Vermiglio
For Kazan, Priddy was substituted by Berezhko, while for Lokomotiv, the Slovak spiker Divis, was repalced by Dubrovin.
After a bad 1. set for the hosts (attack to 29% with 5 errors), Alekno made a substitution and Cheremisin entered in the place of the opposite, while Mikhaylov substituted Priddy.
The second set was also won by the hosts, but since the third set, the game changed and Kazan was more effective in attack winning with 25:19.
Novosibirsk had a great chance to close 4. set, taking the lead of 7:12 and then 13:17,
but thanks to Mikhaylov (1 ace) Zenit made a break of 7 points (20:17).
The ace of Vermilion (23:20) and the block of Apalikov led to the victory of 25:23.
In the deciding set Kazan stretched immediately with the ace of Cheremisin (4:3) and Mikhaylov (6:4) .
Zenit took the lead of 15:8, closing the set with 78% in attack, 3 aces and 2 blocks.
Semifinals: Game 1 (24 March)
Zenit Kazan – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk 3:2 (18:25, 23:25, 25:19, 25:23, 15:8)
Zenit Kazan: Vermilion 5, Priddy 3, Apalikov 11, Mikhaylov 21, Sivozhelez 14, Volkov 12, Obmochaev (L); Cheremisin 16, Babichev (L), Gutsalyuk 1, Berezhko 1
Did not enter: Demakov, Babeshin, Matychenko
Coach: Alekno
Lokomotiv Novosibirsk: Butko 3, Dubrovin 12, Ashchev 10, Sanchez Bozhulev 19, Biryukov 14, Volvich 13, Golubev (L); Zubkov 0, F. Voronkov 1, Zhilin 0, Sidenko (L)
Did not enter: Krivets, Tayurskiy
Coach: A. Voronkov
