Lokomotiv Novosibirsk won the bronze medals in the Russian Super League after defeating Zenit Saint Petersburg 3:0 (25:22, 25:20, 25:23) as a guest in the decisive fifth match of the third-place series.
For Bulgarian fans, there remains the satisfaction that a whole colony of compatriots in the Novosibirsk staff were adorned with medals – Plamen Konstantinov, Andrey Zekov, Milen Bogdanov, Venislav Naumov, Simeon Nikolov, and Evgeni Mitkov. Last but not least is the presence of Sam Deroo's girlfriend, Dobryana Rabadzhieva, who is soon expecting a child with the Belgian international.
Bulgarian setter Simeon Nikolov played a crucial role in the success, finishing with 6 points, +1, and 3 aces. It was his ace that turned the tide in the second set at 15:14, and another ace from the Bulgarian closed the set at 25:20.
The third set was the most dramatic. Lokomotiv led 18:16, but the hosts responded with blocks and an ace to turn it around to 20:19. At 21:21, opposite hitter Vladislav Babkevich stepped on the line during a back-row attack, giving the guests a 22:21 lead, after which Nikolov slammed another ace for 23:21. A good defense from the Bulgarian followed, finished with a block by Dmitry Lyzik for 24:21. Zenit saved two match points, but a service into the net by Maxim Kosmin sent the bronze to Novosibirsk.
Team Statistics:

Lokomotiv had a slight advantage in attack, but the big difference came from serving – 8 aces against 4. It was the serve that turned the second set and decided important moments in the third. The guests' better reception also provided a more stable foundation for organizing their play.
The top scorers for Lokomotiv were Fyodor Voronkov and Nikolay Kazachenkov with 10 points each, and Yury Brazhnyuk added 9. For Zenit, Marlon Yant finished with 15 points, and Babkevich scored 12.
Lokomotiv won the series 3:2 and returned to the podium for the first time since 2023.