Yeltsin Cup 2015
Day 4
Match Russia – Kazakhstan
3:0 (28:26, 32:30, 25:18)
The second match Russia vs Kazakhstan was a clash of a leader and outsider of tournament table. The match turned out to be probably the most intense one out of all four days of the Cup.
Russia starts out with series of mistakes which turns into a 4-point gap for Kazakhstan. Then manages to close up the gap and go head to head till the set ending , taking the first set 28:26. In second set, Kazakhs didn’t give up and tried to go forward. Russia reacted immediately, Ksenia Ilchenko came in for Olga Biryukova and equalized the score. After, confident attacks by Natalia Malykh Russian ladies went in to second tech time out as absolute leaders. The ending of set is heating off again, both teams played the ball-in-ball. And in that battle of nerves Russia has won 32:30.
In third set Kazakhs girls loosened their grip, and Russians felt much more comfortable on court closing it up 25:18.
The best scorer on the Russian were Malykh, Kravchenko and Ilchenko. In Kazakhstan – Yagodina and Issaeva.
Yuri Marichev, head coach of Russian national team:
“It was planned today to play for the players who missed the previous matches. Specifically did not make any substitutions in difficult moments so the girls could check themselves. And they were capable of it! In first and second sets they proved themselves well and won. It is too early to speak about tomorrow’s match. Will see for tomorrow.”
Alexander Gutor, head coach of Kazakhstan national team:
“When the coach talks about psychology everyone believes it an excuse. Today’s opponent is very strong and our team is showing more powerful game. Congratulations to the Russian team, at this tournament they look much more solid than at last year’s edition”.