Weekend Picks

VOLLEYBALL

V-League men’s divisions

Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers (10-7) at Ansan OK Savings Bank Rush & Cash (12-5)

2 p.m., Saturday, Sangnoksu Gymnasium, Ansan, Gyeonggi

The defending champions OK Savings Bank Rush & Cash have confirmed their No. 1 status for the first half of the season after defeating the KB Insurance Stars 3-0 on Tuesday.

The team is on a four-game winning streak and will host the Hyundai Capital Skywalkers, which suffered a 3-2 loss against the Samsung Fire Bluefangs on Wednesday. The two teams are 1-1 this season, and in their latest meeting on Nov. 22, the Rush & Cash suffered a 3-0 loss.

There will be an interesting matchup between the two team’s Cuban attackers - Robertlandy Simon and Oreol Camejo.

The Rush & Cash’s Simon has scored 439 points in 17 matches, which is 56 points more than Camejo. However, the Skywalkers’ left attacker has better accuracy, with a 58.02 percent attacking success rate, the No.1 in the league.

The critical point of the match will be whether the Skywalkers can deal with the Rush & Cash players’ serve and blockings. The Ansan-based team tops both categories, led by Simon, the league’s No. 2 in serve aces and top player in blockings.

V-League women’s divisions

Hwaseong IBK Altos (8-6) at Gyeongbuk Gimcheon Hi-Pass (7-6)

4 p.m., Saturday, Gimcheon Gymnasium, Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang

Last season’s championship finalists are squaring off again. The Altos last season finished second in the regular season but shut out the regular season champion Hi-Pass to claim their second V-League title. However, in this regular season, the Altos have lost all two of their encounters against the Hi-Pass.

Both teams have won their last two matches, but while the Altos have played games on Sunday and Wednesday, the Hi-Pass haven’t played a game since Dec. 9.

The teams have formidable American attackers. The Altos have Liz McMahon, while the Hi-Pass have Leslie Cikra. McMahon has amassed 337 points in 14 matches, while Cikra collected 334 points in 13 matches.

The Altos have the league’s best serve, averaging 1.5 serve aces per set, while they have the league’s smallest number of errors at 234. The Hi-Pass top the league in back-row attacks but committed 263 errors in 13 games.

This season, the Hi-Pass have moved their hometown from Seongnam, Gyeonggi, to Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang, as their parent company, the Korea Expressway Corporation, moved its headquarters.