The first tie-break and the long-awaited victory in Kemerovo!
"Kuzbass": Kovalikov – Sidenko, Fiel – Yulmukhametov/Ionov, Kochenov – Morozov, chestnuts
"Gazprom-Ugra": S. Kostadinov - Litvinov, Shevlyakov - Tkachev, Rodichev – Kuklinsky, Moiseev
Fire match in Kemerovo, in which the opponents reached the first tiebreaker of the season for both teams. And it all started rather sluggishly: the owners let me play, guests didn't want to use it. Litvinov chose the “right leg”, in the top four we didn't win anything at all, regularly and willingly made mistakes on serve. But somehow they were leading, and then just stayed afloat. But after 17:17 the owners broke through: on Kovalikov's serves they went to 22:17 – there’s ace, and Litvinov, who slowed down again...
In this whirlwind, Kirill Nikiforov and Sergei Panov appeared on the site, Tyumen player, our farm club. We consistently help Tyumen residents with our players, So Bobrov and Demakov were delegated to the derby with Ugra-Samotlor, Today they helped beat Academy-Kazan in Kazan. A Panov, called in for backup due to the absence of the injured Alexander Kostadinov, became a real joker. But in the first set there was nothing he could do - Sidenko finished what he started.
Nikiforov and Panov remained for the second set instead of Litvinov and Kuklinsky. Our diagonal immediately got to work, in the four he was supported by Rodichev, and then Tkachev, failed to serve twice in the opening set, placed the ball on the baseline twice in a row, ace+ace, 11:6 and Tikhonov replaces the sad Kochenov. Morozov takes a risk on the withdrawn ball and gets a break, 18:15, but in the next draw, in much more comfortable conditions on freeball, he runs into a single block by Slavi Kostadinov, 19:15. Panov has the floor - winning back from a block on the withdrawn ball and ace with a short serve, 21:16.
In the end our reception faltered, Morozov sneaks up with a pipe, 22:20. Nikiforov is withdrawn from the second attempt after a time-out, but Rodichev revives the intrigue with a shot into touch - he dribbled around a triple block and did not put the ball into the clearing, 23:21. Nikiforov helps out again, bringing set points in an emergency situation. Tikhonov is being removed, Sidenko knocks us out of the reception again and Kovalikov is the first on the passing ball. However, instead 24:23 on the board 25:22 – binder, attack, hit the net, what was recorded by timely viewing.
In the third set, Kovalikov tormented us with tempo attacks. If everyone is used to Fiel's aggression, then the successful entry into the case of Kirill Ionov came as a surprise. But even before that there was Sidenko’s ace and Nikiforov’s shot into touch, after which Kirillov and Litvinov appeared in the clearing, 5:8 on the board. Sidenko's efficiency fell: shot out of bounds and block from Panov, 10:10, after which, properly, Kovalikov and switched to Ionov, 11:12.
Tkachev scored his third ace, Slavi and Nikiforov returned to the site, a set, Meanwhile, approached the ending under the dictation of the hosts. A lengthy review of Tikhonov’s blocked strike was ruled: from the block the ball hit the antenna, 19:22. Rodichev is good here, but Tikhonov brings three set points to Kuzbass, 21:24.
Panov wins back first. After the home team's timeout, where was the setup to give the decisive ball to Sidenko, Tkachev made it difficult to receive, and the pass to Egor was unsuccessful, which Gazprom-Yugra took advantage of and completed the game through Nikiforov, 23:24. Another chance - we catch Fiel, Panov accurate, 24:24!
There was an exchange through Sidenko and Panov, 26:26, and Tkachev brought set points to the Ugra team in the final game. Sidenko restores balance again, 28:28. Yulmukhametov, who came out to complicate the serve, sends the ball into the net., but Nikiforov served perfectly and Tkachev finished off the passing ball, 30:28. This strong-willed victory became a key fragment of a protracted match.
Because in the fourth set the hosts looked objectively better than us. Kovalikov continued to insist on the center of the net - and with success, opening up free horizons at the edges. Let's note two aces by Panov in the opening of the set, allowed us to level the situation - Sergei made Tikhonov suffer with shortened serves.
We don't have the best reception again, and then Slavi also passed it like this, that Nikiforov finds the ball already on the opponent’s side, 6:8. No reception - there is Sidenko and a pipe from Tikhonov, 7:11, and instead of Rodichev on the site, Kuklinsky, plus another exit from Kirillov and Litvinov, but this time not so effective. Kovalikov, fed the center, lets Morozov and Tikhonov breathe, holding the advantage. Kuklinski earns an ace from the rope, 16:18. Slavi comes out to pass, Kirillov remains in the fourth zone and scores, 19:21.
The next play is key. We cover Tikhonov twice, but Kashtanov is great at providing backup, and Sidenko decides, 19:22. Kuklinski, with a blow to his fingers, seems to shorten the distance by 22:23, but the video review records, that there was no touch. And again a failed reception, pass to Kuklinski and another unsuccessful search for touch on a deep throw, 21:25.
The tiebreaker starts with an ace from Slavi, 3:0. Tikhonov made two mistakes - he crossed the halfway line and hit the net - depriving his team of the chase, 6:3. After the change of sides (8:6) Andreev reached the edge and blocked Sidenko, 9:6, very important point. Another Sidenko block, this time from Panov, promises a comfortable ending, 12:7.
But Kuzbass does not give up. Khismatullin comes on instead of Kovalikov., Morozov is being removed, and Yulmukhametov, who came out of the square, cuts his serve at the most necessary moment, ace, 9:12. Tkachev scores in the endgame of a tough rally, but the judges give a point to the hosts - they have to prove it, that there was no play on the opponent's side through video review. Another protracted super draw, in which the defense beat the attack on both sides, ends with Ionov hitting the edge of the block, but another successful video review of Gazprom-Yugra records, that Morozov, in the heat of battle, touched the cable. Slavi sends the first match ball into the net. Then benefit performance libero - Kashtanov practices Panov’s attack, Moiseev, student of Kuzbass, received a ball to the head twice from fellow countrymen during the game, pulls out Sidenko's attack, and Tkachev thanks him for this, 15:10.
Tough victory, in which the balance of power was not at all obvious. “Kuzbass” started slurred, but we, perhaps, due to the early start of the game, they didn’t take advantage of this and let the opponent play out. The ending saved in the third set was worth it 8:25 from Zenit in the last round! I would especially like to note the work of Sergei Panov, fully replacing Alexander Kostadinov, who dropped out for a while. I think, with his play Sergei proved, that it’s time for him to return to the Super League.
2: 3 
Gazprom-Yugra (KhMAO-Yugra)Details
| Date | Time | Championship |
|---|---|---|
| 29.11.2025 | 15:00 | CR 2025-2026 |
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | GENERAL. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuzbass (Kemerovo) | 25 | 22 | 28 | 25 | 10 | 2 |
| Gazprom-Yugra (KhMAO-Yugra) | 20 | 25 | 30 | 21 | 15 | 3 |
Venue
| g. Kemerovo |
|---|
Kuzbass (Kemerovo)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | S | K | E | FACING | B | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gazprom-Yugra (KhMAO-Yugra)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | S | K | E | FACING | B | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
