Belogorie (Belgorod) equalized the quarter-final series in the Russian Super League after defeating Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) with a score of 3:0 (25:20, 25:20, 25:21) in their second match, played in Tula.
Thus, the team from Belgorod made it 1:1 wins in the series, after Lokomotiv won the first match 3:1.
The hosts established control from the start and did not allow a significant comeback in any of the three sets. Belogorie was the more stable team in the finishing phase of the rallies and better capitalized on their opponent's errors.
Al Hachdadi became the top scorer for the winners with 14 points, Podlesnykh added 13, and Tetyukhin finished with 12. For Lokomotiv, Ilya Kazachenkov and Omar Kurbanov each scored 12 points, while Lyzik concluded with 5 points. Bulgarian national player Simeon Nikolov recorded 1 point from a block and 1 from an attack for Lokomotiv, but overall played one of his weakest matches and was criticized by Plamen Konstantinov after the game.
| Category | Belogorie | Lokomotiv |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 75 | 61 |
| Attack | 52% | 48% |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Block | 5 | 3 |
| Reception | 28% | 47% |
| Errors | 16 | 23 |
Belogorie won the match primarily due to cleaner and more disciplined play. The team finished with better attack efficiency, more direct points from serves and blocks, and a significantly lower number of errors also proved crucial. An interesting detail is that Lokomotiv performed better in reception percentage, but failed to convert this advantage into real pressure and points.
The next match in the series, which will take place on March 31, now takes on key importance, as it is played to two wins in three matches.
Meanwhile, the volleyball players of Zenit (Kazan) qualified for the semi-finals of the Russian Super League for the 2025/2026 season, after defeating Nova (Novokuibyshevsk) with a score of 3:0 (25:19, 25:19, 25:20) in the second match of their quarter-final series. The team from Kazan closed the encounter without hesitation and continues to advance in the competition.
Zenit (Saint Petersburg) also secured a spot in the top 4, defeating Yenisei 3:1 (25:23, 21:25, 25:14, 25:20) in the second match of the series. The St. Petersburg team showed some hesitation in the second set, but asserted their superiority in the remaining parts and deservedly achieved success.
