"(Kim) Hyo-im has grown into a reliable player," GS Caltex head coach Lee Young-tak praises the "second-year" libero's big heart... "Thanks to her rapid growth, the trade for Yoo Ga-ram was also possible" [Jangchung on-site]

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Lee Young-tak (49), head coach of GS Caltex, expressed satisfaction with the growth of "second-year" player Kim Hyo-im.

At 4 p.m. on the 14th at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul, GS Caltex defeated SOOP 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-17) in a shutout victory in their Round 1 home game of the women's division of the "HK Hungeuk Financial 2026~2027 V-League."

GS Caltex, which secured consecutive wins, moved up to second place with a record of three wins and one loss (nine points) this season. Meanwhile, SOOP, whose first win in franchise history was thwarted, sits in sixth place after four straight losses since the start of the season.

GS Caltex was led to victory by Silva, who scored a team-high 15 points, and Tanacha, who contributed 11 points. In particular, Oh Se-yeon dominated the net with eight blocks and 10 total points. On the other hand, SOOP's Izushie struggled in vain with a team-high 12 points but could not prevent the defeat.

After the game, head coach Lee Young-tak said, "We recorded many blocks as well, but we allowed our opponent Izushie to score too many points, so it was not a very good performance overall." He added, "With their main scorer Odriana absent, we were able to play the match somewhat more smoothly," sharing his thoughts on the victory.

He cited "teamwork" as the secret behind the team's top ranking in blocks. Head coach Lee Young-tak said, "I am happy that our middle blockers seem to be growing," while explaining, "The fact that our blocking is working well ultimately means that our serves are landing effectively and the side players are positioning their defense well. Many elements are coming together nicely."

Regarding setter Kim Ji-won's somewhat difficult performance, he noted, "Our reception was quite shaky overall. Because bad balls were coming up, there were difficulties in toss control, but she seemed to be finding her own feel as the game progressed."

He did not hold back praise for Kim Hyo-im, who came on as a substitute in a 24-24 deuce situation in the first set and closed out the set with a service ace. Head coach Lee Young-tak said, "We used our last substitution card to strengthen defense and secure stable serves, and she performed her role perfectly in the deuce and set point situations."

He continued, "After returning from national team duty, she has grown so much that she can fully handle the libero position as well. Thanks to Hyo-im stepping up reliably, we were also able to proceed with the trade for (Yoo) Ga-ram."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original