*This content was translated by AI.View Original
The winning momentum that began at Jangchung passed through Sangam and is now returning to Jangchung. After women’s professional volleyball team GS Caltex achieved a miraculous undefeated championship victory last spring, they supported sister club FC Seoul, which subsequently climbed to the top of K League 1 for the first time in 10 years. This time, FC Seoul is visiting the Jangchung Gymnasium to lend its strength to GS Caltex’s challenge for a second consecutive title.
GS Caltex announced on the 12th, “We will invite the FC Seoul team to our home game against SOOP Supers in the women’s division of the 2026–2027 HK Huhguk Financial V-League, scheduled for the 14th at the Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul.”
On that day, FC Seoul manager Kim Ki-dong (54) and captain Kim Jin-su (34) will perform the ceremonial first serve before the match. The visiting FC Seoul team is also expected to cheer for GS Caltex’s victory from the stands.
The special championship exchange between the two clubs began last April. At that time, GS Caltex caused a historic upset in V-League history. After advancing to the postseason as the third-place team in the 2025–2026 regular season, they won all six matches from the quarterfinals through the championship finals.
They defeated Huhgung Life in the single-elimination quarterfinals and secured a two-game sweep against Hyundai E&C in the semifinals. They then achieved a three-game sweep against regular-season leader Korea Expressway Corporation in the championship finals, reaching the top for the first time in five years. GS Caltex was the first team to become champion after going through the quarterfinals in the women’s V-League division. It was also the first time a third-place regular-season team won the championship with a three-game sweep.
Ace Gisel Silva (35) set a remarkable record by scoring 1,083 points in the regular season, achieving over 1,000 points for the third consecutive season. She swept both the regular season and championship finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, while manager Lee Young-taek (49) shed tears after the victory was confirmed, crediting his players.
The joy of victory extended beyond the volleyball court. The GS Caltex team visited the Seoul World Cup Stadium last April with their championship trophy. They performed a ceremonial first kick at an FC Seoul home game to cheer for the sister club’s victory. And about seven months later, FC Seoul also reached the top. FC Seoul, led by manager Kim Ki-dong, lifted the K League 1 championship trophy for the first time in 10 years since 2016.
Just as GS Caltex visited Sangam to cheer last spring, a special scene is now being created where FC Seoul players will support the volleyball team at Jangchung.
GS Caltex is also cruising toward a new championship. They re-signed star player Gisel Silva (registered name: Silva), who was a key figure in last season’s victory, and signed Thailand national team representative Tanacha Sooksot (26), who previously played for Korea Expressway Corporation, as an Asian quota player to strengthen their attacking lineup.
In the 2026 KOVO Cup final held on the 18th of last month in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, they defeated Korea Expressway Corporation with a set score of 3-2. Silva scored 30 points, Kwon Min-ji (25) scored 24 points, and Tanacha scored 19 points, returning to the top of the cup tournament for the first time in three years. This was GS Caltex’s seventh cup championship in history, also setting a record for the most titles in the women’s division. Silva also took home the tournament MVP award.
Their start to the regular season has not been bad either. In the opening match on the 31st of last month, they thoroughly defeated Korea Expressway Corporation, their opponent in last season’s championship finals, with a score of 3-0. Silva scored 27 points, Tanacha scored 13 points, and Kwon Min-ji scored 11 points, showcasing a more diverse attacking power.
On the 11th, they also secured a decisive 3-0 (29-27, 25-16, 25-17) victory in an away game against Hyundai E&C. Silva led the attack with 20 points, the highest among both teams, while Tanacha scored 12 points and Kwon Min-ji and Choi Ga-eun (25) each added 11 points. In particular, after winning a tight deuce battle in the first set 29-27, they took the second and third sets relatively comfortably.
With this, GS Caltex has risen to second place in the women’s division with two wins, one loss, and six points. Attention is focused on whether GS Caltex, which claimed the cup championship this year following last year’s championship finals victory, can continue its upward momentum in the regular season as well.
Captain Yoo Seo-yeon (27) said, “We were incredibly proud and happy that FC Seoul reached the top of K League 1 for the first time in 10 years, receiving the winning momentum from our undefeated championship victory last spring, as sister clubs.” She continued, “This time, we will take on the hot energy passed to us by FC Seoul’s champions and run powerfully to the end with our fans toward a second consecutive V-League title in the 2026–2027 season.”
The match between GS Caltex and SOOP Supers will be held at the Jangchung Gymnasium at 4 p.m. on the 14th. The ceremonial first serve by manager Kim Ki-dong and Kim Jin-su will take place before the start of the game.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
