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| Araujo / Photo=DB |
Woori Card defeated Korea Electric Power 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 21-25, 23-25, 15-8) on the 14th at Seoul’s Jangchung Gymnasium in a Jin Air 2025-2026 V-League men’s home game.
The win moved fifth-place Woori Card to 19-16 (54 points), closing in on third-place Korea Electric Power (19-16, 56 points) and fourth-place KB Insurance (18-17, 55 points), and kept their postseason hopes alive.
Woori Card will close the regular season against last-place Samsung Fire on the 17th.
Araujo led the way for Woori Card with 26 points, and Ali chipped in 24 to push the team to victory.
Vernon topped both teams with 27 points for Korea Electric Power, but his effort wasn’t enough.
Woori Card grabbed the early momentum. The first set was tight throughout. Trailing 13-14, Woori Card capitalized on an opponent error and two blocks by Han Tae-jun to reel off three straight points and take a 16-14 lead. Every time Woori Card tried to pull away, Korea Electric Power answered to keep the set close.
Down 20-23, Korea Electric Power closed to one on a Vernon back attack and a score by Seo Jae-deok, but Araujo’s back attack earned set point. Lee Sang-hyun finished it with a block, and Woori Card claimed the first set 25-22.
Woori Card also took the second set after a tense back-and-forth. Trailing 5-6, Ali sparked a five-point run to flip the score to 10-6. Korea Electric Power fought back: Shin Young-seok’s quick hit and block and Park Seung-su’s attack produced three straight points to close to 12-15.
The teams traded ties afterward, but at 24-24 Woori Card closed the set when an opponent error and Ali’s block sealed a 26-24 win.
Korea Electric Power answered in the third. The set stayed tight early, but at 13-13 the momentum shifted. Kim Jung-ho diversified his attacks for three points, and Vernon added a service ace as Korea Electric Power surged to a 17-13 lead. Vernon and Musaweol sustained the attack, and after an opponent error set up match point, Vernon’s back attack finished the set 25-21.
Riding that wave, Korea Electric Power evened the match. In the fourth, tied 9-9, Musaweol’s quick attack, an opponent error and Kim Jung-ho’s service ace produced a three-point run and gave them the edge. Woori Card chipped away behind Araujo, and consecutive scores from Lee Simon and Araujo tied it at 20-20.
In a razor-close finish, Korea Electric Power prevailed. At 23-23, Vernon’s quick open earned set point, and his back attack closed the fourth set 25-23.
Woori Card closed the match in the fifth. From the start, Araujo and Lee Sang-hyun combined for four quick points to build a lead. At 9-7, Ali ripped off five straight points to put Woori Card at match point, and Lee Sang-hyun’s quick attack sealed the 15-8 final in the fifth set.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
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