The guests from Novosibirsk achieved an extremely difficult success in the Russian volleyball championship after defeating Gorky 3:1 in sets. Plamen Konstantinov's team had to demonstrate mental resilience and composure in key moments to close out the fourth set, in which the hosts saved four consecutive match points and even had two chances to send the match to a tie-break.

Without their star Sam Deroo, Lokomotiv relied on strong play through the middle, and Dmitry Lyzik shone above all, delivering a phenomenal match. Moni Nikolov was also highly productive and extremely useful, who, besides creative play in setting, also made impressive blocks.

Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod) – Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) – 1:3 (20:25, 25:17, 17:25, 26:28)

First set – 20:25

Lokomotiv dictated the pace of events throughout. The hosts came closest at 19:20, but two consecutive aces from Dmitry Lyzik broke their momentum. Markin closed the set with a powerful attack. The guests showed stability even without Sam Deroo.

Second set – 25:17

A complete change in the game's dynamic. Lokomotiv suffered a collective collapse, and the hosts established control early – 11:5. This forced Plamen Konstantinov to make a serious rotation, including taking Nikolov out. Gorky maintained a 6–7 point lead and leveled the sets.

Third set – 17:25

The guests returned to their play from the first set. After a block by Moni Nikolov, the score became 7:10. A clever tip by the setter led to 10:14. Concentration was key until the end – after a block by Lyzik, the first set point came, and an attack error by the hosts made the score 1:2.

Fourth set – 26:28

The most dramatic part of the match. Lokomotiv had a stable advantage after a block by Nikolov made it 15:19. The first match point – 20:24 – came after a net violation by Gorky. However, the hosts saved three consecutive opportunities, equalized, and even had two chances to send the match to a tie-break.

A service error, followed by a decisive block from Lyzik, gave Lokomotiv their fifth match point. After 34 minutes of battle, the block by the Novosibirsk team closed out the match and brought their tenth victory of the season.

Dmitry Lyzik was the absolute star of the evening – 19 points, a fantastic 88% attack efficiency, and key aces. Moni Nikolov contributed with brilliant defensive actions and 5 blocks – a statistic rarely seen from a setter. Lokomotiv showed character and stability in crucial moments, and the success highlights the depth and collective strength of the squad led by Plamen Konstantinov.