Age is just a number for top middle blocker Jung Dae-young

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Age is just a number for top middle blocker Jung Dae-young

Published: 02 Feb. 2023, 16:11 Updated: 02 Feb. 2023, 18:31

Jung Dae-young, center, in action during a V League game between Korea Expressway Corporation Hi-Pass and the Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers at Yeomju Gymnasium in Gwangju on Jan. 12. [YONHAP]

Jung Dae-young from Korea Expressway Corporation Hi-Pass is proving age is just a number as she remains one of the V League's most prominent players despite turning 42 this year.

The 41-year-old middle blocker has recorded an average of 0.75 blocks each set so far in the 2022-23 V League season, the third highest of any player in the women's league.

Jung is by far the oldest middle blocker among the top five players with the highest average blocks per set this season, although the list is still completely dominated by veteran stars.

Han Soo-ji, 34, of the GS Caltex Seoul KIXX is at the top of the list with 0.766, with Kim Su-ji, 35, of Hwaseong IBK Altos stands in second place with 0.761. Jung is in third with her teammate Bae Yoo-na, 33, in fourth place with an average of 0.74 blocks. Yang Hyo-jin of league leaders Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate, who is also 33, is in fifth place and has recorded 0.736.

Neither Han or Kim are significantly above Jung, leaving a higher spot on her list well within her reach with the second half of the season only just beginning this week after the all-star break over the weekend.

Jung’s class was visible even when the Hi-Pass beat Daejeon Korea Ginseng Corporation 3-0 at Chungmu Gymnasium in Daejeon on Tuesday in their first game after the break.

Jung recorded the second-highest average number of blocks per set with 1.33 after her teammate Bae, who made 1.67 blocks per set in the match.

Hi-Pass are in third place on the seven-team table as of Thursday, six points above KGC. Jung’s performance is one of the reasons they are able to maintain the third spot.

The veteran player’s record shows her performance this season was expected. She has consistently recorded a high number of blocks since 2005, when she made her debut with Hillstate in the V League.

Jung even took the blocks title in her first V League season after recording 0.76 blocks per set.

Since then, she has continued to show her class in blocking, which allowed her to record an average of 0.63 blocks per set over all 18 seasons.

With five games remaining until the end of the season, Jung might surpass that record of 0.76 that she set in her debut season.

Jung will face her second biggest competitor Kim Su-ji when Hi-Pass face the Altos, the sixth team in the V League, at Gimcheon gymnasium in Gimcheon, Gyeonggi on Saturday.

Saturday’s match will be particularly competitive not just because both teams are desperate to raise their position on the table, but also because Jung and Kim will compete to see who can record the most blocks.

Hi-Pass and the Altos will face off at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]