Kixx jump to second on V League table

The GS Caltex Seoul Kixx have climbed to second place in the V League after two very different games last week, a 3-0 loss to the Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders and a 3-0 win against Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate.

The GS Caltex Seoul Kixx's Gyselle Silva, left, attacks during a V League game against Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate at Jangchung Arena in central Seoul on Friday. [YONHAP]

The GS Caltex Seoul Kixx have climbed to second place on the V League table after playing two very different games last week, with a 3-0 loss to the Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders and a 3-0 win against Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate.

Despite falling short in their effort to oust the Pink Spiders from the top, the Kixx proved that they are a team to watch this season.

The Seoul side had been unbeaten before their clash with the Pink Spiders on Oct. 31 when the reigning V League champions cut the Kixx's streak in style, dominating the entire game.

The Pink Spiders won the first set 25-22 before the Kixx nearly secured a comeback in the second, tying the score at a critical 24-24. But the Incheon side denied them a comeback, winning it 26-24.

The defending champions rode that momentum through the third set, defeating the Kixx 25-23 for a final score of 3-0.

But the Kixx managed the exact opposite result three days later against last season’s runners-up Hillstate, handily winning three sets 25-16, 25-20 and 25-14.

Kixx outside hitter Gyselle Silva’s impact during the game was clear. She was its top scorer, with 21 points. Silva has scored a total 143 points so far this season, making her the second top scorer in the league, right below Hwaseong IBK Altos’ Brittany Abercrombie, with 163.

Friday’s win secured for the Seoul side second place on the seven-team table.

The Kixx's solid performance this season does not come as a surprise. They won the Korea Volleyball Federation Cup, a preseason tournament where all V League teams compete to test out their squads, proving their potential to win a league title this season.

A big challenger for the Kixx for the remainder of the season will likely be the Daejeon Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks.

The Red Sparks suffered a 3-0 loss to last season’s championship winners Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass on Thursday, but they beat the Gwangju AI Peppers 3-0 on Sunday and have also managed wins against the powerful Pink Spiders and Hillstate this season.

The Daejeon side’s Asian Quota Draft pick Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi looks to be one of main reasons behind the team’s success, as she has so far scored 138 points, making her the league’s third top scorer.

Things aren't looking so sweet for the Peppers, who sit at the bottom of the table with one win and five losses.

On top of their 3-0 loss to the Red Sparks, the Gwangju side also suffered a 3-1 loss to the Altos on Wednesday. The Peppers reinforced their squad ahead of this season with the likes of Park Jeong-ah, who plays for Korea's national team, but the signings have yet to prove their success.

The V League will continue this week, with the Kixx next facing Hi-Pass on Tuesday at Jangchung Arena in central Seoul.

A 3-0 or 3-1 win for the Kixx would bring the Seoul team up to 14 points, narrowing the gap with league leaders Pink Spiders to just one point.

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