In the aftermath of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19), Hyundai E&C, which has been left feeling uneasy after winning the regular season twice, is suffering from the evil spirit of injury this season.
As of the 10th, Hyundai E&C is running first in the Dodram 2022-23 V-League Women’s Division with 21 wins and 5 losses (60 points). It has the same number of points as second place Heungkuk Life Insurance (20 wins, 6 losses, 60 points), but it is still at the top of the leaderboard ahead of the number of wins.
Hyundai E&C, which started with 15 consecutive wins, has never fallen from the lead this season. It is a great achievement so far towards the end of the season.
However, the recent situation is not good. A series of injuries to players have created cracks in their power, and they are suffering from the fierce pursuit of second place Heungkuk Life Insurance.
The departure of foreign player Yasmin Bedart was the beginning of bad luck. Yasmin, along with Yang Hyo-jin, played a key role in the team’s attack and supported Hyundai E&C’s solid power. However, on December 18 last year, he suffered from back pain at the last Pepper Savings Bank match and did not return for over a month.
Foreigners were left out, but Hyundai E&C did not collapse. Veteran Hwang Yeon-joo filled Yasmin’s vacant position, and Yang Hyo-jin and Da-hyun Lee’s middle blocker line was strong. In particular, the fact that all players showed tenacious defense regardless of position was the strength that supported Hyundai E&C.
Hyundai E&C, which maintained its first place by fighting well with 7 wins and 4 losses in 11 matches with only domestic players, recently recruited Lee Vone Montaño as a new foreign player and seemed to put out the urgent fire. Even if it is not as destructive as Yasmin, it could be a good turning point to relieve the burden of offense on domestic players.
But another bad thing happened. Leading Libero Kim Yeon-gyeon was out of the team due to a major injury in which ligaments in his right ankle were partially torn.
The time when Kim Yeon-gyeon was injured was the Heungkuk Life Insurance match on the 7th, and it was all the more regrettable in that it was the last game Hyundai E&C would play without an outsider.
As mentioned earlier, Hyundai E&C is a team that boasts the most solid defense among the 7 clubs. Libero Kim Yeon-gyeon played a key role in defense, and he used to show ‘Super Dig’ several times based on his unique quickness and reflexes. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Kim Yeon-gyeon’s existence had an impact on the overall defense of Hyundai E&C.
Just looking at Heungkuk Life Insurance on the 7th revealed the absence of Kim Yeon-gyeon. In the 1st and 2nd sets where Kim Yeon-gyeon played, Hyundai E&C fought closely until the end of the game, but in the 3rd set without Kim Yeon-gyeon, they scored only 15 points and lost helplessly. 스포츠토토
Kim Yeon-gyeon is inevitably absent for at least two weeks, and whether or not to return thereafter remains to be seen. Kim Joo-ha and Lee Young-joo will fill Kim Yeon-gyeon’s place, but it doesn’t seem easy.
Hyundai E&C was the biggest victim of the ‘corona political situation’ that lasted for the past three years. Twice in the 2019-20 season and the 2021-22 season, she kept the strongest position in the women’s division, but both times the season ended early. It was a ‘unsatisfying’ victory that not only the championship match was canceled, but also the toast for winning the regular season was not properly celebrated.
This season, when Corona was over, Hyundai E&C radiated a mighty force, and it seemed that a combined victory would be possible this time. However, it became difficult to keep the lead right away amidst unexpected injuries.