After the third round three teams, Fakel, Iskra and Zenit, have yet to lose a game. Fakel held the perfect 9 points. Iskra lost just one point in the second round.
2010 Russian Superleague has an intense schedule. After stating on October 7, 2009 it will cruise through the first six rounds in three weeks. That means each team will play twice a week. After that the Superleague competitions will break for a month to give teams time to compete for the Russian Volleyball Federation Cup. During this time Zenit also will participate in FIVB Men’s Club World Volleyball Championship in Doha, Qatar.
Both second and third rounds of the Superleague were played on the days when Russian National football team played 2010 World Qualifiers. The absolute majority of fans, of course, were following the green-grass events. I cannot disagree with their choice to watch the game with Germany on Saturday. But I would certainly prefer to watch Zenit vs. Belgorod five sets thriller instead of seeing how Russia and Azerbaijan played to the meaningless 1-1 draw.
Dynamo (Moscow) – Fakel (Novy Urengoi) 1-3 (18:25, 25:20, 23:25, 23:25)
Match between the third and the forth teams of the 2009 season had a lot of attention of the volleyball vans. Dynamo is missing Poltavsky due to injury. Fakel’s losses are more significant: both American stars, setter Kevin Hansen and spiker Sean Rooney, are busy helping the Team USA in Puerto Rico, and outside hitter Beketov is out because of ankle injury. Considering all the losses, many predicted easy win for Dynamo. Yet the guests easily took the first set. In the second set Dynamo’s block by Tsherbinin and Samoilenko finally started clicking to created 16:12 advantage which Dynamo managed to keep till the end of the set. Eventually Berezhko’s spike and Sivozhelez’s service ace captured the set for the hosts. Fakel adjusted their defense in the third set and led all the way until Dynamo’s veteran Yakovlev evened up the score at 20:20. Both side was precise till 23:23. Ironically, the same players that carried Dynamo to the victory in the second set let the team down in the third set: Sivozhelez spiked the ball out and Berezhko errored on serve receive. The hosts started the forth set poorly by committing too many errors and could never recover. Second home loss left Dynamo on the seventh place with only three points after three games. Fakel kept their records unblemished with maximum possible 9 points. Not bad considering all the stars they are missing. Dynamo’s blocker Alexei Ostapenko was spotted among the spectators with his wife Stanislava Komarova. Alexei is still recovering from the surgery and is not expected to play any soon.
Zenit (Kazan) – Lokomotiv-Belogorie (Belgorod) 3-2 (24:26, 27:25, 24:26, 25:21, 16:14)
The central match of the third round exceeded all expectations. So far this is the best game of the Superleague. Teams played five sets, 2 hours 22 minutes and scored total 228 points. Zenit was behind 0-1, 1-2 and 11:14 in the fifth set. Yet they managed to win the game. Those kinds of games make our heart pounder faster and the blood pressure go up; that is what we call the volleyball classics; that is why we love volleyball so much.
Both teams came through the starting rounds with two wins. Zenit lost one point and Belgorod was more convincing taking all six points. Yet these two teams are very different. Belgorod’s team is based on the youth and Zenit is relying on the seasoned veterans in each positions. Both team have much to prove and were expected to bring out there best. The only important figure missing is American outside hitter Stanley, who is playing for US National Team. Cheremisin is filling in for him and did marvelous job.
In the first set Belgorod Lions jumped into the early lead 12:8 and 15:11. Musersky, Bagrei and Khtei powerful jump serves created some misery for Kazan’s team. Zenit changed back with two service aces by Cheremisin and score tied at 23:23 and 24:24. Lions were blocking a bit better and that eventually decided the outcome of the set. First Biryukov’s spike bounced out from Zenit’s block, and then Ilinykh blocked Cheremisin. Kazan started the second set even worse falling behind 1:5. Alekno had to take time-out which was helpful. But Zenit managed to catch up with Belgorod 13:13 only after Ball get Apalikov involved twice at the middle of the net. Teams fought bravely to 25:25, after which Cheremisin ace and Ilinykh spike-out made the score one set each. Zenit surged into the third set leading 9:4 but after that fall apart and score tied at 12:12. Alekno replaced Cherenisin with 21 year old Zakharov. This is the first game for Zakharov in the Superleague. After that Kazan leaped into seemly decisive lead 24:22, but somehow managed to give up four consecutive plays. Lions lead 2 sets to 1. Lions’ blocker Kadziewicz played excellently in the first half of the fourth set. Then Zenit’s Zakharov took the place in the spotlight by delivering service ace and couple crashing spikes to bring the score to 24:21. Zenit captain Ball got really excited after that. Apalikov’s block on Ilinykh set the final score to 25:21. Tie break was a thriller itself. After falling behind 0:4, Zenit managed to advance into the 8:7 lead. Lions roared and scratched their way to 14:11 after brilliant series from Khtei, Biryukov and Ilinykh. Facing triple match point Zenit staged unbelievable comeback that started with Belgorod service error and Biryukov’s spike into the net. Tetyukhin’s attack evened score at 14:14. Finally Panteleimonenko aced and Apalikov spiked over the middle of the net to settle the final score at 16:14. It was glorious fight for both teams after which they share with 7 points the third place in the Superleague. The best scorers for Zenit are Panteleimonenko (17), Cheremishin (16), Tetyukhin (16) and Apalikov (13); for Belgorod the best are Ilinykh (22), Musersky (17), Biryukiv (15) and Kadziewicz (13).
