In the women’s division of the V-League, Hyundai E&C is a strong candidate to win this season. After the opening, he reigned as an absolute powerhouse, running 15 consecutive wins. It was only a matter of time before they reached the top spot in the regular league. However, an unexpected variable occurred. Foreign player Yasmin, who was in charge of the offense, was removed from the line due to a herniated disc. After the 3rd round match against Pepper Savings Bank on the 18th of last month, the race has been running without foreign players. Because of that, they suffered two consecutive losses for the first time in the season. As the difference in points with second place Heungkuk Life Insurance decreased, the position of the absolute powerhouse was also shaken.
He hesitated for a moment, but soon found his place. It is because of the solidarity among domestic players. In the last game of the 3rd round and the first game of the 4th round, IBK Industrial Bank, the opponent, was defeated in succession by shutout, and the winning streak was in the mood again. At the center is veteran Hwang Yeon-joo (37). He filled Yasmin’s void and saved the shaky team.
Opposite spiker (right) Hwang Yeon-joo scored 16 points, the most among both teams, in a home game against Industrial Bank of Korea on the 4th. Whether the toss was good or bad, most of the balls that landed in front of him scored. It is a double-digit score in the last 5 games in a row. He didn’t shy away from defense either.
He also managed two blocks for the first time this season. In a broadcast interview, he said, “I paid more attention to blocking than anything else. The opponent was a very fast team, so a lot of balls missed during blocking, but today (4th) went well.”
Hwang Yeon-joo has been running non-stop for 19 seasons from the 2005 season, the first year as a pro, to this season. In the meantime, he has won various awards, including the Rookie of the Year award, and has set numerous records. But nothing is forever. At one point he was pushed back as a backup. Instead of starting, he spends more time warming up in the warm-up zone. However, he did not neglect training. Compared to when he was in his prime, both his jumping and power dropped, but he continued to take care of himself nonetheless. His explosive power has decreased, but he has helped his team with his skillful game management. 메이저놀이터
The coach was concerned about the veteran’s stamina. Kang Seong-hyeong, director of Hyundai E&C, said, “If there is no physical problem, he is a player who will show his skills.” However, Hwang Yeon-ju was only confident. He showed his motivation, saying, “I have to work harder than the players who played from the beginning of the season.”
Yasmin can only return in early February. Until then, you have to endure somehow. Hwang Yeon-joo vowed, “I may not be as good as Yasmin, but he will do his best to fill that hole.”