Russia: Final is Dinamo Moscow (3-1 over Zenit St. Petersburg) – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (resounding 3-0 over Zenit Kazan!)

Both semifinals of 2021/22 Superliga Paribet – Суперлига Парибет Мужчины were played today. Lokomotiv end Zenit-Kazan’s 36-game winning streak to kick them out of playoffs, will play against Dinamo Moscow tomorrow for title.

Dinamo Moscow is first finalist after defeating in four sets 1-3 (21:25, 18:25, 25:19, 23:25) Zenit Saint Petersburg, who suffered a bad day of Kliuka, author of 6 points, 28% in attack and only -6% efficiency, 1 block and 3 errors in reception.
Led by Yaroslav Podlesnykh and Bulgarian Tsvetan Sokolov (16 points apiece), Dinamo prevailed over Zenit for the 14th successive time.

About the match, Kobzar signs last lead of Saint Petersburg in first set with the ace of 9-8, then two consecutive errors by Kliuka send Dinamo on 9-11. Iakovlev level the score (13-13), and the set remain uncertain until 16-16 when Dinamo make the decisive break taking advantage from an error in attack by Voronkov (16-18) and an ace by Pankov (17-20). Belogortchev claims the set point and an error from the service line by Iakovlev close the set 21-25.

Balanced start also in second set, until a block on Kliuka, 9-10. +2 for Dinamo, with Podlesnykh: 9-11. A block by Belogortchev on Poletaev marks the 11-14, and Podlesnykh put down the counterattack of 14-18. Bad also Poletaev, then blocked and then sends out the attack of 14-19 in the same action. Out also Voronkov, 14-20. On the field Kolodinsky in place of Kobzar, but nothing to do and Bogdan closes with the attack of 18-25.

Third set, and first +2 is for Saint Petersburg, who win a great action with a block by Kosmin on Belogortchev, despite a great Grebennikov in defense: 5-3.
Kosmin blocks also Bogdan, 7-4, but Moscow back to -1 with Sokolov: 8-7. This time Saint Petersburg keep the lead, with an ace by Kosmin (15-12) and another great action closed by attack out from Podlesnykh: 17-13.
Double ace of Iakovlev, 21-15, Poletaev put down the ball of 24-18 and close the serve on the net of Pankov, 25-19.

In fourth set Saint Petersburg try to escape twice (2-0 and 5-2), but Dinamo don’t agree, leveling the score in both occasions. Blocks on Sokolov and Bogdan mark the 8-6,
and the team from country’s capital reply with the winning block by Likhosherstov on Poletaev (8-8), counterattack by Bogdan (8-9) and the ace by Belogortchev (8-10). 11-11 with an invasion by Likhosherstov and an attack out by Belogortchev (14-13).
Bogdan attacks out the 17-15, but redeem with the point of 18-18. Another break for Saint Petersburg: bad reception by Podlesnykh on float serve of Kosmin (20-18) and Bogdan attacks out (21-18). Bogdan, however, is author of a great turn from the service line: first the block by Likhosherstov on Iakovlev (21-20), he provides the free ball closed by Sokolov (21-21), then Likhosherstov blocks Poletaev (21-22) and eventually he put down the ball of 21-23 with an attack from the second line despite the efforts in defense of the rivals. Out Poletaev and in Podrebinkin, but Bogdan continues his series with an ace on Melkozerov: 21-24. Saint Petersburg save a match point with an error from the service line by Bogdan and another with block by
Iakovlev on Podlesnykh (23-24), but then the same Podlesnykh close the set 23-25.