Oksana Kudryavtseva, Dynamo Kazan’s libero, was in the arena cheering for her boyfriend Cheremisin.
Iskra (Odintsovo) – Ural (Ufa) 3-0 (29:27, 25:19, 25:20)
It is homecoming time for former Iskra’s head coach Zoran Gajic who is visiting Odintsovo for the first time as the head coach of the Ufa’s team. The local audience gave Gajic a nice round of applaud, but the events on the court did not go as well for his team. It all started quite encouraging for Ural; they had comfortable 21:18, 23:19 and 24:21 leads in the first set. That’s when Iskra’s head coach Tsvetnov sent substitutes Spiridonov and Mysin onto the court and from there things turned ugly for Ural. After giving up the first set in the tough fight, Ufa’s team showed virtually no resistance. Spiridonov stayed in the game till the end of the match and earned 11 points, German Jochen Schöps added 18 and Kalinin 14 points for Iskra. On the Ural’s side only Hungarian Peter Veresh managed to get into the double digits by getting 11 points. Iskra earned their three points and settled on the second spot for now. Ural with a single point earned in the first round is sharing the bottom spot with Tyumen.
Lokomotiv-Izumrud (Ekaterinburg) – Gazprom-Yugra (Surgut) 3-1 (25:23, 25:22, 21:25, 26:24)
Ekaterinburg rode Aleksiev (16) and Tsvetanov (12), the Bulgarian tandem, to the victory. Alexander Gerasimov and Igor Shulepov from Russian volleyball Old Guard played on the each side of the net, and they played very well scoring 15 points each. It is a close game and by the end Izumrud just had too much power Yugra can handle. Ekaterinburg’s team has the fifth place now with 5 points. Not a bad start for a team just promoted to the Superleague.
Yaroslavich (Yaroslavl) – Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) 1-3 (9:25, 25:19, 23:25, 22:25)
Novosibirsk’s team in the starting rounds lost to the 2009 champion Zenit and runner-up Iskra. Both games went all the way into the fifth set. Loss in tie breaks is physically exhausting, but the mental blow could be even more damaging. How well Lokomotiv is handling these losses is the question of the game. And, of course, every time Yaroslavich is playing, the question is how many points Mikhainov would score. The starting set clearly answered the first question: Lokomotiv is very alive and kicking. Leonenko successfully replaced American Reid Priddy as opposite hitter and brought in teams second highest 16 points. The host team picked up their pace thanks to Mikhailov’s and Afinogenov’s efforts and took the second set. The third and the forth set each team had its ups and downs. But at the end Lokomotiv was more persistent and got their 3 points. The first home game did not bring much glory to the Yaroslavich and the team has to settle on the 10th place with only 2 points. Mikhailov got his 22 points after 41 attacks. The question remained unanswered is when the rest of the Yaroslavl’s team would show up. The situation in Yaroslavich reminds me the NBA Los Angeles Lakers’ situation. Kobe is the super-star, but team went 4 years without Championship until they brought in Spaniard Paul Gasol. Super-star can shine, but the only the team effort wins the glory. It is time for Yaroslavich to look for their Gasol figure. Until then let see if Mikhailov can score 50 points in a game.
Tyumen – Dynamo-Yantar (Kaliningrad) 1-3 (25:17, 18:25, 21:25, 22:25)
The host team won the first set effortlessly. But it was Kaliningrad all the way after that. The visitor’s team dominated with the serves. Tyumen had 69% positive receives without any errors in the first set, 43%/6, 55%/3 and 45%/1 in three subsequent sets. Antonov, Yantar’s head coach, pointed out that switching to float and jump float serves was crucial factor for the win. Dynamo’s starting setter from Argentina Luciano De Cecco could not generate much chemistry with his spikers. As result after the first set he was replaced with Ignatev. The substitution worked well and Ignatev did a great job leading his team. Swede Marcus Nilsson was the best on the winning side with 15 points, best scores for the host team was Kiktev (19).
Numbers…. Well, a lot of numbers (stats and etc.)
Best Scores:
Voronkov, Ilinykh, Mikhailov – all 22; Pavlov – 21; Kiktev – 19; Schöps – 18.
Best Spikers (Points/Errors/Succ %):
Chaus – 11/0/82; Veresh – 14/2/71; Musersky – 14/0/71; Spiridonov – 17/1/65.
Best Blockers:
Tsvetanov, Musersky – both 6; Kadziewicz, Butko – both 5.
Best Receivers (Total/Errors/Pos%):
Sokolov – 24/0/88; Shpilev – 21/1/81; Obmochaev – 22/0/73; Kosarev – 35/2/71.
Aces:
Cheremisin – 6; Ignatev, Nilsson – both 4; Pavlov – 3.