Hi-Pass come from behind to win 2022-23 V League championship

Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass beat the Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders 3-2 on Thursday to win the 2022-23 V League championship, coming from two games down to take the title series 3-2.

Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass's Khat Bell, center right, lifts the V League championship trophy with head coach Kim Jong-min following a 3-2 victory over the Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders in the fifth leg of the series at Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on Thursday. [NEWS1]

Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass beat the Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders 3-2 on Thursday to win the 2022-23 V League championship, coming from two games down to take the title series 3-2.

Hi-Pass beat the Pink Spiders 3-2 in the crucial rubber game on Thursday, upsetting the Pink Spiders in front their own fans at Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon.

With the victory, Hi-Pass became the first team ever to win the championship after falling two games behind in the series.

The Pink Spiders reached the championship after winning the league, while Hi-Pass, who finished in third place, advanced to the series after beating Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate twice in the three-game playoffs.

Thursday’s decider was a fierce battle from the beginning, with the lead changing hands constantly.

Both sides displayed cohesive teamwork, but Pink Spiders’ ace Jelena Mladjenovic scored multiple points during the first set to grab the set 25-23.

The second set was as intense as the first, but Hi-Pass bounced back and took the set 25-23.

The Gimcheon side maintained that momentum to win the third set, also 25-23.

The Pink Spiders, however, held off the Hi-Pass in the fourth set, with star player Kim Yeon-koung displaying a remarkable performance alongside Mladjenovic to win the set 25-23, forcing a fifth set to decide the game and the series.

Both sides went all out and Hi-Pass’s attacks led by Park Jeong-ah and Khat Bell shone throughout the set.

Park, who scored 24 points in the third leg to help her side stay alive in the championship, scored the last point to win the set 15-13, ultimately overcoming the 2-0 series deficit to be crowned as overall champions.

Park scored 23 points in Thursday’s game with Bell managing 32.

Mladjenovic was the top scorer with 35 points and Kim also pulled off one of her greatest performances of the season with 30, but failed to save her side.

Kim Yeon-koung holds the runner-up trophy after losing the 2022-23 V League championship 3-2 against Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass at Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on Thursday. [NEWS1]

“We prepared a lot for it, but I think it turned out to be really disappointing,” Kim said after the game. “We worked hard to reach the fifth leg and never gave up until the end, but I think we just have to accept the result.”

Meanwhile, Bell who significantly contributed to her team’s victory in the championship series, was named the championship MVP. She scored 30 points in the fourth leg to force the fifth leg.

“I feel so good,” Bell said. “Coming in here, my whole goal was to get to this moment. I am just proud of myself, proud of my team and proud of the coaching staff.

“We got the job done.”

With the victory on Thursday, Hi-Pass won the second championship title in the club’s history — the first was in 2018.

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