Posts by ignorans

    Only three rounds of qualification left. Moscow is going to win the quali. Kazan, Saint Petersburg, Loko and Proton will take places two to five. Probably in that order unless Tulitsa or Krasnodar win against Kazan and/or Saint Petersburg.

    Krasnodar (10 victories), Enisey (9 v.) and Uralochka (9 v.) fight for the last place. Uralochka has two matches left agains weaker opponents while the other two are underdogs in the last three matches. Krasnodar needs a win agains Metar to be safe otherwise Uralochka should take the last spot.

    Ksenia Evstegneeva (MB, Sparta) hasn't played much this season but made quite the impact in the game against Moscow. She came at the end of the second set and stayed for the rest of the match (0:3). She managed to get one ace, 5 blocks and 5 attacking points (63 %).

    Can Anyone write transfers in Uralochka?


    In other Teams also 🧐

    Main changes:

    • Starting setter Kondrashova (Loko) and OH/OPP Vorobyeva (Krasnodar) left
    • new players: Khlebnikova (promising setter), OPP Shupianiova and Pavlova (the latter only 17 but might be stronger), OH Zvereva (better in defense than offense)
    • they have 4 liberos! Dzhioeva is new

    They can't do worse than last year...

    Final and third place games start tomorrow.


    Moscow won all three games (including 3:0 in cup final) against Loko this season. But Loko proved in the previous seasons that they are ready when it counts. Proton won both league matches agains Dinamo Metar (last one from 0:2 down when both liberos were injured) but lost 2:3 in the cup (but this was six months ago).

    I think Koshkin should be named coach of the year for destroying Kazan (they won the last six sets and they weren't even that close...) unless team Marichev makes the final.


    Semis: Moscow - Chelyabinsk on Sunday, Loko - Proton on Monday

    Agree with the last two posts. Suvarovas move to Kazan was not the best career choice so far...


    Last round of qualification this weekend. Krasnodar is in eighth place but Enisey has the same number of wins (one point less). Enisey can only win points if Kazan plays with substitutes. Krasnodar has better chances in Saratov. As ususal the first three places go to Moscow, Loko and Kazan.

    The russian league is almost similar to the Turkish league. Only 3 or 4 teams dominating.

    Happy to see Parubets rocking again after that nasty injury.

    Some recent results:

    Proton 3 - 2 Moscow

    Krasnodar 3 - 2 Lokomotiv

    Kazan 0 - 3 Proton

    Kazan 3 - 0 Moscow


    Uralochka (one set away from winning the league last year) won't make the playoffs this season.

    Russian players in their first Superleague season who play frequently:

    • Olga Vaganova (Uralochka): Hardly anybody can replace Parubets… Vaganova is doing a good job in attack (about the same points as teammate Kupryashkina but not as effective) but is not as reliable in reception
    • Polina Kovaleva (Ak Bars): Only 16 years old but played in 9 of 12 matches. Will play less with Ezhak joining soon.
    • Nina Kasatkina (Tulitsa): Plays at the same level as her older teammates Bavykina and Timoshkova!
    • Polina Belikova (Proton): Starting MB. She is doing really well.
    • Alexandra Mamedova (Enisey): Played in every game so far and is doing very well.
    • Elizaveta Pavlova (Ak Bars/Lipetsk): Starting OPP in Lipetsk at 16.
    • Angelina Dementyeva (Lipetsk): Usually starting OH. Reception needs some improvement.
    • Elizaveta Nesterova (Sparta): Replaced Gatina. Similar player and only 16 years old.
    • Natalya Seliverstova (Sparta): Starting OPP (26) with pretty solid performances.
    • Alina Rubtsova (setter Minchanka): Did not play much so far but looked good when she did.


    :offtopic:

    Next week Tulitsa plays in Chelyabinsk. I like that Chelyabinsk's liberos have different shirts. The name of the player with nummer 1 in both teams is: Olga Efimova.

    She's playing both opposite and outside hitter positions and she's doing OK although in some games she underperforms. IMO, Leningradka could get medals this season and that'll be great because they'll probably get a bigger budget in the next season.

