“Total defeat in opener”: Hyundai Capital’s Coach Blanc says “The difference was in serve and reception” [On-site report from Incheon]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Philippe Blanc, head coach of Hyundai Capital, reflected on his team’s shutout loss in the opening match of the Pro Volleybox V-League against Korean Air, stating, “The difference (against Korean Air) was in serve and reception.”

Coach Blanc made this statement after meeting with reporters following a 0-3 (22-25, 23-25, 22-25) defeat to Korean Air in the men’s division opener of the 2026–2027 HK Huhguk Financial V-League, held at Incheon Gyeongyang Gymnasium on the 31st. He noted, “There were many situations where we were leading early in the game but then lost points consecutively.”

On this day, Hyundai Capital took the lead at various points in all three sets and held the initiative, but their focus waned in the latter half of each set, allowing Korean Air to turn the tables repeatedly. Ultimately, they failed to complete a comeback and dropped the sets. This marked their second consecutive loss to Korean Air, following two defeats in the Cup Tournament held before the season opener.

Coach Blanc expressed regret, saying, “It was disappointing that Park Kyung-min lacked focus. He needs more training. We also need to improve our efficiency in quick attacks.” He added, “When players made mistakes after reaching 20 points, their confidence dropped significantly.”

He continued, “Losing is losing, but we must maintain our confidence afterward. We always have to play the next point. Even when things are difficult, we must hold firm and keep playing.” He explained, “We needed to maintain the gap after 20 points, but as confidence dropped, we lost focus.”

Coach Blanc added, “Korean Air has many players with extensive winning experience. It seems their confidence is high.” He stated, “We need to fix the issue of losing confidence after 20 points. We must find a solution. Although we have lost three matches against Korean Air (including the Cup Tournament), we just need to beat other teams. We need to perform better against both Korean Air and other opponents.”

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original