One of the biggest contributors to Korean Air’s four consecutive wins in the regular season is Lim Dong-hyuk (26), a native Afogit spiker in his seventh year in Korea. Compared to the past three consecutive wins in the regular season, Korean Air had ups and downs this season. Korean Air’s ace pitcher Jung Ji-seok suffered a waist injury during the off-season for the national team, and thus failed to step on the court until the second round. Lincoln Williams (Australia), a third-year expat player, also left the court due to back injury after the match against Woori Card on November 30 last year, and eventually left Korea. Although Lincoln’s substitute foreign player Murad Khan (Pakistan) made his first appearance at the match against OK Financial Group on Dec. 25 last year, his performance was full of ups and downs in each match.
Lim Dong-hyeok was the one who filled the void left by the strikers. Having evolved into the best indigenous affogit spiker in the V-League beyond Korean Air this season, Lim always played in the court at the behest of Tommy Tilikainen. Having played in all 36 games both as a starting player and as a bench player, Lim ranked seventh overall with 559 points. He is the No. 1 overall in Korean players. Moreover, he ranked first in overall attack success rate of this season with 56.02 percent.
Despite losing 0-3 to Woori Card at the end of the season, Woori Card lost the chance to win the title on its own, but Korean Air took advantage of Woori Card’s last-minute slump to clinch the top spot in the regular league and qualify for its fourth consecutive championship. There is one thing that shows their overwhelming strength. Lim Dong-hyuk, the top contributor in the regular league, will start the championship game in the warm-up zone, not on the court. With him on the bench, he beat OK Financial Group 3-1 and 3-0 in the first and second matches of the championship games held on April 29 and 31. If Korea secures one win in the remaining three games, Korean Air will achieve its fourth consecutive championship, which even failed to achieve even the “Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Dynasty,” which is considered the most powerful dynasty in the history of the V League.
Lim Dong-hyuk is starting the match in the warm-up zone because Maksim Zigalov (Russia), a substitute foreign player recruited only for the upcoming championship, is playing as the main apogit spiker. Maksim, who is tall at 2 meters and has the advantage of being left-handed, raises doubts about whether he has the skills to push Lim to the bench. He has displayed good scoring ability due to his deep angle as a left-handed player and fast swing speed and unfamiliarity as a player he is dealing with for the first time, but detailed indicators show that he is not very good at scoring. It shows why he was not picked at the tryout in May last year.
Although he garnered 20 points in the first round, his attack success rate was only 44.44 percent, and he had four blocks and made three errors. In the second round, his attack success rate slightly increased to 50 percent, but he had five blocks and six errors. His attack efficiency dropped significantly to 28.89 percent and 19.44 percent, respectively.
It is doubtful whether Maxim’s skills will push Lim to the bench, but the result of the game is good. Korean Air won anyway. OK Financial Group, which has already played three games until the semi-playoff and two playoff games, has physical ups and downs, and OK Financial Group’s team color, Jeong Ji-seok and Kwak Seung-seok, who reduce errors and serve in stable serve, have the most stable outside heater, and Korean Air, which has the best and most seasoned setters of Han and Yoo Kwang-woo.
For the player’s individual point of view, the backlog in the starting lineup may be divided, but Lim Dong-hyuk is quietly performing his role given by the team and manager Tommy Tilikainen. He is leaving the court after double-changing with Yoo Kwang-woo in the first and second rounds, playing only one player’s potential crown prince, but the impact is great. In the first round, he scored only one point, but in the second round, he exploded 9 points with a whopping 69.23 percent attack success rate.
In the second set, he was in charge of all four points posted by Korean Air until he was replaced at 17-17, when he was deployed at 13-12. As if he had a hard time waiting in the warm-up zone, he showed off his presence by hitting with strong power that seemed to split the OK Financial Group court. He was also deployed in the middle of the set in the third set, and scored three points through his trademark hitting before leaving the court. If Lim Dong-hyuk plays the role of “thin stealer” in the third game, the championship match will likely end in three games.
Lim Dong-hyuk, who entered the interview room with Kwak Seung-seok as a coach after the game, led the interview with an upgraded talk this season.
Lim Dong-hyuk said, “I feel comfortable to take advantage of my home advantage to win two games in Incheon. I will try to prepare more and finish the series in Ansan.” He added, “The regular league felt confused as the members changed a lot, but I am playing as an elite member in the match against Champ. We seem to be playing easier in the match than in the regular league thanks to our advantage of having played many big games.”
He also spoke frankly about his disappointment at losing the starting lineup in the championship match. “Honestly, it is regrettable as a player,” Lim said. “However, it is the coach’s own right to appoint players, and players must follow the orders that the coach has assigned them. I changed my mind by talking with the coach, the coaching staff, and my teammates. “Ace is important to play many games, but I think he is a player who needs to perform properly at a critical moment. I am still satisfied.”
How did Lim feel when he heard about the recruitment of Maxim? He said, “Oh, I felt like I had to compete internally again this time. When I first heard the news, I was happy but also confused. When I joined the team, he was old, experienced, and had a high level of understanding in volleyball. I like him because he is a player who helps the team a lot.”
Lim Dong-hyuk has a special reason for this championship. He is scheduled to join the military on April 29. Lim said, “Korean Air’s depth is very thick and well-organized. I wonder if I can play as a member again. I think a lot of things have changed after I return from the military.” Kwak Seung-seok, who heard this, jokingly said, “It’s only been a year and a half in the military… Even if you come back, we will be there.”
BY: 사설 토토사이트