Although they returned the Taegeuk mark, their skills are still at the top of the V-League women’s division. And the mindset of thinking about the future of Korean women’s volleyball is also top-class.
IBK Industrial Bank won a set score 3-1 in an away game against Heungkuk Life Insurance in the 5th round of the Dodram 2022-2023 V-League Women’s Division held at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on the 11th. As a result of this day, they escaped from 2 consecutive losses and pursued 5th place KGC Ginseng Corporation with a 4-point margin. Season 11 wins 17 losses (34 points) 6th place. On February 26, 2022, after the Mars game, I tasted the victory of Heungkuk Life Insurance in 350 days.
Veteran middle blocker Kim Su-ji (36) led the team to the first victory of the season against Heungkuk Life Insurance by posting 10 points including 3 blocks. He was responsible for 3 points in the 1st set and 5 points in the 2nd set, and played a part in suppressing the early starter.
After the game, Suji Kim said, “It was good that there were a lot of prepared plays. That led to victory.” She also worked well with the setter,” she said of her victory.
The performance of the first and second sets was an injury fighting spirit. Kim Suji said, “I was a little cautious because my neck was not in good shape today. She had phlegm. So I tried to focus more,” she said. Being more active has worked,” she said.
Among them, he praised Santana, a foreign player who scored 22 points, the most of both teams. Suji Kim said, “Compared to the last game, Santana was more energetic. In the last game, I was very behind, but today I solved it energetically, and there was fighting. It had a good effect on the players,” he explained.
Coach Ho-cheol Kim cited Cesar Hernandez, coach of the Korean women’s volleyball team, who watched the match as a factor in the victory. It meant that the national team coach was watching, so the performance had to be better than usual.
Regarding this, Suji Kim said, “I don’t think so. The players just focused on the game,” he said with a laugh.
At the New Year’s press conference on the morning of the same day, when asked how he would cope with the retirement of star players such as Kim Su-ji, Kim Yeon-kyung, and Yang Hyo-jin, head coach Cesar said, “I will make one team, not a team that relies on one player.” 먹튀검증
Korean women’s volleyball is facing the biggest crisis since the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics. With the retirement of the three players, they lost international competitiveness last year and submitted a poor report card of 1 win and 16 losses.
However, Kim Su-ji, Kim Yeon-kyung, and Yang Hyo-jin are still performing at a high level in the V-League. Naturally, voices wishing for their return are often heard. Kim Su-ji is ranked second in the blocking category after Han Su-ji (GS Caltex).
When asked what she would do when asked to return to the national team, Suji Kim said, “If you are still playing active duty, I think you should think about it rather than rejecting it. However, there are many good middle blockers in the national team right now.”
With eight games remaining until the end of the season, IBK Industrial Bank is in 6th place, 10 points behind 3rd place Korea Expressway Corporation. A situation that requires a miracle for spring volleyball.
Suji Kim said, “Our team is difficult to deal with, but when it collapses, it becomes infinitely easier. If what we prepared came out as it is, we would probably have been in a higher place,” he said. “Our team’s performance is extreme. It is a part that needs to be narrowed down in the future,” he cited reducing ups and downs as a condition for miraculous spring volleyball.