The gap is only 4 points. Hyundai E&C and Heungkuk Life Insurance’s’head-to-head’ will unfold.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Heungkuk Life Insurance will face off in the 4th round of the Dodram 2022-2023 V-League Women’s Division at Incheon Samsan Gymnasium on the 11th. It is a match between the leader (Hyundai E&C, 51 points) and the second place (Heungkuk Life Insurance, 47 points), so it has a strong character of a preview match. The difference between the two teams is only 4 points. If Heungkuk Life Insurance secures 3 points, the competition for the lead falls into the labyrinth.
Hyundai E&C succeeded in winning three consecutive wins after the first consecutive loss of the season. All three wins were shutout victories. Power is stable. With Yang Hyo-jin at the center, the lineup of domestic players such as Lee Da-hyun and Jung Ji-yoon is flawless. The Achilles’ heel is the injury of Yasmin, a foreign player. Yasmin will not be able to return in January due to a back injury. Veteran Hwang Yeon-joo is filling Yasmin’s vacancy, but his destructive power and ability to solve the fight are not easy to catch up with. In particular, Yasmin scored 25 and 32 points in the first and second rounds against Heungkuk Life Insurance, respectively.
Hyundai E&C lost to Heungkuk Life Insurance in the third round match without Yasmin. It was the first consecutive loss of the season for Hyundai E&C, which did not know defeat. Domestic players must come together and overcome the crisis. Hyundai E&C is not in a hurry to return Yasmin. It seems that how he endures during the absence of Yasmin will affect the competition for future championships.
Heungkuk Life Insurance is also pulling the reins in pursuit of Hyundai E&C, running on a 4-game winning streak. Kim Yeon-kyung and Yelena Ssangpo are increasing their power with each round. Not only Kim Da-eun and Kim Mi-yeon, but also veteran libero Kim Hae-ran’s support fire is reassuring. However, the fact that Kim Yeon-kyung missed the IBK Industrial Bank match due to enteritis symptoms could be a variable. The condition is not 100% amidst various internal conflicts. Since there were only two days of rest right after the IBK Industrial Bank match, it is unclear whether he will be able to play full-time before Hyundai E&C. 안전놀이터
The bigger variable is ‘inside’, not outside. Heungkuk Life Insurance suddenly fell into another ‘vortex’ after manager Kwon Soon-hyung and general manager left the team. After that, the two games were played under different managers. Heungkuk Life Insurance appointed a new director Kim Ki-joong, but he directed a’skit’ that did not appear before the IBK Industrial Bank exhibition because the registration process was not completed.
To make matters worse, coach Kim Ki-joong declined the position of manager through the club on the 10th. Heungkuk Life Insurance also accepted this, and for the time being coach Kim Dae-kyung announced that he would take over as acting manager. Overcoming internal disasters is expected to be the biggest challenge for Heungkuk Life Insurance.