Simeon Nikolov and Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) were on the verge of turning the tide of semifinal #3, after erasing a 4-point deficit in the fourth set and forcing the match into a tie-break, but at the crucial moment, champion Zenit (Kazan) showed stronger nerves and won 2:3 (27:29, 25:13, 20:25, 27:25, 9:15) in front of over 5000 spectators. The national team's setter demonstrated why he is dangerous on serve, scoring 4 aces, and attempted attack three times but did not score points on that element.
Thus, Zenit took a 2-1 lead in the series. The series is played to three wins out of five matches, and the fourth match is on Sunday, April 12, again in Novosibirsk.
Already in the first set, both teams showed fluctuations from the serve and made many errors, while both sides had around 40% success rate in attack. In the tense final moments, Lokomotiv saved set point four times, but Maxim Mikhailov finished the set with two consecutive successful attacks for 29:27.
In the second set, the hosts responded impressively. Simeon Nikolov and Omar Kurbanov destabilized the visitors' reception early on, and Lokomotiv took a 7:1 lead. Novosibirsk players scored a total of five aces in this part alone, and after Nikolov's second direct ace from serve, the score became 18:8. Zenit's attack collapsed, and the substitutions made did not change the course of the set.
The third set started evenly, but Mikhailov's serving streak gave momentum to Kazan, who pulled away from 11:10 to 14:10, and then further extended their lead. The visitors achieved success thanks to a 70% attack success rate and a significant advantage in blocking.
Lokomotiv, however, did not give up in the fourth set. Plamen Konstantinov's players fell behind 12:16, but managed to come back to 18:18. Zenit even reached match point, but Kurbanov equalized, and then put his team ahead 25:24. In the decisive rally, Dmitry Lyzik made it difficult for Mikhailov on reception, the ball went over to Lokomotiv's side, and Fyodor Voronkov scored the transition ball to send the match into a tie-break.
In the fifth set, however, the visitors were more concentrated. Lokomotiv made four errors in attack and was blocked twice, which allowed Zenit to quickly build a lead. Mikhail Labinsky scored 4 points in the tie-break, and Mikhailov ended the match at 15:9.
Team statistics:
| Indicator | Lokomotiv | Zenit |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 7 | 13 |
| Attack (%) | 43% | 43% |
| Attack points | 54 | 44 |
| Positive reception | 37% | 25% |
| Aces | 14 | 4 |
| Service errors | 30 | 22 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 33 | 46 |
| Total points | 108 | 107 |
The numbers show an extremely close match, in which Lokomotiv even won in total points (108 versus 107), but lost due to key elements. Novosibirsk had a significant advantage in serving (14 aces) and better reception (37% versus 25%), as well as more direct attack points.
The difference, however, came from blocking and errors – Zenit made almost twice as many blocks (13 against 7) and capitalized significantly better on the opponent's errors (46 points). These two components proved decisive in the tie-break and tilted the scales in favor of the champion.
Omar Kurbanov was the top scorer for Lokomotiv with 21 points. Dmitry Lyzik added 15, and Rajab Shakhbanmirzaev, who came off the bench, finished with 11. For the winners, Maxim Mikhailov scored 19 points, Mikhail Labinsky finished with 16, and Alexander Volkov contributed 9.
The next match in the series is on April 12, again in Novosibirsk.
Photos: lokovolley.com
