It was a tough battle. She was expecting to cruise by blocking Silva’s attacks, but it turned into a fierce deuce, and the second set was all over.
On Tuesday, Hyundai E&C defeated GS Caltex 3-2 (30-28, 21-25, 25-16, 17-25, 18-16) in the fourth round of the Dodram V-League Women’s Division of the 2023-24 season at 토토 Suwon Indoor Gymnasium.
Moma scored 24 points, while Yang Hyo-jin exploded for a team-high 25 points. Yang’s seven kills in the fifth set were crucial in turning the match around.
After the match, Hyundai E&C head coach Kang Sung-hyung commented on GS Caltex’s starting lineup, saying, “In the first set, it felt like they came in with a little more height. We had a little trouble stopping Silva, and later on, Kang So-hwi got loose and had a tough game. On our side, Moma had a difficult game as she was a bit out of breath.”
Asian quota player Weepawi also had to leave the court briefly with leg pain when she was down a point at 8-9 in the second set. “I think the muscle at the back of my knee stretched a little bit, but the pain happened when I jumped. It’s not a big problem, just a momentary pain,” Kang said, adding, “It’s expected to be fine after rest.”
Another player who stood out on the day was Kim Joo-hyang. She came on as a substitute for Wipawi, who was often blocked in the front row, but found a way through at key moments, and had a 70 percent success rate in the back row.
“In the future, (Kim) will be given a chance,” said Kang, “She has increased her weight and developed her upper body, and she seems to be confident in receiving, but it’s all about whether she can attack when it matters or not. Of course, if it doesn’t happen, if I’m in good shape on the other side, I can do what I’ve done before, which is to strengthen my defense. We have a lot of matches left, so we will prepare them.”
Hyundai E&C will face JungKwan-jang at Suwon Gymnasium on April 14.