AI Peppers come from behind to stun Seoul Kixx

The Gwangju AI Peppers, currently the lowest-ranked team in the V league, denied the No. 2 GS Caltex Seoul Kixx a chance to narrow the gap with the league leaders, defeating the Seoul club 3-2 on their opponent’s home turf in a major upset on Friday.

The Gwangju AI Peppers cheer after scoring against the GS Caltex Seoul Kixx in a match at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul on Friday. [KOVO]

The Gwangju AI Peppers, currently the lowest-ranked team in the V league, denied the No. 2 GS Caltex Seoul Kixx a chance to narrow the gap with the league leaders, defeating the Seoul club 3-2 on their opponent’s home turf in a major upset on Friday.

It was a redeeming victory for the Peppers, who blew a two-set lead in their last match against the Kixx, losing to the Seoul club 3-2 at home at Pepper Stadium just a few weeks ago.

On Friday, the Kixx kicked things off strong, winning the first set 25-17. But the Peppers got the better of them during the second, riding out the momentum from an early six-point lead to end the set 26-24. The Kixx took things back during the third set, winning it 26-24, but the Peppers forced the Seoul side into a fifth match after a strong 25-21 finish in the fourth.

The Peppers won the tiebreaker 15-10 to break a four-game losing streak, the longest so far this season, and earn their second win of the campaign.

Peppers opposite hitter Yasmin Bedartgani, who is Filipina American, was the top scorer of the game, winning a monumental 45 points for the Gwangju team over the five sets on Friday. For context, Kixx outside hitter Gyselle Silva — the No. 2 top scorer in the V League — scored 31 points for the Seoul team. And Peppers' Park Jeong-ah, who plays on the national team and joined the Gwangju side this year, scored 14 points, with 12 attacks.

It was the Peppers’ second win of the season. They last defeated Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass 3-2 in October.

Also this week, V League leaders Incheon Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders extended their reign at the top of the table with two more wins.

The Pink Spiders defeated Hwaseong IBK Altos 3-1 on Wednesday and took another win against Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate days later, defeating them 3-2. The Spiders’ wins pushed their point total to 20, a comfortable six points ahead of both No. 2 Kixx and No. 3 Hillstate.

But apart from the Pink Spiders, the other teams among the top four — who earn a spot in the playoffs at the end of the season — took losses as they played tough matches against more powerful clubs. No. 4 Daejeon Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks fell to No. 3 Hillstate, losing 3-1. Days later, Hillstate took the L against the No. 1 Pink Spiders, who now have a four-game winning streak and an overall record of seven wins and just one loss.

Despite last week’s losses, the League standings saw little movement among the seven teams. The Peppers are still at the bottom and the Altos are in fifth place while last season’s championship winners Gimcheon are in spot No. 6.

But the League could see a shakeup with tough pairings scheduled for this week. The Kixx next face the Red Sparks — the only team so far to defeat the No. 1 Pink Spiders this season — at home on Tuesday before meeting the Pink Spiders for an away game on Friday.

The Peppers could also have a chance to make their way up the table in matches with Gimcheon and the Altos.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]