'Both the setter and the opposite have two options' — Fearsome Korean Air, Head Coach Heran's Confidence: "We Need Diverse Patterns and Solutions; We Are on the Right Path" [Yeosu On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Even 'Plan B' worked perfectly. Despite playing an evening match in a tense atmosphere the previous day and immediately preparing for a daytime match, they could not break the wings of defending champion Incheon Korean Air.

Korean Air, led by Head Coach Heran Dal Zotto (66), secured a 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 25-20) victory over Busan OK Savings Bank in the second match of Group A at the 2026 Yeosu NH Nonghyup Cup Professional Volleyball Tournament (KOVO Cup) held on the 20th at Yeosu Jinnam Gymnasium.

They had won 3-1 against Daejeon Samsung Fire, which started at 7:00 p.m. the previous day, but did not get sufficient rest and had to prepare immediately for a match starting at 1:00 p.m.

Head Coach Heran activated 'Plan B.' On this day, he deployed Asian quota setter Yamamoto Ryu (registered name Ryu) as the starter instead of Han Seon-su, and simultaneously placed foreign player Zander Kettjinski (registered name Kettjinski), who was brought in as an outside hitter, in the opposite position instead of Im Dong-hyuk, who had underperformed the previous day.

The result was a great success. Han Seon-su stayed on the bench throughout, except for a brief appearance in the second set, while Kettjinski boasted 24 points, the highest among both teams, and an attack efficiency of 52.38%. Furthermore, Kettjinski, who had shown a weakness with a receiving efficiency of only 14.29% the previous day, reduced his receiving burden, helping raise the team's receiving efficiency from 25.68% the previous day to 32.35% on this day.

Jung Han-yong, who got an opportunity as an outside hitter when Kettjinski moved to the opposite position, scored 12 points. His attack efficiency also reached 61.11%.

Speaking after the match, Head Coach Heran said, "Today was a dangerous game. OK Savings Bank is a strong and very aggressive team. Also, since yesterday's match ended at 9:30 p.m., we allowed veterans who played earlier today, such as Kim Gyu-min and Han Seon-su, to manage their stamina. Ryu is always prepared for situations like this."

Although Head Coach Heran led the team to a championship last season, he felt that there was still room for improvement during that process. "While going through last season, I learned many things, one of which is that the Korean league is truly very tight and competitive, with teams capable of competing against each other, so we need a deep player pool," he said. "I realized that we must have diverse patterns and solutions, and we prepared to become a team that can solve such issues this season. So far, I believe we are on the right path."

He also explained the significance of signing Ryu as an Asian quota setter, especially given that Han Seon-su, a living legend in Korean volleyball history, is still strong. It was not simply an issue caused by Yoo Gwang-woo leaving the team via trade.

Head Coach Heran praised Ryu, saying, "Ryu is close to being a safe-type setter with high completeness. He is good at blocking and serving, and he is aggressive and sets well." He added, "It feels good to have him on our team, and it is pleasant to see how he gets along with the players."

With Han Seon-su as the first option, Kettjinski who can switch between left and right depending on Im Dong-hyuk's condition, Jung Han-yong as a card to minimize that gap, and Ryu as a trump card that not only helps manage Han Seon-su's stamina but also allows for changes in the team's playing style. Korean Air has become a team with even more diverse options this season. It was clearly proven in just two matches that they possess the most powerful lineup this season as well.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original