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Pep in their step: Gwangju's V League team hits milestone with sixth win

Published: 30 Dec. 2024, 13:38 Updated: 30 Dec. 2024, 13:41

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

The Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers [YONHAP]

The Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers reached the milestone of the most wins in a single season at six after a 3-2 victory over defending V League champions Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate at home on Sunday.

In the game where the lead changed hands constantly, the Peppers lost the first set 25-22, but took the second set 25-23 before losing the third set 25-19.

The Gwangju side were resilient, however, tying the fourth set at 24-24 and breaking the deadlock to take the set 26-24 before winning the final set 15-12, sealing their sixth victory of the 2024-25 V League season.

Peppers outside hitter Park Jeong-ah pulled off her best performance of the season by scoring the most points in a single game at 27. The veteran was still unfazed despite the historic win.

“We did not really care about that,” Park said about her team’s reaction to their sixth win. “Before the season began, our team talked about our goal this season. Our goal was to record a double digit wins. I think we are not far from it, and I think we can do it, so I’ll work hard.”

Park, 31, joined the Peppers ahead of the 2023-24 season after leading her former club, Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass, to a championship victory in the previous season, but failed to save the Peppers from finishing at the bottom last season.

The Peppers’ sixth win is a reflection of their improvement after their poor runs the past three seasons. Founded in 2021 ahead of the 2021-22 season, the Gwanju club were always bottom-dwellers, finishing rock bottom in the seven-team table for the third straight time with a significant level gap with older teams.

The Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers celebrate winning a V League game against Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate at Pepper Stadium in Gwangju in a phot shared on the Peppers' official Instagram account on Dec. 29. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Last season was the worst campaign for the Peppers, who set the record for the longest losing streak in the women’s V League at 21 before extending the all-time record to 23. By the end of the season, the club had only secured five wins from 36 games.

But the Peppers have demonstrated improvement under new head coach Chang So-hyun since the first day of this season, winning their opening game and picking up more wins than before, although they have still racked up more losses than wins from their opening 18 games.

The Peppers sit in fifth place with 19 points as of press time Monday. Hi-Pass trails four points behind them, with GS Caltex Seoul Kixx sitting at the bottom at six points.

The Peppers still have a big point gap to close with No. 4 Hwaseong IBK Altos, who are 12 points above the Gwangju club.

Finishing in fourth could book the Peppers a ticket to the postseason for the first time, as the fourth placed team enters the so-called semi-playoffs in the event that a point gap between the No. 3 and No. 4 teams is three points or less.

The Peppers have the opportunity to narrow the point gap in their first game next year, with the club facing the Altos on Jan. 9, before facing reigning champions Hillstate again on Jan. 12.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]