    Leningradka is third at the moment. I agree that they should be able to finish at least fourth (Kazan should get stronger when Ezhak joins them).


    Cup final four this weekend in Tula:

    • Dinamo Metar vs. Moscow with the latter as the clear favourite
    • Tulitsa vs. Lokomotiv: Loko hasn't played that convincing so far but only lost against Moscow and Kazan. Tulitsa is weaker than last season (Byarda on OPP unable to replace Azanova. Efimova is doing a better job now).
    • The expected final between Moscow and Lokomotiv should be close

    Russian Cup was played last weekend. Lokomotiv, Moscow (won all games including a 3:0 against Kazan) and Dinamo-Metar (won 3:0 against Proton which had 7 Pts. too) qualified for the finals.


    Finals in Tula will be played December 17./18.


    Semis: Dinamo-Metar vs. Moscow, Tulitsa-Lokomotiv


    Loko hadn't the best start in the league (0:3 against Kazan, 2:3 Moscow). Kazan had a very surprising 1:3 against Sparta at home (Spartas only victory in the first five games...).

    New season starts next friday.


    Most teams look quite different this season. Almost all teams have three or more new starting players (Moscow only two if Pipunyrova starts). Loko, Moscow and Kazan as usual among the favourites. Uralochka is unlikely to go as far as they did last season.


    Kaliningrad: New coach (first time women). A lot of quality players. Probably the best subs.


    Uralochka: No Parubets, no foreigners. Reception did not look good in cup.


    Moscow: Natalia Pereira and Podkopaeva are back. Thanks to them the reception should be better than last season. Should be the main opponent for Loko.


    Kazan: They seem to have to many players... Again three setters (I guess nobody wanted Lazareva)... I hope they loan out Kostina or Zamanskaia when Ezhak is joining them. Will probably need some time to find the right team.


    Tulitsa: New MB's. Byarda is the only OPP which is a bit worrying. They should be quite competitive.


    Proton: Malykh, Bobrova and Gatina joined. As usual almost no subs. They should be quite good if everyone stays healthy.


    Leningradka: Drca, Mihajlovic, Gorbunova, Chernova and Perova joined. They have to be successful with this team. I will blame the coach if they fail...


    Krasnodar: A lot of new players. Don't like the setters. OPP does not look great. Happy to see Shepeleva in Superleague.


    Dinamo Metar: Several new players. Should have enough experienced player to do pretty ok. Happy that Olga Efimova (setter) is back in Superleague.


    Enisey: Will be interesting to see what Perepelkina can do with this team. On paper not that strong but had a good start in the cup.


    Lipetsk: Some very experienced and some very young players (16 year old Pavlova on loan from Kazan). Were disappointing the last few seasons. Hopefully the can do better this season. Setters should be better then last season.


    Minchanka: New young setters and very experienced OH. Hopefully stronger than last season.


    Sparta: Not sure about the OH (don't know the new ones). Reception probably still a problem.


    Zarechie: A lot of young players as usual but a bit more experience then in previous seasons. Have the potential to do better than last season.

    Interesting lineup!


    Matveeva didn't impressed me last year. I find her a bit slow and her sets are predictable. But then, she's young so there's room for improvement and she's tall too, so that's an advantage.

    For the OHs, I wonder why Parubets and Kadochkina weren't included? I'm curious how this pair would work like how Voronkova-Fedorovtseva duo went well last year.

    Also wondering why Suvorova wasn't on this list. I'd also like to see Brovkina, Sergeeva, Gorbunova, Pipunryova, and Smirnova. (Probably playing for the opposing teams?)

    I think Matveeva is pretty solid but I like Kobzar and Popova more.


    Parubets, Smirnova and Kadochkina will play in the Kaliningrad team. Suvarova and Sergeeva in team Tatarstan, Pipunyrova Moscow, Gorbunova Saint Petersburg.


    Schedule https://volley.ru/news/2/p1/27078/