The third-place team’s championship run came to an unfortunate end with three straight losses. The aftermath of a long postseason was too much for the well-rested No. 1 team.
After losing two straight games away from home in Incheon, OK Financial Group looked to rebound at home. In the third game at the Sangryoksu Gymnasium in Ansan on Feb. 2, OK Financial Group, led by triple crown winner Leo, fought a close full-set match, but fell short in the fifth set, losing 13-15. “We will try to get revenge next season,” said OK Financial Group head coach Massa Ogino.
Ogino’s new style of volleyball was a breath of fresh air for the V-League. In the V-League, where strong serves are emphasized, Ogino emphasized volleyball without errors, not strong serves. He ordered his players to serve on target, then block and defend high, then attack again. By emphasizing the importance of not committing errors, 스포츠토토사이트 OK Financial Group transformed into a stable team.
The team finished third in the regular season and entered spring volleyball. They defeated No. 4 KEPCO in the semi-finals, and defeated No. 2 Woori Card in the playoffs to face No. 1 Korean Air. But Korean Air’s walls were thick. The effectiveness of new foreign player Maksim and a fully recovered Jung Ji-seok were not enough to stop them, and the championship ended with three straight losses.
Coach Ogino said, “We lost, but we were able to reach the final because the players worked hard. I’m responsible for the loss,” Ogino said, adding, “I could see once again that Korean Air has a deep bench. The substitutes did a good job, and I admit that they are one or two players above us. I think we should try to get revenge next season.”
She is grateful to her players. Coach Ogino, who pursued a different style of volleyball from the traditional Korean volleyball, said, “I think we showed a different game from the traditional Korean volleyball. The players did a good job of following my game plan. It’s the result of practicing every day. We were able to play OK volleyball with fewer errors.”
It is necessary to adapt her volleyball to Korean volleyball. “I learned Korean volleyball to this day,” Ogino said, “and I will continue to play my own volleyball while making changes.” Next season, Hyundai Capital and KB Insurance will also be coached by foreigners. “I think the foreign coaches will show world-class standards,” Ogino said, adding, “I think it’s good to study because they are better than me. I will steal the good things and show you the upgraded OK,” he laughed.
“All the players did a good job,” Ogino said when asked to name a player who improved. “The guys who came out today, the guys who were in the warm-up zone, the guys who didn’t make the roster, we’ve been practicing with the same menu. I think that’s why we’ve come this far,” Ogino said. “I think that when the reserves play well, the starters play well. I think we’re a one-man team, and that’s why we’ve come this far.”
There are no plans for next season yet. “It’s the first time for foreign players and Asian quarters to experience the system,” he said, “I didn’t think it was a season. I think we need to talk to the coaches and the secretariat staff in the future.”