“The Effect of China’s National Team Star Zhang Chuian”: Hyundai Capital Activates Its “Wall of 11 Blocks”... Defeats Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance to Secure a Spot in the Top Four [Yeosu On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Leonardo Reiva (registered name: Leo), standing at 207 cm; Jung Tae-jun, 200 cm; and Choi Min-ho, 195 cm. Add to this Zhang Chuian, the 205th cm-tall Chinese national team representative. Cheonan Hyundai Capital, armed with an even more formidable and overwhelming height advantage, continued its winning streak in the cup tournament with a second consecutive victory.

Hyundai Capital secured a 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-20) sweep victory over Daejeon Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance in the second match of Group A at the 2026 Yeosu NH Nonghyup Cup Professional Volleyball Tournament (KOVO Cup), held on the 20th at Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu.

Following its 3-2 victory over Busan OK Savings Bank the previous day, Hyundai Capital (5 points) extended its winning streak to two games and clinched a berth in the semifinals. The team will determine the top spot in the group against Korean Air (6 points) in a match scheduled for 7 p.m. on the 22nd.

The opponent was Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, which had strengthened its roster ahead of this season by appointing head coach Tomi Tilkkanen and acquiring Yoo Gwang-woo from Korean Air via trade. Despite their 1-3 loss to Korean Air on the 19th, the team received high praise from other coaches for their improved strength.

Of course, it was not easy to overcome Hyundai Capital. The team had narrowly finished as runner-up in last season’s championship final after a grueling five-set battle, and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance still did not have Asian quota player Wang Bin on board. Nevertheless, against the solidly powered Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, a comfortable victory seemed unlikely.

However, once the match began, the outcome was unexpected. Hyundai Capital held onto its lead from the early stages of the first set and secured an easy win. They shook up Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance with powerful serves and well-timed blocks.

In the first set, Zhang Chuian scored a team-high 7 points, including 2 from blocks. In the second set, Leo recorded 3 blocks and scored 6 points to lead the team to victory.

The true value of Zhang Chuian was evident in the third set. He scored with consecutive quick attacks early in the set and took control of the momentum by successfully executing a series of powerful back attacks as Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance attempted to close the gap.

In the latter part of the set, he bowed his head after an over-net error during an open attack situation, but recovered on his own. Leading 21-19, he succeeded with a quick attack and then scored consecutively with a powerful spike serve, putting the team at match point. Although his serve hit the net, preventing a third consecutive service ace, he ultimately sealed the team’s victory with a powerful back attack.

Before the game, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance head coach Tomi Tilkkanen responded to comments that Hyundai Capital’s blocking wall had become even taller with the addition of Zhang Chuian by saying, “They are not only tall; Hyundai Capital is also a team with exceptionally good serves.” He added, “We aim to maximize our strengths in receiving. Only then can we execute our play. We have prepared to act wisely even in situations where receiving breaks down.”

However, they could not overcome the height advantage of Hyundai Capital, led by Zhang Chuian. The team showed a significant height difference with 11 blocks compared to Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance’s 3, and also held the advantage in serves with 4 to 1.

Zhang Chuian accounted for 28.12% of the team’s attacks, forming a three-pronged attack line with Leo (29.69% share) and Heo Su-bong (23.44% share). He exploded for a team-high 19 points, recording 2 blocks and 2 service aces each. His attack success rate reached an impressive 83.33%, and his efficiency stood at 77.78%.

On the other hand, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance’s Felipe Hoki (registered name: Hoki) performed well with a team-high 23 points, but the team bowed its head in defeat, acutely feeling the absence of Wang Bin. After Hoki and Kim Woo-jin (10 points), the next highest scorer was Lee Woo-jin, who managed only 3 points. Despite the efforts of Hoki and Kim Woo-jin, it was a match where victory seemed difficult to expect.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original