Lifting the championship trophy together made it shine even brighter.
Hyundai E&C won the Dodram 2023-2024 V-League for the first time in 13 years. It was their first title in eight seasons since the 2015-16 season and their first overall title in 13 seasons since the 2010-2011 season.
It was the first championship for Kim Dae-in, Jung Ji-yoon, and Lee Da-hyun, who have become the mainstay of the team. Kim Dain played in 136 sets in 35 matches this season, ranking first in sets, while Lee boasted sixth in blocks (0.571 per set) and first in 메이저 토토사이트 fastballs (54.37 percent success rate) in 36 matches and 140 sets.
After rehabilitating from a right ankle ligament injury early in the season while playing the off-season varsity schedule, Jung Ji-yoon stepped into the starting lineup in the second round and finished with 254 points in 31 matches and 115 sets, with a 34.09% attack success rate and 30.65% receiving efficiency.
Before the afterglow of their victory wore off, The Spike caught up with Hyundai E&C’s practice gym in Yongin, and the player was the first to share his thoughts on the win. “It’s hard to win the overall title, but I’m proud and happy that I was able to do it during my career. I’m even more honored,” she said.
Kim Dain said, “There are many athletes who retire without winning a single title, but I did it after seven years. It feels good, but it also feels empty. I feel like I have to do more because it’s all over,” said Kim, while Jeong Ji-yoon said, “We jokingly said to each other, ‘If we don’t make it until we retire, don’t worry too much about it. “We had a relaxed mindset, and I’m so proud that we won the overall championship,” he said.
There were many twists and turns along the way to the top. In 2021-22, we finished first in the regular season due to the early end of the season due to COVID-19, and in 2022-23, we finished second in the regular season but lost to Korea Expressway Corporation in the playoffs, ending our spring volleyball early.
But in hindsight, it was all worthwhile. “When we lost to Korea Expressway Corporation last year, I thought, ‘This is just a blowout,’ but that experience really helped us prepare for this championship,” Lee said.
“I was thinking about the playoffs that ended so futilely throughout the offseason. I had a lot of regrets, so I didn’t want to make the same result again. I think everyone came to the big game with a good result,” he said.
At the pre-season media day, no one picked Hyundai E&C to win the title, and with three wins and three losses in the first round, the team got off to a shaky start compared to previous seasons. Kim Dain struggled more as a setter. “Coming from the national team, we had too little time to breathe in the first round. With the introduction of the Asian quarter this season, it was hard to communicate with two people on the court, so I worked really hard on my own to learn English,” she said.
This season was not without its challenges. Heungkuk Life and Hyundai E&C battled for first place until the last match of the regular season, and Hyundai E&C won the final match against Pepper Savings Bank 3-1 in straight sets to take first place in the regular season with one point. Against Heungkuk Life in the championship match, Hyundai E&C won the first three games in five sets for the first time in its history to lift the championship trophy.
For the players, it was the first-place finish in the regular season that was even more memorable. “It was more emotional when we finished first in the regular season. I didn’t want to go to the playoffs and lose because we missed the regular season like last year. When we went into the championship match, there was something that made us relaxed, saying, “Let’s not think about it too quickly because we won the regular season,” as we were fierce until the end of the regular season.
“It felt different when we won the championship than when we won the regular season,” said Lee Da-hyun. “In the championship, every match went to five sets and my legs couldn’t move, so I think it was harder. When I went home and watched the game afterwards, I realized that we had won.
From Hyundai E&C to the national team, they have spent a long time together. With Jeong Jung-yoon becoming a free agent for the first time this season, Lee Da-hyun and Kim Dae-in actively courted each other. “Let’s grow old together and play sports for the rest of our lives!” they both said.
As soon as the long season wrapped up, both Hyunmizu players had a busy off-season schedule. The national team will be called up to compete in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2024 starting on the 15th of this month.
