"Fakel" Wins, Ends Kazan Zenit's 28-Match Winning Streak In The Russian Championship
What Happened?
Fakel Voronezh ended Kazan Zenit's impressive 28-game winning streak in the Russian volleyball championship on Saturday, beating the league leaders 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23) at home.
The Streaks
Zenit's winning streak, which began on December 10, 2022, was the longest in the club's history and one of the longest in Russian volleyball history.
Fakel's victory was their second over Zenit this season, having also won in the Russian Cup semifinals in January.
Key Stats
- Sets won: Fakel 3, Zenit 1
- Points: Fakel 93, Zenit 88
- Aces: Fakel 6, Zenit 2
- Blocks: Fakel 10, Zenit 8
- Digs: Fakel 42, Zenit 35
Quotes
Fakel head coach Vadim Pankov: "This is a historic victory for us. We knew that Zenit was coming here as the clear favorite, but we were determined to give them a good fight. Our players showed great character and determination, and in the end, we deserved to win."
Zenit head coach Aleksey Verbov: "Congratulations to Fakel on a well-deserved victory. They played very well today, especially in the first three sets. We need to learn from this defeat and come back stronger next time."
Looking Ahead
Fakel's win lifted them to third place in the Russian championship standings, while Zenit remains in first place. Both teams will be back in action on Thursday, as Zenit hosts Belogorie Belgorod and Fakel travels to face Ural Ufa.
