Heungkuk Life is the clear favorite to win the women’s volleyball tournament. However, last season’s runner-up, Pepper Savings Bank, is the favorite.
The Dodram V League Women’s Media Day for the 2023-2024 season was held at the Rivera Hotel in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on Wednesday. The women’s team will kick off the new season with a matchup between Korea Expressway Corporation and Heungkuk Life at Gimcheon Indoor Gymnasium at 4 p.m. on May 14.
The media day was more crowded and enthusiastic than ever, with managers, representative players, foreign players, and Asian quota players from all seven clubs in attendance.
According to the managers and players of the seven clubs, Heungkuk Life is the favorite to win this season. Led by head coach Marcello Abondanza, Heungkuk Life succumbed to roadblocks in last year’s championship game, but this season they have added power and height with the retention of Kim Yeon-kyung and Yelena Mrazenovic, as well as the addition of veteran middle blocker Kim Soo-ji, and the addition of outside hitter Reina Tokoku as an Asian Quarter.
IBK head coach Kim Ho-cheol, a veteran among veterans, said, “Heungkuk Life is a more organized team than ours. Plus, they added (Kim) Suzy this year, so I think they’re perfect,” he said. Other teams also recognized that Heungkuk Life has the strongest starting lineup.
Alongside Heungkuk Life, the most talked-about favorite was Pepper Savings Bank. Pepper Savings Bank, a rookie team in its third season, raised expectations by signing free agents Park Jung-ah and Chae Sun-ah and re-signing internal free agents Oh Ji-young and Lee Han-bi. Although there have been twists and turns such as changing managers and naming compensatory players, there are expectations that Pepper, which won only three games in the first season and five games in the second season, can be different this season.메이저놀이터
Head coach Ko Hee-jin said, “Pepper has made a lot of reinforcements. It’s definitely a different team than last season.”
Park Jung-ah, who participated in the media day as a member of Pepper Savings Bank, responded, “I’m grateful that they expected a lot from us, and I think we should do well to repay their expectations.”
Last year’s winners Roadworks and Hyundai E&C, who missed out on the title due to injuries to their main players, are also in the top half of the standings. Jong-min Kim, the head coach of Roadworks, said, “Our power has weakened a lot. I think we should be wary of everyone rather than anyone in particular. I think the beginning of the season will be a bit difficult,” while Hyundai E&C’s Kang Sung-hyung said, “There was a power leak at Roadworks, but I think it was reinforced well. We also said that we will reinforce it, but we will try to challenge it with good teamwork.”
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