*This content was translated by AI.
Acting head coach Park Chul-woo (41) implanted a winning mentality in Woori Card, signaling a turnaround in the second half.
Woori Card won the set score 3-1 (32-30, 21-25, 25-18, 25-16) against Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance in the fifth round of the men's regular league of Jin Air 2025-2026 V-League at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul on the 30th.
Rafael Araujo (registered name Araujo) led Woori Card's attack with explosive scoring ability. Araujo scored 33 points, the most in both teams, with a high attack success rate of more than 65%. Ali Hagparast (registered name Ali) and Lee Sang-hyun helped with 11 points and 10 points, respectively. As a result, Woori Card, which has won two consecutive games, has 11 wins and 14 losses (32 points), narrowing the point gap with fifth-place OK Savings Bank (12 wins, 12 losses, 36 points) to four points.
At the end of the third round, it was not easy to predict. Under former coach Mauricio Paes, Woori Card was classified in the lower ranks with 6 wins and 12 losses (19 points) at the end of the third round, 8 points behind OK Savings Bank in fifth place and 12 points behind KB Insurance in third place. The winning rate was only 33 percent.
Here, Woori Card made a quick decision. Instead of manager Paes, coach Park Chul-woo, who has eight months of leadership experience, was given the helmsman role. To date, the decision has been successful. There is a clear difference in the use of the team. Until the third round, Woori Card did not make full use of its abundant resources. The standardized use of players and blindly trusting volleyball led to prolonged slumps in the main team and loss of motivation for backups.
Acting head coach Park Chul-woo took the opposite step. In each of the first two games as an agent, 16 players were sent to the court, and they did not hesitate to exclude poor players such as foreigners' main guns according to the flow even within the set. The first set of the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance match, which drew a dramatic come-from-behind victory, also showed a bold choice. From the middle of the first set, which was greatly pushed to 12-17, Lee Si-mon, Lee Seung-won, Han Sung-jung, and Jung Sung-kyu were put in order to write a reversal scenario.
Isimon and Han Sung-jung continued their chances with stable receptions, and setter Lee Seung-won actively took advantage of Araujo's RBI, turning the game from 19-24 to 32-30. In response, acting coach Park Chul-woo said in an interview with reporters after the game, "I believed that Han Sung-jung and Lee Si-mon would lead the team by stabilizing the receiving and defense because they had a lot of experience."
He said, "I only wanted to create an atmosphere, but I didn't expect to win. "I was able to win the set and take it to victory," he said. "Lee Seung-won focused on saving Araujo, and he did a great job."
The constant support and request of Woori Card owner Jin Sung-won helped the novice head coach. Team owner Jin Sung-won visited Jangchung Gymnasium on the eve of the game (29th) and watched the practice for 20 minutes before encouraging the players. Acting head coach Park Chul-woo said, "The team owner's process of effort is important, and he said he sees the future from doing it until the end. In that respect, I also pay attention to the appointment of players and try to inspire them more," he recalled.
"When the game doesn't go well, if you look back at the back (back-up zone), you can see players who look hungry (for victory). Today, Lee Si-mon, Lee Seung-won, and Han Sung-jung were preparing like that. If we continue to show good condition and good performance in the future, there will be opportunities," he stressed.
The wind brought by various uses is also positively affecting Woori Card's performance. Woori Card, which has rarely turned the game around after 20 points, is gradually learning how to hang on and turn the tables and take the victory, including the last two games against Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance.
It is also helping to maintain the physical strength and performance of the main players. Araujo, who was selected as a leading player and interviewed with reporters on the day, said, "Han Tae-joon gives a really good toss, and Lee Seung-won is also a player who energizes the team. I'm satisfied that we can play while filling each other's necessary roles," he said, giving credit to the setters, adding, "Volleyball is a team sport, so I think other players will play that role at least once. Of course, I'm glad I took on the role today," he said with a smile.
What has changed the most since Park Chul-woo's appointment as acting head coach. Araujo said, "There is a change in mentality or the mindset to fight. He emphasizes the mental power of chasing one ball to the end, but there is a change in that area. Of course, there are parts where the team woke up and came to its senses when coach Paes left," he said.
Woori Card's changed leap is also expected to shake the mid-range of the men's V-League. In the remaining two rounds with 33 points from 11 games, spring volleyball is also in sight by narrowing the gap between the third-place KEPCO (14-11, 40 points).
"The All-Star break was a good time to recharge mentally and physically when needed," Araujo said. "Bennon is also a good player and KEPCO is a good team. As the rest day is short, I want to focus on recovery and produce good results at home. In the rest of the round, I will rise to a high rank with better performance," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
