The result was their second straight loss and a step closer to failing to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. However, there were glimmers of hope as the South Koreans, who started without star setter Joanna Wojcicki, made it close enough for Poland to eventually send her off.
The South Korean women’s national volleyball team (ranked 36th in the world), coached by Cesar Hernandez, fell to the seventh-ranked Polish national team by a set score of 1-3 (22-25, 26-24, 21-25, 9-25) in the second match of Group C of the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification on Monday (June 18) in Łódź, Poland.
With the loss, South Korea fell to 0-2 following a shutout loss to Italy in the first round, leaving them in last place in Group C. The Koreans were drawn in Group C alongside Poland, USA (2nd), Germany (12th), Thailand (14th), Colombia (22nd) and Slovenia (27th), and need to finish in the top two to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Stasiak Magdalena with 21 points and Lucasic Martina Sampo with 20 points were joined by Kang So-hwi with 16 points and Pyo Seung-joo with 15 points. Kang So-hwi was a steady scorer and Pyo Seung-joo had the best offense and defense, including a solo block. The dedicated defense of libero Kim Yeon-yeon and outside hitter Moon Jung-won, who came in from the second set, were the main reasons for the close match. However, they were unable to overcome the height disadvantage of 8-22 in blocks and failed to take the first point.
South Korea was in the middle of the first set. After Park’s first serve hit the net, they took the lead and were down 11-18 as their attacks were repeatedly blocked by Poland’s high wall. However, with Jung Ho-young in the center and Pyo Seung-joo on the side, the Koreans chipped away at the deficit one point at a time and finally reached the 20-point mark with a Lee Ju-ah push. Kang So-hwi’s service ace won the 21st point, but on set point, no one was able to collect what Lu Kashik pushed into the paint to take the first set.
However, their focus at the end of the first set did not go to waste as they carried it into the second set. By the middle of the set, they were evenly matched with Poland. Jeong Ho-young and Pyo Seung-joo blocked their opponents’ attacks, and Jeong’s service ace and Lee Ju-ah’s hitting attack gave them the lead at one point.
After the midway point, the score was 14-19, but substitute Moon Jung-won turned the tide of the game. Together with Kim Yeon-yeon, she took charge of the defense, especially when, trailing 20-21, Moon dug a ball that was passed by Kim Dain and hit by Kang So-hwi to tie the score. Poland even sent their starting setter Bowser onto the court. But Korea was not to be deterred, and Kang So-hwi converted two open attacks to take set point for the first time. On the deuce, Pyo Seung-ju scored back-to-back points and Korea finally clinched the set.온라인카지노
With the momentum on their side, Korea took the lead in the third set. After a solo block by Pyo Seung-joo tied the score at 5-5, they led midway through the set. However, their offense failed to work in the second half, allowing Poland to reach the 20-point mark before Stasiak closed out the set. In the fourth set, she failed to show the same focus as in the previous set, where she broke the 20-point mark for the third time in a row, and her stamina dwindled as she lost 9-25.