The men’s professional volleyball team Woori Card got their 2023-2024 season off to a fresh start with a win over Samsung Fire.
Woori Card defeated Samsung Fire 3-1 (25-17 25-19 18-25 25-19) in their Dodram 2023-2024 V-League home match at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul on Friday.
The Woori Card showed solid organization despite a massive off-season roster change, easily defeating Samsung Fire.
In particular, new foreign player Matei Kok (registered name Matei) made a perfect adjustment with 29 points, while Kim Ji-han helped with 13 points.
Han Sung-jung, who returned to her hometown team after a year and a half away due to a trade, had 12 points, including four blocks, while Issei Otake (registered name Issei), who joined the team as the Asian quarterback, chipped in with seven points.
Woori Card dominated the first set with a 50.00% receiving efficiency and five blocks.
At 4-3, the Woori Card scored two points on back-to-back errors by Yosvani Hernandez (registered name Yosvani) and Kim Jung-ho, and then went up 8-3 on a back attack by Matei and a block by Park Jin-woo.
Maintaining the lead, Woori Card saved set point with a sharp service ace by Matei at 23-16 and ended the set with a kill by Issei.
With a shaky receiving line, Samsung Fire was unable to gain a foothold in the set as they were also pushed back in Bumseil (7-3).
With the game tied at 1-1 in the second set, Woori Card scored five straight points on an open Han Sung-jeong, a block by Issei, a back attack by Matei and an unforced error.
Samsung Fire responded with seven points from Yosubani, who had just two in the first set, to pull within 11-13.
However, at 14-16, Woori Card’s Park Jin-woo succeeded in a fast-break attack, but Yosubani’s follow-up attack went wide of the court, making the score 14-19.
Samsung Chemical tried to stem the tide with a timeout, but Woori Card took a 20-point lead with a Kim Ji-han service ace.
In the third set, Samsung Chemical made up one set behind Kim Jung-ho (7 points) and Yosubani (6 points).
Taking the lead at 6-6 on a quick open and block by Kim Jung-ho, Samsung Chemical took a four-point lead at 16-14 on a combination of an open and a block by Yosubani.
Unlike the first and second sets, Woori Card missed out on a shutout victory as they committed more unforced errors (6-2) than their opponent.
It was Matej who set the tone in the fourth set.
Matei brought the initiative back to URICAD with an opening point and a service ace at 5-6 and a powerful late attack at 8-7.
Korean players also stepped up at the right time.
Kim Ji-han scored back-to-back offensive points that caused her blocker to fall with the ball at 11-9, while Han Sung-jung perfectly blocked Yosubani’s back attack at 17-11 and won the ensuing pushing battle over the net.
Meanwhile, actor Son Seok-gu came to watch the match.
Meanwhile, in the women’s match at Suwon Gymnasium in Gyeonggi Province, Hyundai E&C defeated Pepper Savings Bank 3-1 (25-9 18-25 25-15 25-18).
Foreign player Moma Vasoco Leticia (real name Moma), who switched from GS Caltex, scored a team-high 26 points, while veteran middle blocker Yang Hyo-jin added 14 points, including six blocks.
Yasmin Bedardt (registered name Yasmin), who played for Hyundai E&C until the mid-to-late part of last season, chipped in with 17 points while wearing the Pepper Savings Bank marker.
Park Jung-ah, who moved to Pepper Savings Bank with special treatment after leading Korea Expressway Corporation to the championship game last season, struggled with nine points (33.33% attack success rate). 스포츠토토