Lokomotiv Novosibirsk reignited the semifinal clash of the Russian championship and pushed the series to a decisive fifth match, which will be played on April 16 in Kazan. In the fourth match of the battle for a place in the final, Plamen Konstantinov's team prevailed over Zenit-Kazan with a score of 3:2 (21:25, 25:22, 26:28, 25:22, 15:12) after nearly two and a half hours of play.
This time, the tie-break favored the hosts. The decisive fifth set involved a lot of tension, video replays, and controversial situations, but the Novosibirsk players kept their composure in key moments and achieved an extremely valuable victory. Moni Nikolov played a fantastic match, finishing with 6 points, 4 blocks, and 1 ace. The point from service came at a very important moment in the tie-break, with a fragile lead of 7:6, and after Moni's ace, it became 8:6 and the teams switched courts.
Thus, Lokomotiv leveled the semifinal series at 2:2 victories, and everything will be decided in a fifth, final match, which will determine who will contend for the title.
Zenit-Kazan entered the match with a 2:1 lead in the series. The Kazan team is the reigning Russian champion, regular season winner, and holder of the Russian Super Cup. Lokomotiv, on the other hand, is the winner of the Russian Cup for 2025 and once again showed that they have no intention of surrendering without a fight.
The development of the series so far further highlights how evenly matched the clash between the two teams is. In the first match, Lokomotiv won 3:2, then Zenit-Kazan responded with 3:1, and in the third match, snatched another dramatic victory with 3:2. Now the team from Novosibirsk returned the blow in the same manner and left the outcome to the last possible match.
The start was entirely in favor of the guests from Kazan, who quickly built a comfortable 10:5 lead. Zenit maintained the pace and extended their lead to 22:15, controlling the game. Towards the end, Lokomotiv mobilized and, after an ace by Kazachenkov, reduced the deficit to three points, but Maxim Mikhailov sealed the set at 25:21.
The scenario reversed. Lokomotiv started strongly and led 9:3. Zenit reacted and narrowed the gap to 10:9 after a block against Kurbanov. The hosts regained control thanks to Lizik and Kurbanov – 14:10. Towards the end, the guests equalized at 18:18 and 20:20, but Voronkov took responsibility – an ace for 24:21. After a service into the net by Zenit, the set ended at 25:22.
Even play until 9:9 and 11:11, after which a three-point run gave Zenit a 16:12 lead. Lokomotiv gradually got back into the match and came within a point several times. Moni Nikolov's entry on serve proved crucial, and the hosts equalized at 23:23 after an attack by Kurbanov. Loko reached set point at 24:23, but Zenit turned it around to 25:24. After dramatic rallies and defensive saves, Mikhailov brought the decisive point for 28:26 in favor of Zenit.
Again, Zenit started better – 11:9 in their favor. A strong period followed for Lokomotiv, in which Moni Nikolov stood out with a block against Labinsky for 14:12, and Kazachenkov added an ace for 15:12. The game was tied at 20:20, but the hosts showed stronger nerves. Brazhnyuk scored through the center for 22:21, and a crucial block against Labinsky made it 23:21. Lizik closed the set with a block for 25:22 and pushed the match to a tie-break.
The tie-break started evenly, but Zenit took a 5:3 lead. Several tense situations followed with video challenges and controversial decisions. Lokomotiv equalized at 5:5 after a pipe attack by Voronkov. A key moment came during Moni Nikolov's service run – a block and an ace for an 8:6 lead for the hosts when the teams switched sides.
The "railwaymen's" pressure continued, and errors by Luburic contributed to a 10:7 and 12:9 lead. Towards the end, Zenit came close at 13:12, but an out-of-bounds serve brought the first match point. In the final rally, Lizik completed the counter-attack after a strong serve by the hosts, and another video challenge confirmed the point for 15:12.
Individual statistics
| Team | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Lokomotiv | Voronkov | 19 |
| Lokomotiv | Kazachenkov | 16 |
| Lokomotiv | Kurbanov | 12 |
| Lokomotiv | Lizik | 11 |
| Zenit | Labinskiy | 23 |
| Zenit | Mikhaylov | 19 |
| Zenit | Volkov | 10 |
Labinskiy was the top scorer in the match, but Lokomotiv's better-distributed attack proved decisive. Four of the home team's players finished with double-digit points, which provided the necessary balance in offense, while for Zenit, the burden fell mainly on Labinskiy and Mikhaylov.
Team statistics
| Metric | Lokomotiv | Zenit |
|---|---|---|
| Block | 17 | 12 |
| Attack % | 45% | 44% |
| Points from attack | 54 | 52 |
| Positive reception | 30% | 42% |
| Aces | 5 | 6 |
| Points from opponent errors | 36 | 39 |
| Total points | 112 | 104 |
Lokomotiv compensated for their weaker reception with an exceptionally strong blocking game, dominating with a 17-12 advantage in block points. Attack efficiency was almost even, but the hosts scored slightly more direct points. Although Zenit had an advantage in reception and points from opponent errors, Lokomotiv's superior blocking and crucial plays in the closing moments tipped the scales in favor of the Novosibirsk team.
This victory also carries significant psychological importance for Plamen Konstantinov's team. After a dramatic loss in their previous match, Lokomotiv's players this time held their nerve in the most intense moments and showed character to remain in the fight for the final.
