Jumbos
Korean Air Jumbos struggled to defeat Samsung Bluefangs 3-2 (25-17, 23-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13) but won Regular Season for the first time in six years and advanced to the playoff finals. A team sponsored by the national airline company, reached 25-10 and 72 points and went up in front of Hyundai Skywalkers’ 22-12 and 65 points.
The last time Jumbos won Regular Season in V-League was in 2010/2011 with 25-5 record, but even then they did not manage to grab the trophy as they fell to the Bluefangs in the playoff finals.
The Jumbos, who took silver medal in the national KOVO Cup before the season, rely, as much as, on four players from the Korean National Team line-up: Han Sun-Soo (the captain), Kim Hak-Min, Kwak Seung-Seok and Shin Young-Soo, as well as on foreign aid, Mitja Gasparini. The Jumbos have chosen Slovenian opposite hitter on the draft, where they won the priority-right to pick, after he successfully conducted try-out. Exactly Gasparini was the most deserving for many wins of the Jumbos this season, leading his teams’ scorers against Bluefangs with 31 points, today.
Pink Spiders
By beating KGC Daejeon in straight sets, partially 25-15, 25-13, 25-21, Heungkuk Pink Spiders climbed to the top of the league in the Regular Season after nine years. The team supported by the insurance company from Seoul, Heungkuk Life, finished championship with 20-9, winning 59 points and secured their spot in the playoff finals. Interestingly, the Pink Spiders coach Park Mi-Hee, was only a commentator when the V-League was launched in 2006 and now, 11 years later she took Regular Season after three years in the club.
The Pink Spiders had a major crisis at one point of the season when Lee Jae-Yeong and setter Cho Song-Hwa suffered injuries, but their back-ups did a job perfectly. Canadian Tabitha Love topped the Pink Spiders’ scorers against Daejeon with 22 points.
See STATS & VIDEOS from Men’s and STATS & VIDEOS from Women’s Korean V-League.
Subscribe to have full access on WoV PROFILES, STATS and WoVVIDEO.
Receive email notifications about players’ or teams’ latest STATS and VIDEOS.
Discover what’s new in volleyball world.
