Despite the absence of star setter Ponfun Gedfard, IBK Corporate Bank revived its postseason hopes with a win over Pepper Savings Bank.
IBK won 3-2 (15-25 25-14 22-25 25-23 15-7) in straight sets against Pepper Savings Bank in the women’s Dodram 2023-2024 V-League at Pepper Stadium in Gwangju on Monday.
IBK escaped a second straight defeat. With 15 wins, 17 losses and 46 points, the fifth-ranked IBK closed the gap on fourth-ranked GS Caltex (48 points) to two points. The gap with third-place Jeonggwanjang (56 points) is 10 points.
Pepper Savings Bank, which escaped a losing streak in its last game, lost again. With 3 wins and 29 losses, Pepper Savings Bank remains in seventh place with 11 points.
IBK IBK Abe Crombie led the victory with 29 points, including eight back-attacks and four blocks. Yuk Seo-young added 20 points, including two service aces. Hwang Min-kyung added 13 points.
Pepper Savings Bank Yasmin had 32 points, including eight back-attacks, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the loss. Park Jung-ah added 15 points and Lee Han-bi contributed 14 points.
With IBK’s starting setter Ponfun Gedfard out due to injury, the home team Pepper Savings Bank took the lead in the first set. Yasmin led the way with nine kills, while Lee Han-bi added five. IBK’s outside hitters (left side hitters) Pyo Seung-ju and Hwang Min-kyung were less successful. Pepper Savings Bank won the first set with ease.
After suffering a blow, IBK came out firing in the second set. Abe Crombie improved her attack success rate and Yuk Seo-young added to the score. Pepper Savings Bank, on the other hand, gave up points due to a sharp increase in errors. IBK IBK took the second set after pushing Pepper Savings Bank, whose reception was shaky.
After a tight third set, Pepper Savings Bank took the lead. Yasmin gained a foothold with back-to-back points. Setter Park Sa-rah’s sneaky passing put Pepper Savings Bank on set point. After a rally, Yasmin’s center back-attack hit the court and Pepper Savings Bank won the set.
In the fourth set, IBK took the lead thanks to Abercrombie’s scoring streak, but Pepper Savings Bank tied it up with Yasmin and Park Jung-ah. At 23-23, Abercrombie hit a hard shot and IBK reached set point. Hwang Min-kyung hit a kill against Park Jung-ah to put IBK back in the match.
After a long rally in the middle of the fifth set, the tide turned in IBK’s favor when Lim Hye-rim blocked Yasmin’s open attack. Afterward, a series of errors by Lee Han-bi and Yasmin led to Pepper Savings Bank’s own collapse. Abe Crombie blocked Park’s open attack to end the match.