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Lokomotiv Kaliningrad Region celebrated their first win in Pool D. The Russian team finished their Istanbul campaign with a convincing 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-20) shutout of Germany’s Allianz MTV Stuttgart. Half way through the pool stage, each of the two teams is on a 1-2 win-loss record, with Loko ahead on four points, followed by Allianz on three.

Allianz’s Dutch middle Juliet Lohuis got the match going with two monster blocks for the first two points and an ace for 3-1. The score swung from four points in favour of the German team to five in favour of Lokomotiv. In a tight epilogue, Irina Voronkova spiked successfully for Loko’s last three points, which brought them the set at 25-23.

Lohuis put herself in the spotlight early into the second set as well, acing twice in a row to give Allianz a 3-2 lead. It was very tight until 17-17, after which three kill blocks in a row by Ekaterina Evdokimova gave the Russian side a 21-17 advantage. They held on to their lead through the end to win by 25-20.

Loko set their foot on the third set with a 4-0 run and never let their lead go. Their blocking performance (five kills) made the difference in keeping the opponents at bay. Despite an eight-point tally by Allianz’s opposite Krystal Rivers, the set was all about the Russian squad and their first victory in the pool, which they stamped at another 25-20.

Margarita Kurilo was Lokomotiv’s best scorer with 15 points to her name. She was honoured as MVP of the game. Krystal Rivers scored the match high of 16 points.