________________

After 36 wins in a row, as they were unbeaten since November 6, the only one seasonal defeat, Zenit Kazan wast their great season by losing the semifinal of Final Six that they host. Against Lokomotiv Novosibirsk, coach Verbov’s side suffered a resounding 0-3 (23:25, 23:25, 21:25) after a very balanced first set, uncertain until 19-19, when Luburic takes advantage from a free ball (19-21), Lyzik blocks Mikhaylov (20-23) and, at third set point, close an error by Bednorz from the service line (23-25).
In second set Kazan take a lead of 4 points (12-8), but then suffered a comeback in the final stage from 19-16 to 20-20, and Volkov sends out the ball of 20-21. Kurkaev put down a great ace on Bednorz (22-24) and Lyzik closes: 23-25.
In third set Kazan suffered the pressure (4-7), but then they react (10-10), but the rivaly escape again (10-12). From 17-19 Novosibirsk want to close the game: counterattack by Luburic after a defense on Volkov
(17-20), counterattack by Savin after a long action (17-21), and an ace by Luburic (18-23). Kazan
recover only one break (20-23) and an error by Volkov from the service line close 21-25. With 12 points, Sergey Savin top-scored the winners.

The Superliga final tomorrow will be the first-ever between Lokomotiv and Dinamo Moscow.

________________

| 2021/22 Superliga Paribet – Суперлига Парибет Мужчины – Final Six

🏐| Pool A

| Day 1 – May 5, 2022
• Belogorie Belgorod – Zenit Kazan 1-3 (17:25, 25:19, 21:25, 14:25) – VIDEO –

| Day 2 – May 6, 2022
• Dinamo Moscow – Belogorie Belgorod 3-0 (25:18, 25:21, 25:23) – VIDEO –

| Day 3 – May 7, 2022
• Zenit Kazan – Dinamo Moscow 3-0 (25:23, 27:25, 25:23)

🏐| FINAL STANDINGS
Zenit Kazan 6
Dinamo Moscow 3
Belogorie Belgorod 0

🏐| Pool B

Day 1 – May 5, 2022
• Dinamo LO – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk 1-3 (16:25, 25:19, 33:35, 20:25)

| Day 2 – May 6, 2022
• Zenit Saint Petersburg – Dinamo LO 3-2 (25:22, 19:25, 20:25, 25:21, 15:12) – VIDEO –

| Day 3 – May 7, 2022
• Lokomotiv Novosibirsk – Zenit Saint Petersburg 1-3 (25:21, 20:25, 21:25, 21:25)

🏐| FINAL STANDINGS (updated on this day)
Zenit Saint Petersburg 5
Lokomotiv Novosibirsk 3
Dinamo LO 1

___________________

👉🏼 May 9, 2022

• First semifinal | Zenit Saint Petersburg – Dinamo Moscow 1-3 (21:25, 18:25, 25:19, 23:25)
Zenit St. Petersburg: Kobzar 3, Voronkov 9, Kosmin 8, Poleteav 14, Kliuka 6, Iakovlev 14, Grebennikov (L); Melkozerov, Kolodinskiy, Podrebinkin. Not entered: Manchev, Tarasenko, Ursov, Urnaut (L). Coach: Tolochko.
Dinamo Moscow: Pankov 2, Bogdan 15,
Likhosherstov 5, Sokolov 16, Podlesnykh 16, Belogortchev 5, Kerminen (L); Sventitskis, Semyshev. Not entered: Shchkulyavichus, Vlasov, Baranov (L), Busel, Dmitriev. Coach: Brianskii

• Second semifinal | Zenit Kazan – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk 0-3 (23:25, 23:25, 21:25)
Zenit Kazan: Christenson, Bednorz 13, A. Volkov 7, Mikhaylov 11, D. Volkov 13, Volvich 3, Fedorov (L); Surmachevskiy 0, Golubev (L). Not entered: Poroshin, Berezhko, Shcherbinin, Kononov, Zemchenok. Coach: Verbov.
Lokomotiv Novosibirsk: Abaev 3, Perrin 9, Lyzik 9, Luburic 10, Savin 12, Kurkaev 11, Martyniuk (L); Krivitchenko (L), Kazachenkov. Not entered: Tisevich, Nikitin, Chereiskiy, Tkachev, Kruglov. Coach: Konstantinov.

| May 10, 2022
• Final 3/4 Place: Zenit Saint Petersburg – Zenit Kazan 0-3 (19:25, 19:25, 14:25) —VIDEO—
• Final 1/2 Place: Dinamo Moscow – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk 3-2 (26:24, 23:25, 25:20, 20:25, 15:9)

___________________