In preparation of the Volleyball Nations League that begins on May 25 for the men’s side, Russia and Bulgaria – who are both a part of the action – faced off in an international friendly. The match went Russia‘s way, as they won three out of four of the sets of play.
The match took place in the Moscow Palace of Dynamo. Russia took the first three sets, technically earning a sweep of 25-14, 27-25, 25-20. However, since the friendly was preparation for what is ahead, the sides agreed to play a fourth set that the Bulgarian side won, 25-22.
It won’t be the last time that Russia and Bulgaria square up either, with a second exhibition coming today between the two sides. Then, the clubs are scheduled to play as part of the Nations League on June 3 in the second week.
The meeting between the two countries has become a bit of a rivalry, although this was of the exhibition style. The pair of nations last met in an official international competition during the 2017 FIVB World League, when Bulgaria earned a 3-2 victory.
The two teams’ rosters for the upcoming Volleyball Nations League according to Wikipedia are below:
Bulgaria:
Head coach: Plamen Konstantinov
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Weight | Spike | Block | 2017–18 club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgi Bratoev | 21 October 1987 | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 325 cm (128 in) |  Neftohimik |
| 2 | Iliya Petkov | 10 October 1996 | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 337 cm (133 in) | Neftohimik |
| 3 | Dobromir Dimitrov | 7 July 1991 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 335 cm (132 in) |  Zalău |
| 4 | Dimitar Marinkov | 9 September 1993 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 328 cm (129 in) | 316 cm (124 in) | Dobrudzha 07 |
| 5 | Svetoslav Gotsev | 31 August 1990 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 358 cm (141 in) | 335 cm (132 in) |  Tours |
| 6 | Rozalin Penchev | 11 December 1994 | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | 79 kg (174 lb) | 337 cm (133 in) | 327 cm (129 in) |  Bolívar |
| 7 | Nikolay Uchikov | 13 April 1986 | 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) | 110 kg (240 lb) | 355 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) |  Thessaloniki |
| 8 | Todor Skrimov | 9 January 1990 | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | 348 cm (137 in) | 330 cm (130 in) |  Loreto |
| 9 | Georgi Seganov | 10 June 1993 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | 355 cm (140 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Sora |
| 10 | Valentin Bratoev | 21 October 1987 | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | 347 cm (137 in) | 337 cm (133 in) | Neftohimik |
| 11 | Boyan Yordanov | 12 March 1983 | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | 358 cm (141 in) | 335 cm (132 in) | Foinikas Syros |
| 12 | Viktor Yosifov (C) | 16 October 1985 | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 340 cm (130 in) | Piacenza |
| 13 | Teodor Salparov | 16 August 1982 | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 77 kg (170 lb) | 320 cm (130 in) | 305 cm (120 in) | Neftohimik |
| 14 | Teodor Todorov | 1 September 1989 | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | 108 kg (238 lb) | 365 cm (144 in) | 345 cm (136 in) |  Galatasaray |
| 15 | Branimir Grozdanov | 21 May 1994 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | 358 cm (141 in) | 337 cm (133 in) | Arago de Sète |
| 16 | Vladislav Ivanov | 14 March 1987 | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 80 kg (180 lb) | 320 cm (130 in) | 310 cm (120 in) | Cannes |
| 17 | Nikolay Penchev | 22 May 1992 | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | 341 cm (134 in) | 335 cm (132 in) |  Skra Bełchatów |
| 18 | Nikolay Nikolov | 29 July 1986 | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 332 cm (131 in) | Neftohimik |
| 19 | Tsvetan Sokolov | 31 December 1989 | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | 370 cm (150 in) | 350 cm (140 in) | Civitanova |
| 20 | Aleks Grozdanov | 28 March 1998 | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | 355 cm (140 in) | 334 cm (131 in) | Verona |
| 21 | Petar Karakashev | 11 February 1991 | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | 77 kg (170 lb) | 326 cm (128 in) | 308 cm (121 in) | Pirin Blagoevgrad |
| 22 | Vladimir Stankov | 9 August 1996 | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | 80 kg (180 lb) | 325 cm (128 in) | 320 cm (130 in) | CSKA Sofia |
| 23 | Plamen Shekerdzhiev | 21 May 1998 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 328 cm (129 in) | CSKA Sofia |
