Korean Air beats Hyundai Capital with invincible blockings

Hyundai Capital in men’s professional volleyball is a team of blockings. In a total of 319 games in the V League before the game on Sunday, the team had an average of 3.063 successful blockings per set. It is the only team in the league to post more than three blockings per set. When compared with the runner-up Korean Air (2.729), the gap is fairly large. Hyundai Capital was also atop with a total of 2,637 in blocking assists, a record granted to players who jump together with the player who had a successful blocking,

In two games of this season, however, Hyundai Capital with 2.429 blockings per set was ranking fourth of the seven teams. It also tied for third in blocking assists with a total of 15. This is the reason Hyundai Capital coach Kim Ho-cheol instructed his players ahead of Sunday`s game, “Not only middle blockers (centers) but also strikers should actively join blocking bids.”

Kim’s worry became a reality. At a first round game of the 2014-2015 V League held at Yoo Gwan-soon Gymnasium in Cheonan on the day, Hyundai Capital had a 2-3 (25-20, 18-25, 25-20, 18-25, 13-15) upset loss to Korean Air. A main reason for the loss was the 6-10 inferiority in the number of blockings. Korean Air also scored its last point when its setter Kang Min-woong blocked back an attack by Hyundai Capital’s Liberman Agamez. Agamez scored 36 points, the most among the players in both teams along with Michael Sanchez, 28, but the former had more errors with 12 than any other players.

After the game, Korean Air coach Kim Jong-min, who has lead a three-game streak since the season opening, said, “Kim Cheol-hong (center), who had two blockings, is the biggest contributor of the day,” adding, “We had big burden because we had one win and four losses in our duels with Hyundai Capital in the last season. I hope that our players will regain confidence by banking on today’s win.”