Signals that have overcome the "Wall of 19" endure with rice heart

On the 23rd, OK Financial Group beat Woori Card 3-2 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 15-11 in the first round of the men's playoff of the 2023-24 Dodram V-League at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul.

OK Financial Group entered the spring volleyball league for the first time in about three seasons. And following the semi-playoff victory over Hyundai Capital on the 21st, the team won the first game against Woori Card with two consecutive wins.

According to the Korea Volleyball Federation KOVO, 16 out of 18 cases have been to the championship game where the team that won the first round of the men's playoff went to the championship game. In terms of percentage, the figure amounts to 88.9 percent and 90 percent.

Leo scored 29 points, Shin Ho-jin 24 points, and Song Hee-chae 13 points on the day. In team blocking, OK Financial Group also led 13-7. Shin Ho-jin flew with a 70% attack success rate on the day. In particular, throughout the first and second sets, the attack success rate exceeded 80%.

Leo, who had greatly increased his possession in major games starting in the sixth round, seemed a little tired on the day, but still pushed the game with the most points in the team.

Woori Card ultimately lost because it failed to block the signal lineup. The signal lineup broke the record of most points 24 points in a single game, giving the team 89 percent of the chance. The team was negligent in the third set, and gave Woori Card the fourth set, almost losing a game, and Coach Ogino couldn't even smile after the victory.

However, regarding Shin Ho-jin, he said, "He was in good condition and followed the instructions well. He must have been under a lot of pressure, but he did a good job."

"It was a little heavy when I warmed up at first," said Shin Ho-jin, who looked back at the game after the victory. "I thought Leo was in better shape than I thought, 'Do you want me to do it today?' but as I did, my body came up little by little."

It is Shin's first time to perform in a pro spring volleyball stage. Since joining the team as the top rookie of the year in the 22-23 season, Shin is playing well in his first post season in his second year.

It is a bygone conclusion, but there were also peculiar limitations. No matter how well he performed, he could hardly surpass his highest score of 19 points. He broke the record for the most goals scored four times, including this season, for the first time in the game. When Shin pointed it out, Shin smiled and said, "When I work hard, I always stop at 19 points, but I feel twice as good as I feel because I broke this record."

There was the only time when he exceeded that score. It was the 2023 Gumi Dodram Cup that took place last summer. Shin scored 31 points in the semi-final and 34 points in the final, making a big contribution to his team's first Cup championship.

"I think I was a little less confident than then," he said. "I was confident to score points as I posted them, but I am nervous even if I do it comfortably today. It was very fierce. I felt more nervous than at the cup," he said, revealing inevitable tension over the big competition.

If OK Financial Group secures one more win in Ansan, the team will be able to move to Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon where the leading Korean Air is waiting. However, it is quite physically burdensome as it has to play full set matches in a row and take another day off. If Woori Card pushes ahead with the same performance as the third and fourth sets of the first round, chances are high it will be an easy showdown.

Shin Ho-jin also said, "I'm confident, but the coach told me not to be overconfident and to be humble. If I get support from the fans in the second round, I will get good results. You can never be greedy. If I'm greedy, I won't be able to play what I want."

However, when asked to "score your performance", he gave a confident answer that "I will fill 20 points in the championship match" by scoring 80 points.

After the interview after the game, Coach Ogiino asked reporters, "Do you think OK Financial Group has changed a lot?" He said, expressing satisfaction with the answer.

"For sure, the team's teamwork has improved the most," Shin Ho-jin said. "The coach creates such an environment. I'm grateful that he allowed me to open up my players' thoughts and develop my skills."

Now, the key to preparing for the second round depends on the physical strength of both sides. Through the first round, the sense of the ball and the way to destroy each other have been checked considerably. When asked if there is a secret to recovering physical strength quickly, the signal team mentioned "the joy of eating" right away.

"I eat a lot of food," he said. "It's even harder if I'm on a diet if I don't eat. Even if I gain a little weight, eating a lot is the secret to my recovery, and I like hamburgers, chicken, and pizza the most. The director also smiled, saying, "You have to run a lot, so eat a lot."

Meanwhile, the second playoff game between OK Financial Group and Woori Card will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Sangnoksu Gymnasium in Ansan. The playoffs will be held in a best-of-three format.

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