Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK defeats Arkas IZMIR in a 2012 CEV Volleyball Champions League match
The first round of the Playoffs 6 of the 2012 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Men saw a match take place between Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK of Russia and the Turkish Arkas IZMIR on February 21.
The contest between the two sides was staged in the Russian city of Novosibirsk.
It did not take long for a victor to emerge as the home team was able to make a clean sweep over its opponents at the following final set scores: 25-22, 25-21 and 25-23.
The opening set of the match saw both the teams compete with each other in a fierce manner as no side was letting the other take hold of the lead for a long time. Therefore, the first set went back and forth for the most part with no one sure where the tables
would turn until the very end. The home team was able to put on a burst of speed and lunge forward to bag the first set of the game at 25-22.
The loss of the first set did not dampen the spirits of the guests but the injury inflicted on Izmir’s libero affected the game of the Turkish squad. The result of the loss of their key player was that the Turkish began to trail behind in the middle of the
second frame at 18-11.
However, the Turkish side put on an impressive show and managed to close in the gap at 23-21. Despite that, the home team did not loosen its grip and went on to bag another set of the match at 25-21.
The third set followed the same pattern as the opening frame with both the sides competing hard against each other. The frame remained close until the end when the home side asserted themselves by securing a win over their opponents at 25-23.
The Russian setter Alexander Butko expressed his views regarding the match at the press conference in the following manner, “Maybe you may see it as an easy match but it wasn’t at all, especially for its great importance. Our thoughts are already fully addressed
to the return match coming up next week in Turkey.”
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