*This content was translated by AI.
Heungkuk Life Insurance, a women's professional volleyball team, has confirmed its advance to the postseason. There is still a question of whether to go straight to the playoffs (PO) or go through the semi-PO, but looking back on the outlook before the season, which was considered the "last place candidate," playing spring volleyball itself is meaningful.
Heungkuk Life Insurance, led by head coach Tomoko Yoshihara of Japan, secured at least a quasi-PO by beating IBK Industrial Bank 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 16-25, 25-19, 15-12) in the women's home game of Jin Air 2025-2026 professional volleyball V-League at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on the 10th. This is the fourth consecutive season of spring volleyball.
Heungkuk Life Insurance, which accumulated 57 points (19 wins and 16 losses) with the victory, widened the gap between fourth-ranked GS Caltex and fifth-ranked IBK Industrial Bank (51 points or more). Heungkuk Life Insurance has one game left, and GS Caltex and IBK Industrial Bank have three and two games left, respectively. However, even if Heungkuk Life Insurance gives up the third place in the regular league depending on the remaining results, it will not be able to escape the "within three points difference between the third and fourth places," which is the requirement to hold a quasi-PO, so Heungkuk Life will be able to play spring volleyball at least through a quasi-PO. Of course, it is an ideal scenario for Heungkuk Life to keep its third place and widen the gap with fourth place to more than four points to go straight to the PO.
Although he is a defending champion, he did not receive attention before the season and was even mentioned as a candidate for the last place, so the right to the postseason is worthwhile. In fact, Heungkuk Life was a "integrated champion" who won both the regular league and the championship game last season, but it did not receive much attention ahead of this season. Above all, the prevailing view was that Kim Yeon-kyung, who was an ace, would not fill the void created by her retirement.
Coach Yoshihara also said at a meeting of the V-League's unified championship in June last year, "A tremendous player (Kim Yeon-kyung) fell out, so we have to fill all the big holes together," adding, "Since it was a very strong team, I feel that much fresh, but it is important to keep trying." If you don't challenge yourself, you won't get anything. Even if I win, I will continue to challenge myself," he said, referring to the burden of being the new head coach of the defending champion without Kim Yeon-kyung.
Of course, there were ups and downs, but Heungkuk Life got on track much faster than expected under Yoshihara. Fans praised it as the so-called "Yoshihara Magic" as it drew the performance of players who have not received much attention or have been sluggish in customized tactics and mercenaries, not so-called all-bread volleyball. In the match against IBK Industrial Bank of Korea on the same day, coach Yoshihara, who lost two sets down and had a cramp in his leg, managed to win the game again despite variables that did not play from the fourth set and clenched his fist.
Coach Yoshihara, who particularly emphasized "growth" throughout the season, said, "The up-down was severe, but I'm glad I won. Good, bad It was a game where the situations of were continued. I think it would be better if it stabilized, he said. "I just want to grow further and play good volleyball. I think it's good to have a chance to fight a little more. It's good to advance to the semi-PO, but there's still one more game left," he said.
The players also expressed their joy at winning the heavy-handed game and confirming the spring volleyball. Jung Yoon-joo said, "It was an important game and there were only two games left. As this member is only a few games away, let's do our best and unite. "It was good to be able to get such a good result while playing together without missing anyone," he said with a smile.
Choi Eun-ji, who took a new leap from Yoshihara to the main player, also said, "I came into the season thinking it was the last time for myself. Every moment, I thought it was the last game and I thought I should do it without regret, he said. "I had a lot of fun when I succeeded in the game what the coach told me." It was a positive addition to keep asking and doing what you told me," he said.
Heungkuk Life Insurance will play a semi-PO (single decision) with GS Caltex or IBK Industrial Bank depending on the results of the remaining regular league, or go straight to the PO (two wins out of three) and compete with Korea Expressway Corporation or Hyundai Engineering & Construction to advance to the championship match.
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*This content was translated by AI.
