‘Samsung Fire Has Changed’: Tommy Hooray from the Opening Match, ‘Wang Bin Class’ Explodes for 35 Points... Defeat at KB’s New Home [Pyeongtaek On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

‘BACK TO THE TOP.’

Daejeon Samsung Fire, which set rebuilding its prestigious legacy as its slogan, secured a victory with perfect performance from the very first game.

Samsung Fire defeated KB Insurance Stars 3-1 in sets (26-24, 25-23, 36-38, 25-19) in the opening match of the 2026-2027 HK Hwangsoongmyeong V-League Men’s Division, held on the 1st at Pyeongtaek Ichung Cultural and Sports Center.

Samsung Fire, which finished last place last season, appointed head coach Tommy Tilikainen and started the season on a high note by winning the opening match.

The biggest difference from the cup tournament was the presence of Wang Bin. Samsung Fire took the court in the first set with setter Yoo Gwang-woo leading the charge, Felipe Hoki (Brazil, registered name: Hoki) as opposite spiker, Asian quota player Wang Bin (China) and Kim Woo-jin as outside hitters, Kim Jun-woo and Yang Hee-jun as middle blockers. Lee Yong-chan and Kang Seung-il served as liberos.

On the other hand, KB Insurance opted for a substitution due to an injury to Asian quota player Tarusha Chames (Sri Lanka) and played without an Asian quota player. Hwang Taek-ui was at setter, Linus Weber (Germany, registered name: Linus) as opposite spiker, Hong Sang-hyuk and Na Gyeong-bok as outside hitters, and Cha Young-seok and Lim Dong-kyun as middle blockers. Jang Ji-won and Lee Hak-jin were deployed as liberos.

Trailing 17-20 in the first set, Samsung Fire closed the gap with an opponent service error and a service ace by Hoki. Starting an attack with Hoki’s powerful serve, Hoki successfully executed a back attack to eventually tie the score.

At 21-22, Yoo Gwang-woo created another tie with a clever pass feint. At 23-24, Wang Bin’s quick open attack brought the set to deuce, after which Kim Jun-woo consecutively blocked attacks by Na Gyeong-bok and Linus, perfectly closing out the first set.

In the first set, the double threat of Hoki and Wang Bin raked in 9 points each, chasing down the leading KB Insurance, while Kim Jun-woo’s two decisive blocks secured early momentum.

KB Insurance recorded a painful result despite securing seven blocks. Hong Sang-hyuk contributed six points with high-quality attacks, including two blocks and one service ace, but it was regrettable that Linus’ attack success rate remained at 38.46%.

In the second set, Linus came alive, and Na Gyeong-bok and Lim Dong-kyun also stepped up to take the lead. However, errors that occurred at crucial moments proved fatal.

Trailing 16-18, Samsung Fire tied the score with consecutive quick open attacks by Wang Bin and Hoki. Late in the set, KB Insurance committed a series of errors. Even at 23-23, Hong Sang-hyuk’s back attack went out of bounds, and although Linus scored, a video review confirmed a net touch, resulting in a hollow loss of the second set as well. The team committed 10 errors in just the second set and had no choice but to concede the set despite a 68.18% attack success rate.

In the third set, Samsung Fire’s focus shone through in a tense situation. From a 14-14 tie, Kim Jun-woo blocked Hong Sang-hyuk’s back attack to take the lead, and Wang Bin then delivered a powerful serve to pull ahead by two points for the first time in the third set.

At 17-16, after Wang Bin scored with a back attack, Kim Woo-jin blocked Linus’ quick open, bringing the team one step closer to victory. Although they were chased down to 22-21, Wang Bin’s quick open attack and KB Insurance’s out-of-bounds serve led to match point.

However, KB Insurance displayed remarkable late-game stamina at the end. Linus’ back attack, Hoki’s net touch, and Wang Bin’s service error coincided to bring the set to deuce. Service errors from both teams continued as they engaged in a back-and-forth battle, reaching their 13th deuce. At 31-31, Linus’ powerful back attack converted into a point, and Lim Dong-kyun blocked Wang Bin’s attack, allowing KB Insurance to take the long third set.

In the fourth set, Samsung Fire regained its strength. From a 14-14 tie, Hoki scored with a back attack followed by a block, and Wang Bin recorded a service ace. Following this, after receiving Wang Bin’s serve, the team did not attempt a two-step connection, completely shifting the momentum to Samsung Fire. Subsequently, Kim Jun-woo blocked Hong Sang-hyuk’s quick open as well, extending the lead to 20-15. With Wang Bin’s continued powerful central back attacks, Samsung Fire closed out the fourth set 25-19.

Wang Bin exploded for a solo 35 points to lead the team to victory, while Hoki added 22 points, Kim Woo-jin contributed 12 points, and Kim Jun-woo also added 10 points to bolster the team’s offense.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original