The possibility of advancing to spring volleyball is not high, but I could not feel any pressure or anxiety from Ahn Hye-jin and Moma. They said that they just wanted to play ‘happy volleyball’ until the end.
Ahn Hye-jin and Letizia Moma Basoko (registered name MoMA) had a difficult season for their own reasons. Ahn Hye-jin spent the first half of the season in vain due to her injury. From the middle of the season, she shared playing time with Kim Ji-won and stepped on the court, but it was never easy to improve her game sense.
On the other hand, MoMA was in charge of leading GS Caltex’s attack throughout the season. Kang So-hui was unable to show off his skills due to an injury at the beginning of the season, and wing strikers such as Yoo Seo-yeon, Choi Eun-ji, and Kwon Min-ji also showed jagged performances. The burden brought by the lack of offensive power on the other side had to be fully handled by MoMA. In the end, in the fourth round against Pepper Savings Bank, he could not play due to a knee injury and had to watch the team lose.
However, both players are getting better and better as they enter the second half of the season. Ahn Hye-jin, who has been steadily improving her condition, continued her performance by setting a new record for the most successful sets (72) in a single V-League women’s game against Heungkuk Life Insurance in the 6th round. MoMA is also showing off a good offensive condition recently. Currently, MoMA’s 6th round attack success rate is 49.67%, which is much higher than the previous 5 rounds.
In the 6th round of the Dodram 2022-2023 V-League Women’s Division against KGC Ginseng Corporation, which took place on the 4th at Chungmu Gymnasium in Daejeon, the two players played a big role. Ahn Hye-jin succeeded in 41 sets and played the game stably. The serve also served a total of 14 times without any errors, the second most served after Kang So-hui (22 times). MoMA scored 28 points, the most in the game, and the attack success rate was high at 60.98%. Amid the great success of the two players, GS Caltex won a set score 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-17).
The two players, who jointly won, first shared their impressions of the game. Ahn Hye-jin said, “It seems that we did not show our colors well in the last game. Through this game, I think I can regain my confidence and play well in the remaining games. I feel good,” he said, and Moma said, “I feel good. The chances of making the playoffs are slim, but I want to win as much as possible in the remaining games.”
KGC Ginseng Corporation, the opposing team on this day, is a team whose strength is height, with Jung Ho-young, Elisabeth Ine Barga (registered name Elisabeth), and Park Eun-jin at the fore. However, Moma seemed to show off her skills without much difficulty. When asked how it was in reality, MoMa said, “Did it not look difficult from the outside? Actually, it was difficult (laughs). Entering the 6th round, we know each other very well. So during the video meeting, we talked a lot and tried to find a solution,” she said with a laugh. 메이저사이트
MoMA also added praise, saying, “Hyejin Ahn’s toss was very good.” Ahn Hye-jin, whose expression brightened at MoMA’s praise, also said, “Since I don’t use fast attacks a lot, two-blocks follow a lot of wing strikers, but in this game, wing strikers, especially MoMA, handled bad balls well, making the game even better. I was able to finish well,” he said, thanking MoMa.
When asked if he felt his performance improve as the season progressed, Ahn Hye-jin said, “I joined late because of an injury at the beginning of the season. I felt so sorry for the team, and the condition was really bad. Even in the middle of the season, when I was supposed to do well, I was a bit behind. Still, the coach believed in me and allowed me to stay on the court for a lot of time, and thanks to that, my senses continue to rise.”
Hyejin Ahn and MoMA now have only three regular season games left. As MoMA said, GS Caltex’s chances of advancing into spring volleyball are not very high. I asked what the two players hoped for at the end of the season. Ahn Hye-jin said, “I hope all of our team players don’t feel pressured. I want to play a fun game without getting hurt.”
MoMA also said, “Like (Ahn) Hyejin said, if you put down the pressure, you will be able to win like this game. I want to enjoy it. It was a tough season, and it’s still hard today. However, I want to enjoy the game with my teammates until the end. Of course, I also want to win. It is because the possibility of advancing to the playoffs has not completely disappeared yet,” she gave a confident answer.
There is a saying that genius cannot overcome those who strive, and those who strive cannot overcome those who enjoy. Maybe Ahn Hye-jin and Moma’s willingness to enjoy volleyball without burdens may bring a miracle to GS Caltex.