Volleyball players of Lokomotiv Novosibirsk won the decisive third match of the 1/4-final series in the Russian championship and after a 3:1(21:25,25:10,25:22,25:20) victory against Belogorie, secured a spot in the semifinals. After a shaky start, the Siberians gradually imposed their rhythm through aggressive serves and a stable block, and in key moments showed greater class and confidence. Setter Simeon Nikolov was among the key figures – besides organizing the game, he also scored 7 points, +4, 1 ace, 1 block, having attacked 8 times, from which he scored 5 points – or 62%.
The first set started well for Lokomotiv, who took a 7:4 lead, but gradually the initiative passed into the hands of Belogorie. The guests showed excellent blocking, several times shutting down Voronkov and limiting the hosts' attack efficiency to just 33%. The most productive player in this part was Mohamed Al Hachdadi with 8 points, including three from blocks. Lokomotiv fought back to 15:15, but a series of strong actions from the guests at the end brought them a 25:21 victory. In this set, Nikolov did not score a point, as his game was not going well, which necessitated his substitution.
The second set was a complete opposite. After an even start up to 7:6, Lokomotiv made a decisive break on Ilya Kazachenkov's serve, who with an ace and a series of strong serves led the team to 15:6. During this period, Dmitry Lyzik was dominant – scoring break points, blocking Al Hachdadi, and finishing counterattacks. It was here that Simeon Nikolov also got involved – at 9:6 he scored on a counterattack, and shortly after added a block for his first points in the match. Until the end, Lokomotiv left no chance and equalized after a convincing 25:10.
The third set again highlighted Belogorie's problems in attack – only 28% efficiency (7 out of 25), with the team mainly compensating through serving and blocking. Lokomotiv maintained control for most of the set. At 4:4, Simeon Nikolov contributed with a counterattack, and at 15:11 he scored a direct ace – two moments that solidified the hosts' lead. Towards the end, Al Hachdadi tried to bring back the intrigue with a series of three aces and saved four set points (17:24 – 22:24), but Kazachenkov still closed the set for 25:22.
The fourth set started decisively for Lokomotiv, as a series of attack errors by Belogorie – including Podlesnykh, Al Hachdadi, and Tetyukhin – led to an early 8:2. From then on, the hosts controlled the situation. At 19:14, Simeon Nikolov executed a technical tip, and at 20:15 he repeated with another calm decision at a crucial moment. Belogorie tried to reduce the deficit but could not get back into the set. Voronkov ended it with an ace for 25:20.
The most effective player in the match was Mohamed Al Hachdadi with 19 points and 41% attack efficiency. For Lokomotiv, Dmitry Lyzik stood out with 14 points, 73% success rate, and four blocks, and together with Omar Kurbanov, they were the most effective in break points (10 each). Kazachenkov added 18 points and was key with his serving run in the second set.
Team Statistics:
| Indicator | Lokomotiv | Belogorie |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 12 | 13 |
| Attack (%) | 52% | 29% |
| Attack Points | 54 | 30 |
| Positive Reception | 49% | 23% |
| Aces | 8 | 7 |
| Service Errors | 20 | 10 |
| Points from Opponent Errors | 22 | 27 |
Lokomotiv clearly dominated the key elements of the game – especially in attack (52% vs 29%) and reception efficiency, which explains the significant difference in attack points (54 to 30). Belogorie partially compensated with more points from opponent errors and a slightly better block, but poor reception organization and low attack efficiency were the main factors for their deficit.
With this success, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk won the series 2–1 (3:1, 0:3, 3:1) and will face Zenit Kazan in the semifinals, with the first match scheduled for April 3.
