Women’s professional volleyball Korea Expressway Corporation head coach Kim Jong-min encouraged setter Park Eun-ji.
Korea Express will open the Dodram 2023-2024 V-League Women’s Division against Heungkuk Life on Thursday at Gimcheon Indoor Gymnasium.
There was a change of scenery before the start. Starting setter Lee Yoon-jeong injured her knee during training. “The inside of her knee is bent. It looks like the ligaments have been stretched,” explaining that she will be out for at least two weeks, and possibly three to four weeks.
The only other setter on the roster besides Lee Yoon-jung is Park Eun-ji. Park joined Jeonggwanjang with the fourth overall pick in the first round last season. She served as a backup in her rookie season, appearing in 26 matches and 67 sets. She recorded 352 set attempts, 124 successes, and an average of 1.851 points per set. The Roadrunners traded for Chung in August. The team released setter Ahn Yerim and outside hitter Kim Se-in to acquire setter Park Eun-ji and outside hitter Ko Eui-jeong.
Park has been the starting setter since the opening match. Coach Kim Jong-min said, “I have high expectations. She has really improved her skills,” he said.
“When she first came to our team, she had trouble setting,” Kim said. I didn’t control the ball very well,” he said, adding, “It’s something I had to overcome through training. I tried it in a practice game during the training camp in Japan, and it didn’t look easy.” “But I overcame it faster than I expected. He’s still a young player, so it can be overwhelming to start on the opening day. I told her, ‘Don’t try to be good, just do what you’re good at,'” he said. “I don’t have a setter to replace me, so I have to do it alone. I have to be strong. I’m looking forward to it.”
“I haven’t figured out exactly what my personality is yet. She’s speechless,” he laughed, before adding, “She seems strong, but she also seems to have a weak side. In a world of competition, you have to be stronger to win.”
Newcomers Vanya Vukiric and Asian Quarterfinalist Tanacha Sooksot will make their debuts. “We’re going to put them diagonally on the outside hitter,” said Kim. But Tanacha will play the role of an outside spiker. We set her up so that she can attack twice from the apo jit spot.”안전놀이터
Thanacha joined the team after playing for the Thai women’s national volleyball team at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. She had a short time to get to know the players. “We had two workouts together, and she was very hardworking and active. I think his attacking technique is good,” Kim said, “I need to adapt to the team quickly. There is still an awkward feeling when I see them in training.”
Until last season, Doro had a two-man receiving system, unlike other teams. Libero Lee Myeong-ok and opposite spiker Moon Jung-won were in charge of receiving. This season, the team will reorganize to a three-man receiving system. “We’ve been preparing,” Kim said. “She’s been playing as an outside hitter for a long time. My stance is good, but I think I need to work on my serve a lot. If she does well, she’ll give you her position, and if she doesn’t do well, she’ll give you less space.”
What about Moon’s physical condition after her off-season with the national women’s volleyball team? “I don’t think her physical condition is normal, but we still need her,” Kim said, adding, “I’m thinking of using her as a starter to strengthen our receiving and defense more than our offense.”
Middle blocker Kim Se-bin, who was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s rookie draft, is currently competing in the National Championships. “Kim Se-bin is currently playing in Mokpo. The tournament ends on the 18th. Our team has a match in Gwangju (against Pepper Savings Bank) on the 19th, so I told him to come right away,” Kim said. “If he can play right away after seeing his physical condition, we’ll put him in from then on.” Bae Yuna and Choi Ga-eun will be the middle blockers on the day.
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