Tearful 'Tommy-Yu' Reunion: Korean Air Defeats Samsung Fire, Proving They Are Still the Top Contenders for the Title [Yeosu On-Site Review]

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There was no mercy before their former mentor. Defending champion Incheon Korean Air defeated Daejeon Samsung Fire, which is led by former head coach Tomi Tillikainen, who had shared in the team's past glory.

Korean Air beat Daejeon Samsung Fire 3-1 (25-21, 28-26, 16-25, 25-20) in the first match of Group A in the group stage of the 2026 Yeosu NH Nonghyup Cup Professional Volleyball Tournament (KOVO Cup), held on the 19th at Yeosu Jinnam Gymnasium.

Attention was particularly focused on this game, as it was the first matchup against his former team for Head Coach Tomi Tillikainen, who left after leading Korean Air through the 2024-2025 season and now takes charge of Samsung Fire.

The biggest changes for Samsung Fire were the appointment of Head Coach Tillikainen and the off-season arrival of setter Yu Gwang-woo, who had previously played alongside him at Korean Air. The return of veteran setter Yu Gwang-woo, who had led the team to a championship, was a tremendous help for Samsung Fire, which has many inexperienced players.

While Han Seon-hwa remains solid at Korean Air, the departure of Yu Gwang-woo, who had been their top backup setter, led them to choose Yamamoto Ryu, an Asian quota player, as their setter. By releasing Yu Gwang-woo and Kang Seung-il, they signed libero Lee Sang-wook to fill the void left by last season's libero Iga Ryohi.

Speaking to reporters before the game, Head Coach Tillikainen said, "The Korean Air players know my style well," but added, "If Samsung Fire performs 100% well, they won't be able to stop us even if they know it." On the other hand, Korean Air Head Coach Hernan Dal Zotto stated, "Head Coach Tillikainen is a capable and good person, but he does not provide any motivation or stimulation for today's game. We will play without being distracted."

The defending champion clearly displayed a stable roster. Korean Air took the first set. They were superior in serving, blocking, and overall offense. New foreign player Kaczynski Sander (registered name: Kaczynski) exploded for 9 points alone, shaking up Samsung Fire.

A fierce battle unfolded in the second set. In a 22-22 tie, Hoki's open attack landed, allowing Samsung Fire to pull away, but Kim Gyu-min responded to tie the score again, and Kaczynski drove in a powerful attack to reach set point. However, following Hoki's back attack, when Kim Woo-jin's powerful serve came over immediately, Yang Su-hyun finished with a direct kill.

Ultimately, even at 24-24, the deuce battle continued twice more. However, Korean Air was the one to laugh last. After Jeong Ji-seok blocked Hoki's back attack, setter Han Seon-hwa once again executed a block, securing the second set.

An impressive scene unfolded in the second set when Samsung Fire led 20-12. Although Kim Woo-jin's reception was rattled by Kaczynski's powerful serve, Yu Gwang-woo dove and saved it with his foot. After a back-and-forth rally, Samsung Fire scored. Korean Air requested a video review, and the result was overturned due to a ruling that no defensive play had occurred in the preceding sequence, but it was a scene that confirmed Samsung Fire's remarkable focus.

Immediately after, Kim Woo-jin scored with a back attack to revive the momentum. In subsequent attacks, they reached set point thanks to an opponent's error, Kim Jun-woo's quick attack, and another opponent serving error, launching a counterattack with Kim Woo-jin's quick open that perfectly deceived the opposing blockers.

In the fourth set, Korean Air regained the upper hand. From a 9-9 tie, they began to pull ahead with Kim Min-jae's block and Kaczynski's back attack, maintaining that gap until the end.

Although they were closely pursued to 21-20, Jeong Ji-seok ultimately drove in three points with quick open attacks in the closing moments, bringing victory to the team.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original