforts of the centers – the statistics clearly show it.
Lokomotiv Novosibirsk's first loss of the season came in Moscow, where local Dynamo won 3:1. Despite good individual performances from some of Plamen Konstantinov's players, the hosts' superiority in key elements was categorical.
Lokomotiv's Performances
The SetterSimeon Nikolovfinished the match with2 points,a -3 coefficient,15 serves, of which5 service errors,with no aces, and1 block. The Bulgarian once again distributed the attacks evenly, but the team's weak reception severely limited him.
Among the attackers, the most productive wasRazha Shahbanmirzaevwith12 points, followed byIlya Lizikand Sam Deru with11, whileKurbanovandKurkaevadded9 pointsHowever, the centers' productivity was not enough for more than one set in favor of Novosibirsk.
The heroes for Dynamo
Above all in the match was Montana's former opposite hitter – Maxim Sapozhkov, who played a strong game:
24 points, +11 efficiency, 4 aces and 54% attack success rate.
Strongly contributing alongside him were:
Semenov – 16 points,
Zhuk – 11,
Bogdan – 10.
This allowed the Muscovites to maintain constant pressure, which Lokomotiv failed to control.
Key team statistics
| Element | Lokomotiv | Dynamo |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 4 | 9 |
| Block | 10 | 11 |
| Successful attack | 51% | 56% |
| Positive reception | 33% | 48% |
Dynamo dominated in serving (9:4 aces) and positive reception (48% versus 33%), which logically led to higher attack efficiency – 56% versus 51%. This allowed the Muscovites to dictate the tempo, while Lokomotiv played under constant pressure.
There was also Bulgarian support in the stands.
With this first loss, Lokomotiv is second in the standings, ahead of tomorrow's match for Zenit Kazan, who are third.
After the defeat, Novosibirsk returns home, where on November 25 they will host the Orenburzhye Orenburg team. The match is a chance for Lokomotiv to correct their mistakes and get back on the winning path in front of their home crowd.
