There is no player who can replace the ‘Volleyball Empress’. Then, what about ‘Bloquin’?
Until the 9th, Han Su-ji (GS Caltex) ranked first in the blocking category of the Dodram V-League women’s division this season. She is averaging 0.79 per set.
They are followed by Yang Hyo-jin (Hyundai E&C), Jeong Dae-young (highway construction), Kim Su-ji (IBK Industrial Bank of Korea), and Bae Yoo-na (highway construction). If we add Han Song-i (Ginseng Corporation) Kim Se-young (retired) and Kim Hee-jin (Ipbank) during their middle blocker days, the list of ‘deceased waters’ who have monopolized the top rankings for the past few years becomes a list.
From the 2019 to 2020 season, Yang Hyo-jin’s solo stage was the No. 1 block. Yang Hyo-jin dominated the first place in this category for 11 consecutive years, gaining the reputation of ‘Bloqueen’. She also plays the role of the team’s main gun in attack, and she has been the salary queen for 9 consecutive years.
The protagonist who broke that reputation is Han Song in the 2020-2021 season. Jung Dae-young, Bae Yoo-na, and Lutz (then GS Caltex) followed. Yang Hyo-jin fell to 5th place, and Kim Su-ji took 6th place.
Yang Hyo-jin regained her number one spot in blocking last year. She built ‘Num Four Walls’ with second place Lee Da-hyun (Hyundai E&C). Lee Joo-ah (Heungkuk Life Insurance) ranked third, announcing the challenge of the blocking gods, followed by Jeong Dae-young, Kim Su-ji, Bae Yu-na and Han Su-ji. This year, veterans are fighting back. 메이저놀이터
The poor player base of women’s volleyball is mentioned every year at the rookie draft. Regarding the reason why veteran players’ lives are getting longer across the league, it is pointed out that the players’ excellent physical care and overall quality decline follow.
The position where experience is most important is the libero. Compared to men’s volleyball, where agility and physicality are emphasized, it is difficult to see a libero in his early 20s in women’s volleyball, where positioning and stability are important. Kim Hae-ran, Lim Im-ok, and Oh Ji-young, who are in their mid-30s, still have a solid position within the team. Kim Yeon-gyeon, Shin Yeon-gyeong and Yellow Island are also veteran players. Han Da-hye, the youngest of the starting liberos, is in her 10th year as a pro.
If you look at her this year alone, she has more middle blockers. The youngest among the top 5 blocking players is Yang Hyo-jin and Bae Yu-na (34), a professional player for 16 years. Jeong Dae-young (42) is the best in all women’s volleyball, and Kim Su-ji (36) and Han Su-ji (35) are also the leaders of each team.
Compared to the libero, the middle blocker has a lot of young blood that has established itself as a starting player. Joo-ah Lee, Da-hyeon Choi (Pepper Savings Bank), and Ho-yeong Jeong (Ginseng Corporation), who ranked 6th to 9th in the blocking category, have the potential to push out their seniors at any time.
In addition to these, Na Hyeon-soo (Hyundai E&C) Park Eun-jin (Ginseng Corporation) Seo Chae-won (Pepper Savings Bank) Oh Se-yeon (GS Caltex) Kim Hyeon-jeong (Industrial Bank of Korea) Lim Hye-rim (Heungkuk Life Insurance) are also receiving good reviews. There is also the tallest 1m95 Yeom Eorheung (Pepper Savings Bank). Even if there is no instruction from the top, the command tower of each team strives to nurture young blood whenever there is an opportunity. However, the reality is that it is not easy to overcome the ‘sister power’.