Nagoya: The South Korean women's volleyball team began their Asian Games journey with a decisive 3-0 victory against Hong Kong, spearheaded by captain Kang So-hwi's strong performance.
According to Yonhap News Agency, in the preliminary Pool D match of women's volleyball at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at Park Arena Komaki in Komaki, north of Nagoya, Japan, South Korea overpowered Hong Kong 3-0 (25-23, 25-12, 25-12). Captain Kang achieved a match-high 14 points, including two aces and one block, with middle blocker Lee Da-hyeong adding 12 points to the team's tally.
South Korea is in Pool D alongside Hong Kong, Qatar, and Vietnam, with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals. In a separate Pool D match at the same venue, Vietnam defeated Qatar 3-0 (25-3, 25-8, 25-9) in about 50 minutes.
South Korea demonstrated superiority with a 75-24 advantage in attacks, a 5-1 edge in blocks, and a 10-3 lead in service winners. They established an early lead in the first set, extending it to 17-12 with consecutive aces by Lee Da-hyeong, eventually winning the set 25-23.
Dominance continued in the second set as South Korea took an 18-8 lead and maintained control to win 25-12. In the final set, despite an early 4-2 lead by Hong Kong, South Korea reclaimed the advantage with a block by Jung Ho-yeong, sealing the match with a 25-12 victory.
Coach Cha Sang-hyun acknowledged initial pressure on the players but noted their improvement and composure from the second set onwards. Captain Kang, overcoming a thigh injury, mentioned finding her rhythm after the first set, leading to their successful performance.
South Korea is set to face Qatar next, followed by a crucial match against Vietnam, which will determine the first place in Pool D. The top two teams will progress to the quarterfinals. The team aims to improve on their performance from the 2023 Hangzhou Games, where they failed to secure a medal in women's volleyball for the first time since 2006.
The 20th Asian Games, marking the first continental multisports event in Japan in 32 years, will officially commence on Saturday, with events like basketball, football, and volleyball already underway.