Pro volleyball Hyundai-KEPCO clash on road to 5-game winning streak...Heungkuk eyeing lead
Pro volleyball Hyundai-KEPCO clash on road to 5-game winning streak...Heungkuk eyeing lead
Blog Article
Hyundai Capital and KEPCO, both undefeated in men's professional volleyball, face off on the road to their fifth straight win after opening the season.
On the women's side, Heungkuk Saengsim will look to build on its four-game winning streak.
The big matchup of the week (April 4-10) in the 2024-25 V-League Men's Division will be between Hyundai Capital and KEPCO on Saturday at Gwansoon Gymnasium in Cheonan.
Both teams will be looking for a first-round sweep after opening the season with four straight wins.
The home team, Hyundai Capital, has defeated Woori Card (3-2), OK Savings Bank (3-0), copyright (3-2), and KB Insurance (3-0) with the 'trio' of Leo, Heo Sub-bong, and Xin Feng.
Heo Soo-bong is at the peak of his powers as a homegrown attacker, while 36-year-old middle blocker Choi Min-ho, who has been called “in his second prime,” is also thriving in the center.
KEPCO is no slouch either.
KEPCO is riding the momentum of a 3-2 opening day win over copyright, who have won four straight matches overall, and have won their opening four matches in a row for the first time since joining the professional league in 2009.
“Cuban attacker” 토토사이트 Elian exploded for 37 points against OK Savings Bank on Feb. 2, while ‘middle blocker duo’ Shin Young-seok and Jeon Jin-sun showed off their blocking and fast-breaking abilities amid Japanese setter Yamato's precise ball distribution.
“Hyundai Capital has a slight advantage in offense, but setter Hwang Seung-bin has yet to integrate into the team,” said SBS Sports commentator Choi Tae-woong, a former Hyundai Capital captain. ”On the other hand, KEPCO has a stable setter in Yamato, but Elian's success rate from behind the net is not high.”
“Both teams have a lot of ups and downs in their offense, so it's hard to say which team will win, but I don't think it will be a 3-0 match,” Choi added.
SBS sports commentator Choi Cheon-sik also said, “It's too close to call,” adding, “The performance of the setters will be the biggest factor in deciding the match.”
Hyundai Capital will welcome Samsung Fire home on the weekend, while KEPCO will host KB Insurance on the 9th.
copyright, which slipped to third place early in the season, will face KB Insurance (5) and Woori Card (8).
On the women's side, the big question is whether Heungkuk Life, led by Kim Yeon-kyung, can establish a dominant presence.
After finishing runner-up for the second straight season, Heungkuk Life has not lost a match in four matches, starting with a 3-1 victory over defending champion Hyundai E&C on March 19.
They have been so dominant that there hasn't been a single full-set match during the four-match winning streak.
Kim Yeon-kyung has been consistent, while Kutku and Jeong Yoon-ju have been fierce attackers.
Heungkuk Life will face a visiting Korea Expressway Corporation, which has lost four straight matches and slipped to the bottom of the table.
The team brought in the biggest free agent signing of last season, Kang So-hwi, after the offseason, but has yet to capitalize on his signing.
The only consolation is that Kang So-hwi, who didn't live up to expectations in the first round, scored 21 points against Jeonggwanjang on Wednesday.
“Heungkuk Life, Hyundai E&C, and Jung Kwanjang, who were expected to be the 'top three,' have formed the early season leaders,” said SBS Sports commentator Lee Jung-cheol, ”and Heungkuk Life's upward trend is expected to continue for some time.”
Third-ranked Hyundai E&C, which has won three straight games after losing its opening match, will face second-ranked Jeonggwanjang, which has a 3-1 record, in an away match on Aug. 8.