| 24 | Ventsislav Georgiev | 14 January 1989 | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | CSKA Sofia |
| 25 | Velizar Chernokozhev | 23 April 1995 | 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) | 108 kg (238 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 335 cm (132 in) | Ankara |
| 26 | Krasimir Georgiev | 13 February 1995 | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | 346 cm (136 in) | 333 cm (131 in) | Ravenna |
Russia:
Head coach: Sergey Shlyapnikov
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Weight | Spike | Block | 2017–18 club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pavel Pankov | 14 August 1995 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 330 cm (130 in) |  Zenit Kazan |
| 2 | Ilya Vlasov | 3 August 1995 | 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | 360 cm (140 in) | 345 cm (136 in) | Fakel Novy Urengoy |
| 3 | Dmitry Kovalyov | 15 March 1991 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Ural Ufa |
| 4 | Artem Volvich | 22 January 1990 | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Zenit Kazan |
| 5 | Sergey Grankin (C) | 21 January 1985 | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | 351 cm (138 in) | 320 cm (130 in) | Belogorie |
| 6 | Anton Karpukhov | 23 April 1988 | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 337 cm (133 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Kuzbass Kemerovo |
| 7 | Dmitry Volkov | 25 May 1995 | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Fakel Novy Urengoy |
| 8 | Sergey Savin | 7 October 1988 | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | 343 cm (135 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Lokomotiv Novosibirsk |
| 9 | Aleksandr Sokolov | 1 March 1982 | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 315 cm (124 in) | 310 cm (120 in) | Yaroslavich Yaroslavl |
| 10 | Aleksandr Markin | 28 July 1990 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 94 kg (207 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Dinamo Moscow |
| 11 | Igor Filippov | 19 March 1991 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | 107 kg (236 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 326 cm (128 in) | Ural Ufa |
| 12 | Konstantin Bakun | 15 March 1985 | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | 348 cm (137 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Belogorie |
| 13 | Dmitry Muserskiy | 29 October 1988 | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) | 104 kg (229 lb) | 375 cm (148 in) | 347 cm (137 in) | Belogorie |
| 14 | Yaroslav Podlesnykh | 3 September 1994 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 89 kg (196 lb) | 341 cm (134 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Kuzbass Kemerovo |
| 15 | Viktor Poletaev | 27 July 1995 | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | 360 cm (140 in) | 340 cm (130 in) | Kuzbass Kemerovo |
| 16 | Egor Feoktistov | 22 June 1993 | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Ural Ufa |
| 17 | Maxim Mikhaylov | 19 March 1988 | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | 103 kg (227 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Zenit Kazan |
| 18 | Egor Kliuka | 15 June 1995 | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | 360 cm (140 in) | 350 cm (140 in) | Fakel Novy Urengoy |
| 19 | Romanas Shkulyavichus | 21 February 1992 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 360 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | NOVA Novokuybyshevsk |
| 20 | Ilyas Kurkaev | 18 January 1994 | 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 355 cm (140 in) | 335 cm (132 in) | Lokomotiv Novosibirsk |
| 21 | Semen Krivitchenko | 6 March 1995 | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 75 kg (165 lb) | 305 cm (120 in) | 295 cm (116 in) | Dinamo Leningrad |
| 22 | Roman Martynyuk | 13 April 1987 | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 75 kg (165 lb) | 320 cm (130 in) | 310 cm (120 in) | Lokomotiv Novosibirsk |
| 23 | Igor Kobzar | 13 April 1991 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | 337 cm (133 in) | 315 cm (124 in) | Kuzbass Kemerovo |
| 24 | Aleksey Kabeshov | 22 June 1991 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | 319 cm (126 in) | 314 cm (124 in) | Ural Ufa |
| 25 | Inal Tavasiev | 28 March 1989 | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | 343 cm (135 in) | 332 cm (131 in) | Kuzbass Kemerovo |
| 26 | Pavel Kruglov | 17 September 1985 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | 351 cm (138 in) | 342 cm (135 in) | Dinamo Moscow |
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