Marlon Yant's Zenit and Lokomotiv Level Bronze Series 2-2 in Russian Super Liga — Deciding Game on May 2

April 28, 2026

The third-place series in Russia's Super Liga volleyball has reached its critical juncture. Cuban outside hitter Marlon Yant Herrera's Zenit Saint Petersburg and Lokomotiv Novosibirsk are deadlocked 2-2, with the bronze-medal deciding game scheduled for Saturday, May 2.

Zenit had taken a 2-1 series lead and appeared poised to clinch the bronze with a win on Tuesday, April 28. However, Lokomotiv swept the fourth game 3-0 to level the matchup, setting up a winner-takes-all fifth encounter.

The results have been sharply split: Lokomotiv won games one and four by sweeps (3-0), while Zenit took games two (3-2) and three (3-0, last Sunday). In game three, Yant's team delivered the series' most dominant performance: 25-18, 25-18, 25-22, leading in every statistical department — 37-32 in attacks, 5-4 on serves, 7-4 in blocks — with only 18 unforced errors compared to 26 from Lokomotiv. Yant himself, however, was below his usual standards in that match.

Whoever wins the fifth game on May 2 will claim the bronze medal. In the regular season, Zenit Kazan topped the standings with a 28-2 record and 82 points, while Dynamo entered the championship final with a 3-0 advantage over them.

Marlon Yant, 24 years old and 2.05 meters tall, was the leading scorer of the preliminary phase of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League with 237 points and is widely regarded as one of the most complete outside hitters in world volleyball today.