Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) started the series for third place in the Russian Super League in an impressive way, after defeating Zenit (Saint Petersburg) as a guest with 3:0 (30:28, 27:25, 25:19) in the first match of the playoff.
The match offered a serious battle in the first two sets, but in the third, Plamen Konstantinov's team asserted full control and closed out the match without hesitation.
Zenit, led by Vladimir Alekno, entered the series after losing in the semi-final to Dinamo (Moscow) with 1:3, while Lokomotiv dramatically lost to Zenit (Kazan) with 2:3.
The match went through serious comebacks, especially in the first two sets, where Zenit squandered solid leads. In the opening set, the hosts led 24:21, but Lokomotiv equalized after strong attacks by
Lyzyk and an ace by Simeon Nikolov, and in the long finish, the visitors saved several set points and reached 30:28. In the second set, the scenario repeated – Zenit took the lead, but a series of serves and blocks by Nikolov brought Lokomotiv back, who again were more stable at the end for 27:25. In the third set, the Novosibirsk team completely dominated, imposed high attacking efficiency, and closed out the match with a convincing 25:19.
Match point came after an attack by Kazachenkov, and the last point was scored by Voronkov, whose serve touched the diagonal player of the hosts.
Simeon Nikolov finished with 5 points, +2, 1 ace, 2 blocks. The top scorer in the match was Vladislav Babkevich with 22 points, and his teammate Marlon Yant added 13 for Zenit, while for Lokomotiv, Ilya Kazachenkov (19), Fyodor Voronkov (13), and Dmitry Lyzyk (12) scored over 10 points.
Match statistics
| Category | Zenit SPb | Lokomotiv Novosibirsk |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks | 46 | 53 |
| Blocks | 5 | 5 |
| Serves | 2 | 7 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 19 | 18 |
| Attack efficiency | 51% | 62% |
| Positive reception | 42% | 47% |
Lokomotiv won the match mainly due to higher attacking efficiency (62% vs 51%) and a significant advantage in serving (7 aces vs 2). The difference in reception also tipped the scales towards the visitors, allowing for greater variety in offense. Blocking was even, but the quality of the first touch and the serve proved decisive.
Lokomotiv took a crucial step towards the bronze medals by stealing home-court advantage in the very first match. Zenit's task now is to react quickly, as another success for the Novosibirsk team would put them one win away from the honors.
Given what was shown – especially in attack and serve – Plamen Konstantinov's team appears better structured at this stage of the season.
