Pink Spiders overcome off-court drama to beat Peppers

The Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders beat the Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers in the V League on the road at Yeomju Gymnasium in Gwangju on Sunday.

The Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders celebrate at the end of a V League match against the Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers at Yeomju Gymnasium in Gwangju on Jan. 15. [YONHAP]

The Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders beat the Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers in the V League on the road at Yeomju Gymnasium in Gwangju on Sunday.

The Pink Spiders’ victory against the Peppers, who sit in last place on the V League table helped close the gap with league leaders Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate to five points.

The Pink Spiders won the first set with a score of 25-22, but lost the second 23-25.

The third set was neck-and-neck until the very end, but Korean volleyball royalty Kim Yeon-koung showed her class by assisting two points consecutively at 27-27 to win the set with a score of 29-27.

Kim’s side was able to pull off the fourth set with a score of 25-22 with Jelena Mladjenovic and Kim Mi-yeon scoring multiple points at the crucial moments of the set. The team’s defense also showed good cohesion in the fourth set with Lee Joo-ah and Kim Da-eun making four and five blocks each.

The Pink Spiders grabbed a victory at the end of the fourth set with a set score of 3-1. The team’s formidable attack with Mladjenovic and Kim Yeon-koung was the key to securing the win as they recorded 52 points total in the match.

The Spiders have been through a difficult few weeks after head coach Kwon Soon-chan was unexpectedly dropped on Jan. 1.

The decision came as a surprise to the Pink Spiders squad, who Kwon was left to inform after his discussion with management. The players weren’t happy, according to reports, and a number of veterans complained about the move.

The decision to fire Kwon came despite the Pink Spiders currently enjoying a fairly successful season.

Sunday’s win takes the Pink Spiders to 51 points in the V League. The Incheon side is now five points behind league leaders Hillstate and will face Gimcheon Korea Expressway on Jan. 21.

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