As a volleyball player, it was a goal I wanted to try at least once.”
Pepper Savings Bank middle blocker Choi Ga-eun (22) cannot forget the 4th round Heungkuk Life Insurance match held at Pepper Stadium in Gwangju on January 15th. The reason is that he blocked the attack of Kim Yeon-kyung, who was his idol, for the first time in his life. At that time, Choi Ga-eun blocked Kim Yeon-kyung’s time difference attack in the third set, where the team fell behind 9-12.
Choi Ga-eun said, “This is the second time I digest the same season as Yeon-kyung. In the 2020-21 season, I could not play Heungkuk Life Insurance. Even this season, until the 3rd round, Yeonkyung has not been attacked once. As a volleyball player, it was a goal I had dreamed of at least once, but he caught it once while playing volleyball.”
Except for this day, Choi Ga-eun is having a dream-like season. He is firmly guarding the center of Pepper Savings Bank with more mature skills than last season, which was the second year of full-time and the first full-time season.
Choi Ga-eun has scored 141 points in all 23 games played by the team this season, with a 42.37% fast break success rate, 0.588 blocking per set, and 35.71% moving attack. He ranks 5th in move offense, 7th in fast break, and 8th in blocking.
In the match against GS Caltex held at home in Gwangju on the 23rd, he contributed to the team’s first home win of the season by posting 9 points including 5 blockings from the center. 5 blocks is the most blocks in a single game by an individual. 스포츠토토
Choi Ga-eun said, “Even when I won my first win of the season, I felt very sorry for giving me a victory late. I am happy to be able to hear the victory at home for the fans during the Lunar New Year holidays. I think it’s a meaningful first win for the fans who supported us.”
In the 2019 rookie draft, he was nominated by IBK Industrial Bank as the 5th pick in the first round. 184 cm middle blocker, but it was not easy to get a position at IBK Industrial Bank. He scored 22 points in 9 games over two seasons before coming to Pepper Savings Bank.
But after he joined Pepper Savings Bank, his skills were in full bloom. As he played games and went through all kinds of prenatal battles, his skills were naturally improving.
He said, “At first, I couldn’t even read and there were many difficult parts. His court eyes also widened. The unnies talk about the things they see next to them and help each other, so it seems that their bodies are adapting,” she laughed.
Now, we are challenging our first winning streak. Pepper Savings Bank will play the last game of the 4th round against IBK Industrial Bank at the Hwaseong Sports Complex Indoor Gymnasium on the 26th.
Lastly, Choi Ga-eun said, “Injury management is important. Also, I believe that good results will come out if we maintain the atmosphere so that basic mistakes do not drastically deteriorate.”