Milos Nikic
Both teams changed their team greatly, including changing players. Vasily Nosenko and Alexander Mochalov went from Gubernia to Dinamo, Nicholay Leonenko went in the opposite direction. Leonenko opened the match. After a series of errors, the scoreboard showed 1:4. Alexey Ostapenko stepped up and after a while it was – 6:6. After the first technical break Gubernia couldn’t complete the attack – 7:10. The three point deficit remained on the second break – 13:16. In addition, a key figure, Milos Nikic, had to leave the game because of back pains. Sergey Egorov was thrown into the battle. And, looking ahead, we note that he played a great game. Meanwhile, when the score was 16:19, Gubernia finally closed the gap to one point – 18:19. But a series of errors reduces all efforts to nothing – 18:22. The set ended with two consecutive points by Igor Tyurin – 19:25. In general, it was the logical outcome.
The second set started better for Gubernia. The result grew steadily in their favor – 4:2, 9:6, 12:8. Nikolay Pavlov, got blocked a couple of times and it was – 13:13. However, Gubernia immediately scored two points. It lasts up to 18:16. Dinamo didn’t only equalize the result, but they went ahead after a block – 19:20. Khoroshev served an ace. The display showed 20:23. But Nikita Lyamin spiked a “nail“, and after a while it was – 24:23! Then it was – 24:24. After that the referee sees the hosts touch the net – 24:25. With the score at 25:26 Dinamo scored again and won the set – 25:27.
Plamen Konstantinov brought Oleg Saychev in the game. He is the tallest player (210 cm), he has brought freshness to the actions of his team, which quickly put things right. Ostapenko made an ace after the break – 9:7. And immediately after the second break Egorov made an ace – 17:13! Then they decided to play with their fans – 17:16, 19:16. Gubernia first completed an attack first, and then with an ace it was – 23:21. Ostapenko finished the game with a powerful blow – 25:23.
Dinamo started better in the fourth set – 1:4. Again, the so-called “swing” started – 4:4, 6:9, 8:9, 11:13, 15:15, 20:22. And then the situation from the second set repeats itself. Nizhny Novgorod also bursts forth – 24:23, but Dinamo didn’t give up – 24:24, 25:25, 26:26, playing one set-ball after another. Then and ace – 28:26! It was time for the tie-break!
Dinamo started well again – 1:4, 3:6. But now, Nikolay Leonenko and Egorov steped up for – 6:6. It all starts from scratch! Nizhny Novgorod was losing 8:9, and then they took matters into their own hands. Pavlov forced an error from Nosenko – 11:9! In the end it was – 15:12 and 3-2. Gubernia got two more points from this victory.
Yuriy Marichev, Dinamo’s head coach: “Today we had problems. Denis Chaus got injured, as was Sergey Chervyakov and he could not continue to play. I had to use Vladimir Khilyichenko. Because of these problems we varied in attack.”
“In general, we knew that Nizhny Novgorod would be a tough opponent. But, unfortunately, we were not able to cope with Pavlov. But one point is also good, but we will be angrier in the next game, remembering that we lost here after 2-0. This is only the beginning of the season, there are a lot of unnecessary errors. We’ll improve. Despite the good performance of our foreign players, they also have a lot of work ahead of them.”
Alexander Mochalov, outside hitter for Dinamo: “We lost probably because it was too early to believe in victory. And Gubernia played to the end. Generally, I liked this rival. Yes, we are still not playing as a team, but over time, I think everything will be fine. Was I specially motivated because I was playing against my former team? No. I go in to each game the same way, regardless of the opponent.”
Plamen Konstantinov, the head coach of Gubernia: “At the beginning we didn’t have confidence. And we did not manage to close the Argentine Conte. He is a very good player. But, as it turned out, he can be “read.” As soon as the guys cast off all the stress, we played a completely different game! When my players’ eyes lit up, I realized that everything was fine. Even when we started 1-4 in the final set I was confident of success. This is an important victory, because Krasnodar is one of our competitors in the struggle to qualify for the play-offs.”
Nikolai Pavlov, Gubernia’s opposite: “Of course, we wanted to repay our fans for the humiliating defeat in Kharkiv. I think everybody can be pleased with this game. At first, we did not have confidence, we could not really cope with our own emotions. Also do not forget about Nikic’s injury. But gradually we came to life and showed character, fighting spirit and achieved an important victory. We have a new team, it’s in the process of its forming. Over time, we will feel better. We play against Belgorod and Novy Urengoy. I can’t make any predictions, except to say that it will be hard.”
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