The student team "Academy-Kazan ’ started the new season of the Russian Volleyball Championship Higher League A . 

In the first home round in the group ‘West’ named after Valentin Kitaev ‘academicians’ hosted Yaroslavl ‘Yaroslavich’.

The hosts started the first match at the ‘Burevestnik’ sports centre and by the middle of the first game they were leading in the score, successfully enough carrying out attacking actions. However, they managed to take a point only in the tie-break - 26:24.

In the second game, the Academicians continued to attack successfully and won the second point - 25:17.

In the third set, Yaroslavich restructured the game a bit, which allowed them to take revenge - 15:25. 

However, in the next game the Kazan volleyball players again took the initiative and won the set and the match - 25:13.

The next day the game turned out differently - the home team was already in the role of catching up.

The winner of the first game was again determined by a game of ‘more or less’, but this time the Yaroslavich volleyball players were luckier - 25:27. 

In the second game the guests consolidated their success - 20:25, but they failed to bring the match to a ‘dry’ victory - ‘Academicians’ managed to snatch one point (25:22). 

The Yaroslavl team played the fourth set more reliably, although in the end of the game the Kazan volleyball players almost brought the game to a tie-break - 23:25. As a result, Yaroslavich won the match.

According to Maxim Maximov, head coach of VC ‘Academy-Kazan’, taking into account that the opponent is a contender to enter the Super League, the result can be considered worthy.

‘On the first day we didn't let the opponent breathe, we won deservedly,’ added the Kazan coach. - We won first of all serving and receiving, on the second day we missed these two moments. But the opponent served better and received better. 
Two of our main players left, so we had to include guys from the reserve. They held their level well, but they were nervous and worried, and as a result they were not able to show what they are capable of. 
It should be noted that we approached the championship, as they call it, ‘from scratch’ - we didn't play a single preparatory tournament. Taking this into account, to win against a strong opponent is worth a lot, and it can be added to your asset.

The next home matches ‘Academy-Kazan’ will play on 9-10 November against the team "Tekstilshchik ’ (Ivanovo).

Text and photo: Pavel Zheleznyak