The farm team kicked off the official season with the qualifying stage of the Russian Cup, held from September 15 to 17. Following the results of the draw, UMMC-Junior was placed in Group G alongside Metallurg (Magnitogorsk), Enisey-2 (Krasnoyarsk Krai), and Slavyanka-ChKPZ (Chelyabinsk). All games took place in Chelyabinsk. Under the guidance of head coach Elena Kuzmina, the team secured victories in all three games.

September 15

UMMC-Junior (Yekaterinburg) – Enisey-2 (Krasnoyarsk Krai) 85-62

Quarter scores: 20–21, 18–17, 20–20, 27–4

In the opening game of the group stage, the young “Foxes” only switched into high gear in the final stretch - but they did it so convincingly that the opponent had no chance. After three tight quarters, Enisey-2 was still in the game at 58–57. However, in the decisive period, the Ural team amped up the pressure, caught fire, and overwhelmed their opponents - outscoring them 27–4 in the fourth quarter to seal an 85–62 win. Sofia Golubeva led the team with 24 points, while Polina Gusakova recorded a classic double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.    

September 16

Metallurg (Chelyabinsk region) – UMMC-Junior (Yekaterinburg) 72-82

Quarter scores: 11–19, 21–13, 29–20, 11–30

The next day, Elena Kuzmina’s team found themselves in trouble. After three quarters, Metallurg Magnitogorsk took the lead 61-52 — and it seemed like victory was slipping away. But the young “Foxes” showed true grit and went into “turbo mode” in the final 10 minutes, delivering a stunning 30–11 fourth quarter to seal the win. Final score: 82-72 in favor of UMMC-Junior. Sofia Golubeva shone once again with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Miroslava Sudarikova and Daria Pushkareva added 14 and 11 crucial points respectively.

September 17

UMMC-Junior (Yekaterinburg) – Slavyanka-ChKPZ (Chelyabinsk region) 80-75

Quarter scores: 12–21, 23–17, 26–20, 19–17

The final matchup in Chelyabinsk was a tense one. Slavyanka-ChKPZ fought hard until the very end, but the team from Yekaterinburg controlled the pace and sealed the deal 80-75. Sofia Golubeva’s leadership (a double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds) was once again the key to victory. Svetlana Samusheva added 18 points, and Daria Pushkareva contributed a solid 12.

Three out of three, and a strong finish secured a well-deserved spot in the Berlin Cup Final Four, which will take place on September 26–27. The host city will be announced at a later date.