In a gripping quarterfinal opener, Dynamo-LO (Sosnovy Bor) stunned favorites Dynamo Moscow with a 3-1 victory (27:29, 25:21, 25:22, 29:27), showcasing sharp serves, solid blocking, and relentless team effort.
The first set was an intense battle, with Dynamo Moscow narrowly clinching it 29:27. However, Dynamo-LO bounced back fiercely. Kanstantsin Tsiushkevich’s aces and Dmitriy Kolenkovskiy’s net dominance fueled a second-set comeback. The hosts held their ground through the third and edged out a nail-biting fourth set thanks to crucial late plays from Dmitriy Kolenkovskiy and Denis Shenkel.
Moscow’s errors and Dynamo-LO’s smart defense played key roles. Coaches acknowledged the contrasting forms, with Dynamo-LO’s head coach Alexander Klimkin praising his team’s unity.
The decisive Game 2 of the best-of-three series will take place in Moscow on March 27.
Russian Superliga Playoffs: Quarterfinals Heat Up (Best-of-Three Format)
🔹 Lokomotiv vs Zenit Saint Petersburg
Zenit stunned Lokomotiv in a hard-fought series, clinching a 2-0 victory. The first match saw a dramatic five-set duel, with Zenit edging out Lokomotiv 3:2 (18:25, 16:25, 25:19, 25:22, 9:15). Zenit then sealed the series with a convincing 3:1 win in the second match (25:22, 22:25, 20:25, 19:25).
🔹 Zenit-Kazan vs Kuzbass
Zenit-Kazan dominated their series against Kuzbass, cruising to a clean 2-0 sweep. The first match ended 3:0 (25:22, 25:20, 25:21), and Zenit-Kazan showed no signs of slowing down in the second match, winning 3:0 again (25:17, 25:12, 25:19).
🔹 Belogorye vs Dynamo-Ural
In perhaps the most thrilling quarterfinal series so far, Belogorye and Dynamo-Ural went the distance in both matches. Belogorye emerged victorious in two epic five-set battles, winning both matches 3:2.
- First match: 25:19, 25:22, 23:25, 22:25, 15:9
- Second match: 23:25, 25:22, 26:28, 25:19, 16:14
Belogorye now advances with a 2:0 series lead.
🔹 Dynamo-LO vs Dynamo Moscow
Dynamo-LO took the upper hand in their opening match against Dynamo Moscow, pulling off a gritty 3:1 win (27:29, 25:21, 25:22, 29:27). The second match is scheduled for March 27, 2025, at 19:00, with Dynamo-LO leading the series 1:0.
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