The 23rd round of the Russian Men’s Volleyball Championship concludes today in Kemerovo. The championship follows a double round-robin format, where each team plays opponents both at home and away. The top four teams advance directly to the quarterfinals, while eight more fight for their spot through additional playoff rounds.
Kuzbass vs. Zenit: A Hard-Fought Clash
In a dramatic five-set match, Zenit clinched a narrow victory over Kuzbass (3:2). Key moments included:
- Set 2 Dominance by Zenit: Boosted by Marlon Yant Herrera and Maksim Kosmin, Zenit surged ahead with 85% attack efficiency, finishing 25:15.
- Set 3 Revival for Kuzbass: Led by Asparuh Asparuhov with 67% attack success, the hosts edged out Zenit 25:22.
- Set 5 Decider: Despite a strong push by Kuzbass, Zenit secured the win 15:13 with Uladzislau Babkevich delivering the match-winning point.
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Reactions from Coaches
Sergey Trotskiy, Kuzbass head coach, acknowledged Zenit’s composure in crucial moments and praised the passionate home crowd. Meanwhile, Zenit’s head coach Vladimir Alekno credited the victory to teamwork despite travel challenges and applauded Kuzbass for their resilience.
Round 23 Results
- Nova 0–3 ASK (21:25, 23:25, 22:25)
- Belogorie 3–0 Orenburg (25:20, 25:21, 25:19)
- Dynamo-Ural 3–1 Fakel-Yamal (25:21, 25:21, 30:32, 25:21)
- Lokomotiv 3–2 Dynamo-LO (21:25, 21:25, 25:17, 29:27, 15:13)
- Gazprom-Yugra 1–3 Yenisey (21:25, 25:18, 25:27, 16:25)
- Zenit-Kazan 3–1 Dynamo (25:21, 22:25, 25:16, 25:23)
- Kuzbass 2-3 Zenit St.Petersburg (28:30, 15:25, 25:22, 25:22, 13:15)
Standings provided by Sofascore